MR BRADSHAW, THANKYOU FOR YOUR QUESTION REGARDING ADDITIVES AND THEIR USE. I EXPECT THAT YOU HAVE BEEN APPLYING AN OIL BASE PRODUCT (CUTBACK) SEALER FOR THOSE PAST YEARS. COAL-TAR IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SEALER, CONCENTRATE SEALER IS CUT WITH WATER. ALWAYS REMEMBER EACH JOB YOU SEAL, THE SEALER MUST HYDRATE THE WATER OUT FIRST TO COMPLETE THE CURING PROCESS. AMBIENT TEMPERATURE IS CRITICAL WHEN SEALING WITH A WATER BASE SEALER. ASPHALT BASED SEALERS ARE IN THE SAME CATAGORY AS COAL-TAR IN THAT THEY ALL MUST HYDRATE THE WATER OUT. MOISTURE AND HUMIDITY ALL ARE A FACTOR IN THE CURING PROCESS. FOR EXAMPLE IF THE HUMIDITY IS AT 70% THERE IS ONLY 30% ROOM IN THE AIR TO ABSORB THE MOISTURE. PICKING DAYS WITH LOWER HUMIDITY WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU CAN WAIT TILL THE HUMIDITY IS LOW TO SEAL HOWEVER, THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. YOU NEED TO WORK EVERYDAY AND THATS WHERE THE RIGHT ADDITIVE COME INTO PLAY. SOME FACTORS YOU MUST CONSIDER WHEN INCORPORATING AN ADDITIVE. 1.MIX DESIGN, 2. SAND LOAD, 3.SIZE OF YOUR AGGREGATE,4. WATER CUT PERCENTAGE,5. AMBIENT AND PAVEMENT SURFACE TEMPERATURE, 6.POROSITY OF THE PAVEMENT. AN ADDITIVE SHOULD BE USED IN EVERY LOAD ALL YEAR LONG. WE MANUFACTURER FSA OUR ORIGINAL AND BEST SELLING ADDITIVE FOR COALTAR. FSA IMPROVES THE FLEXIBILITY OF THE SEALER FILM, AND HARDENS THE FILM TO REDUCE TRACKING AND TIRE CUTTING AND BEST OF ALL REDUCES THE CURING TIME BY 50% OR MORE. THIS WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT ADDITION TO YOUR EVERYDAY MIX. FSA DOES NOT THICKEN THE MIX. IF YOU ARE ADDING SAND TO YOUR MIX, I SUGGEST FSA-PLUS OR TARGEL-PLUS FOR SAND SUSPENSION AND BOTH PRODUCTS HAVE OUR FASS-DRI ADDED IN THEM. I RECOMMEND 1% TYPICALLY ON A 1 TO 2 PER GALLON SAND LOAD. IF YOU ARE RUNNING A HEAVIER LOAD, UP TO 2% OF THESE ADDITIVE PER 100 GALS. OF RAW SEALER.
NOW, IF YOU ARE DOING WORK ON MARGINAL WEATHER DAYS, AND OR NIGHT WORK, I RECOMMEND THE ADDITION OF OUR FASS-DRI CONCENTRATE TO GIVE IT A KICK. YOU WILL BE SURPRISED HOW THIS ADDITION OF FASS-DRI PSA WILL QUICKEN THE CURE TIME OF YOUR SEALER FILM. CONTRACTORS ARE ALWAYS TELLING OUR DISTRIBUTORS OUR FASS-DRI PSA HAS NOT ONLY ALLOWED THEM TO SEAL AT NIGHT, BUT HAS ALLOWED THEM TO SEAL EARLIER AND LATER INTO THE SEASON. YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU MAY BE SEALING AT AN OVERNIGHT TEMP OF 75 DEGREES, THIS IS AN IDEAL TEMP FOR CURING, HOWEVER YOU MUST WATCH THE HUMIDITY.. IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING HIGHER HUMIDITY YOU MAY NEED TO ADD A BIT MORE(1%) FASS-DRI PSA TO INSURE THE CURING PROCESS IS SUCCESSFUL. YOU ARE CHEMICALLY CURING THE SEALER FILM. WHEN I SAID I HAVE SEEN COMMERCIAL LOTS OPEN TO TRAFIC IN AS LITTLE A 4 HOURS, THE AMBIENT TEMPS WERE WARM AND SUNNY. BUT THE LOTS WERE OPENED WITH SUCCESS. THE ADDITIVES ALSO ALLOWED THE CONTRACTOR TO STRIPE THE LOT WITHN 2 HOURS UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS. COOLER CONDITIONS I RECOMMEND FASS-DRI PSA.AND FOR YOUR EVERYDAY ADDITIVE FSA,-FSA-PLUS-OR TARGEL-PLUS. THEY ALL WORK WELL IN COAL-TAR. IF YOU NEED TO DISCUSS OUR ADDITIVES AND THE BENIFITS OF THEM FEEL FREE TO CALL US 800-892-6701 AND I WILL BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS YOUR QUESTIONS IN MORE DEPTH. THANKS FOR YOUR QUESTIONS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSING MAINTENANCE INC ADDITIVES WITH YOU.
Reply To: Adding an additive to your sealer? The real cost in the tank and on the ground.
