About Seal Coating
Asphalt Sealing, or seal coating, is simply laying a thin protective layer over asphalt-based pavement to give it a protective layer of protection against the elements: oil, water, and U.V. The positive effects of asphalt sealing have long been debated. Some claim that asphalt sealing increases the lifespan of the pavement, but again, there’s no evidence that backs up those claims. Asphalt sealing can damage the pavement by creating cracks. The excessive water and oil that can be soaked into the asphalt also weaken its structural integrity. And the chemical fumes emitted during asphalt sealing can also be harmful to humans.
With all of that in mind, it’s not surprising that many business owners, when they set out to perform asphalt sealing, opt to go the non-per square foot route. The costs are much lower, often no more than a few cents per square foot. And the benefits of lower cost and improved performance are well-known. After all, if you want to save money, you want to reduce your operation costs.
But that brings us to our next question: Are asphalt sealing pads a good solution for parking lots, blacktop driveways, or other paved surfaces? As with any typical maintenance procedure, regular maintenance is the best way to reduce the cost of asphalt sealing. Sealing at least annually will help keep dust, pollen, and other pollutants from making their way onto your paved surfaces. It will also help protect your driveway from water damage, as well as mold and algae growth, both of which cause a lot of problems to homeowners.
Now let’s look at how often you should reseal your asphalt surfaces, especially if you’re going to go the non-per square foot route. The key, again, is regular maintenance. And as it turns out, the best time to perform asphalt sealing and resealing are during the cold winter months. There’s even been some recent evidence suggesting that the best time for asphalt sealing and resealing is during the fall when temperatures are quite low.
Why is that? Fall is when most asphalt-based park finishes and protective coatings need to be applied. Asphalt-based park finishes are very weather-resistant, but that doesn’t mean that they’re impervious to the elements. The rainy spring weather can still cause problems, as can heavy snow, ice, and even dew. So, by applying the protective coatings only during the wet winter months, you’ll be doing your park and business no favors, and in the end, your asphalt sealing and resealing efforts will be wasted.
Here’s why: Asphalt seal coats are extremely dense. Think about asphalt sealing and resealing – it’s the same product, just in a different form. And that means that you have to apply a lot less of it to achieve the same degree of protection. That’s why a lot of asphalt maintenance and repair companies (which specialize in asphalt sealing and resealing) will advise you to apply a minimum of three or four gallons of asphalt-based protectant per square foot of paved area. In other words, if you have a parking lot of ten thousand square feet, you’d want to apply three gallons per every twenty-five feet of the paved area.
If you were to apply that kind of service to your asphalt driveway, you could expect to pay anywhere from three to five dollars per square foot. Now consider that the average cost of asphalt sealing and resealing is only about two or three dollars per square foot. Multiply those two by the number of feet of asphalt you’re going to need to cover (per your parking lot, for example), and you quickly come to understand how much asphalt sealing and resealing would cost you. Applying the service yourself would cost you at least a thousand dollars or more. Not very appealing, I’d say.
But, don’t give up just yet – there are other ways to protect your asphalt driveway seal coating and resealing investment, and they won’t cost you nearly as much, so don’t rule them out just yet. One of those ways is called flashings, which are like raised bumps along the edge of your driveway that will serve as an additional traction aid when you drive over it. The average cost of installing these would be about two hundred dollars, with the total installed cost running into the thousands. Another less expensive alternative is a thin film of asphalt seal coating that has a plastic protective layer between it and the ground, as opposed to flashing. It’s about as thick as standard asphalt, which would then have to be applied to your asphalt driveway seal coating and resurfacing project in much the same way.
About Wildwood, Missouri
Wildwood is a city in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. It is located in the far western portion of the county. As of the 2020 census, the population was 35,417. Wildwood is the home of the Al Foster Trail, and numerous other trails, parks, and reserves such as Rockwoods Reservation and Babler State Park.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 67.08 square miles (173.74 km), of which 66.42 square miles (172.03 km2) is land and 0.66 square miles (1.71 km) is water.
Wildwood is bounded to the north by Chesterfield; on the east by Clarkson Valley and Ellisville; to the south by Eureka and Pacific; and on the west by Franklin County.
As of the 2020 census, there were 35,417 people and 12,438 households living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 85.6% White (84.8% non-Hispanic White), 1.6% African American, 0.1% Native American, 6.0% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 5.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.3%.
At the 2010 census there were 35,517 people, 12,112 households, and 10,153 families living in the city. The population density was 534.7 inhabitants per square mile (206.4/km). There were 12,604 housing units at an average density of 189.8 per square mile (73.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 87.2% White, 6.7% African American, 0.2% Native American, 4.0% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.3%.
Of the 12,112 households 45.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 75.2% were married couples living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 16.2% were non-families. 13.6% of households were one person and 5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size was 3.24.
The median age was 41.5 years. 30.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.3% were from 25 to 44; 34.8% were from 45 to 64; and 8.9% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.5% male and 50.5% female.
At the 2000 census there were 32,884 people, 10,837 households, and 9,243 families living in the city. The estimated median house/condo value in 2005 was $345,100. The population density was 498.0 inhabitants per square mile (192.3/km). There were 11,229 housing units at an average density of 170.1 per square mile (65.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.74% White, 1.62% African American, 0.12% Native American, 2.38% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.29% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.38%.
Of the 10,837 households 51.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 79.0% were married couples living together, 4.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.7% were non-families. 12.4% of households were one person and 4.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.32.
The age distribution was 33.2% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 5.5% 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males.
Estimated median household income in 2007: $113,270. Males had a median income of $75,849 versus $41,224 for females. The per capita income for the city was $38,485. About 1.6% of families and 2.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.
Wildwood is served by Rockwood School District, with one high school within the city limits, Lafayette High School.
St. Louis Community College–Wildwood is a local, two-year public community college located off routes 100 and 109.
The City of Wildwood contracts for police service with the St. Louis County Police Department.
The Big Chief Restaurant is all that remains of a tourist complex that opened on U.S. Route 66 in 1928. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places listings in 2003.