Is your driveway faded and gray? This is a sign that it needs resealing after undergoing general wear and tear. Harsh seasons, oil & gas spills, and even grease can take a toll on your driveway. After some years, you may have to reseal it to protect it from developing huge cracks and restore its looks.

However, before buying a driveway sealer, you need to know the area you’re going to cover. This is important as it will help you to buy the right amount of asphalt sealer. You don’t want to purchase an excess sealer that may waste or buy a small sealer that will create different patches on your driveway.

How much driveway sealer do I need?

The best way to know how much driveway sealer you need is by measuring the driveway’s square footage. On top of that, you should consider the state of your driveway. If the driveway has large cracks and holes, you will need an extra asphalt sealer to restore it. Here’s how you should measure your driveway:

Step 1: For proper measurement, start by dividing your driveway into approximate geometrical shapes. This will help you to measure the square footage of your driveway. You can divide them into triangles, rectangles, and semicircles.

Step 2: Next, measure the length and width of each rectangular section of the driveway. Additionally, calculate the base and height of every triangular area. Finally, calculate the radius of every semicircular section.  

Related article: How can you remove moss from your driveway?

Step 3: To determine your driveway’s square foot, multiply each rectangular section’s length by the width. And for the rectangular areas, multiply the base by the height, and divide it by two. Finally, multiply the radius of the semicircular sections by 3.14, and divide it by two.

Step 4: If you have all the figures of the rectangular, triangular, and semicircular sections, you should add them all to get the square foot of your driveway.

Step 5: After getting the driveway square footage, divide it by 80 to find the number of gallons of the sealer you need for one coat. Note that each gallon covers around 80 square feet, and each bucket of sealer has 5 gallons. Next, divide the number of gallons by 5 to get the number of buckets you need.

Step 6: Even though it’s recommended to add a second coat, always consider your driveway’s state before adding it. If the driveway is in awful condition, you will have to add a second coat. But if not, there’s no need to add a second coat.

Besides, the second coat needs only around two-thirds of the amount of the driveway sealer. Therefore, you should calculate the amount of sealer by 0.66% to get the second coat you will need.

Step 7: Since you have the exact amount of the first and second coat you need, combine them to find the total amount of sealer you will need to seal your driveway—afterward, round up the amount to the nearest multiple of 5 gallons.

Other things to consider when determining the amount of sealer you need

• Do I need to fill the cracks and holes before sealing? If the driveway’s cracks and gaps are huge, using a sealer alone won’t be effective. You will have to use a crack filler before calculating the amount of sealer required.
• There are different types of driveway sealers such as asphalt or concrete sealers available on the market. What type of driveway sealer do you need? After knowing the amount of sealer to apply, you should purchase the right sealer. Some driveway sealers have formulas for older driveways, and others contain formulas for newer driveways. Get the right sealer for excellent results.

Conclusion

With this procedure, finding the amount of driveway sealer you want is easy. Just ensure to apply the driveway correctly so that you can get the exact amount that you need. If the driveway is extremely poor, add at least one gallon of the sealer to cover the messy areas.

From now onwards, you don’t have to guess the amount of driveway sealer that you need. Calculate the driveway sealer that you need and buy the right type of sealer for your driveway. A driveway sealer helps to maintain and beautify your concrete over a long period.  We hope that you have got the information you’ve been looking for. All the best as you restore your driveway!