Coal Tar Driveway Sealer?

[poncho455]

Hi -

Can anyone tell me if coal tar driveway sealer is still available for sale anywhere in New York State? After some research several years ago I sealed my asphalt driveway with a coal tar sealer from Sears and it has wheathered extremely well. Now I can't find it anywhere and one salesperson told me that it can't be sold in NY any longer.

If not available in NY, can anyone tell me if it is available in a nearby state?

Thanks in advance for any information!

 

[kbs2244]

I think it is pretty much a thing of the past.
Too many VOCs.
Calif banned it and everybody else pretty much followed their lead.
The places that didn't ban it were too small a market for the co.s to keep making it.

 

[TheShrine]

Yep, same here in central Texas. I just had mine re-coated and they used the "environmentally safe" ****. They aren't offering the good stuff anymore.

 

[poncho455]

...so is this another instance where we have to suffer with inferior products because of the environmentalist whacko's or has technology come up with something better in the years since I last coated my driveway? Also, does anyone know for sure if it was banned? How about professionals - do they have access to the coal tar sealers? Thanks again.

 

[TheShrine]

...so is this another instance where we have to suffer with inferior products because of the environmentalist whacko's or has technology come up with something better in the years since I last coated my driveway? Also, does anyone know for sure if it was banned? How about professionals - do they have access to the coal tar sealers? Thanks again.

In my case it is a case of "wackos" controlling the product usage. I use a professional/commercial company and their hands are tied. They are stuck with inferior products. With that being said, they did tell me there were several types of products on the market but none live up to the longevity and quality of the "banned" stuff. I used to resurface mine every 4 years and now I'll have to do it every 2 years. The fun part is it cost more and I have to do it more often.

I'm all for saving the planet but.......

 

[billspit]

I wondered why I hadn't seen it for several years. Last time I used it, it made me sick. The fumes burned my skin and made me incredibly irritable

 

[poncho455]

I wondered why I hadn't seen it for several years. Last time I used it, it made me sick. The fumes burned my skin and made me incredibly irritable

Maybe an allergy?

My wife, brother-in-law and I coated our relatively large driveway with the stuff and it did not bother any of us. Well, sounds like a moot point now.

Question still stands on availability in other states - PA? New England States?

Can anyone recommend any of the new stuff?

Thanks again

 

[Kevin54]

Doing a search on a search engine for "coal tar driveway sealer" turns up quite a few hits and companies, so it looks like it is still out there.

 

[billspit]

Maybe an allergy?

My wife, brother-in-law and I coated our relatively large driveway with the stuff and it did not bother any of us. Well, sounds like a moot point now.

I don't think it was an allergy. I did it when it was hot and the vapors lifting off the stuff blistered me.

 

[stinkythings.com]

Poncho,
Try this link :
http://www.velvetop.com/Products/PavementMaterials/VT_SuperPavementSealer.htm

I used to sealcoat driveways,the only products I used were Velvetop. They make a superior product. I believe it is still coal tar based. If your driveway is on a hill, or has many cracks I recommend the slurry. It is more or less sealer with fine sand in it. This will offer traction and fill cracks if needed. I never used an open flame to burn oil spots, that is the best way to ruin an asphalt driveway. They make an oil spot sealer, then you sealcoat over it. I see you are in NY, Velvetop is on Long Island in Huntington. Suffolk County about 30 minutes from the Cross island Pkwy.

 

[Nikolai_V]

Here in NZ, we used to use coal tar for sealing roads, but this hasn`t been the case since about 1959. Why you might ask - because it`s carcinogenic and there is a perfectly good alternative, Bitumen, or asphalt I think you guys call it. It used to be made as a byproduct of town gas works or imported from the UK, but it needed extensive modification to be as good as a bitumen.

This can be used cutback with diesel or kerosine, or emulsified, as a sealing binder. Both cutback and emulsion can be used in the manufacture of asphatic concrete, although slurry seals (microsurfacing) typically utilise an emulsion.

 

[poncho455]

Well, I have been unable to locate any coal-tar based, off-the-shelf sealers in my area. Can anyone recommend a good asphalt based sealer? Looking for first-hand experience, not anecdotal please. Is there maybe a better forum for this type of information? Thanks in advance.

 

[markzrt1]

http://www.lawnsite.com/forumdisplay.php?f=116

 

[drivewaydude]

Yeah, the coal tar is pretty good stuff if you can get away from the harmful chemicals within it. On the west coast they have been using asphalt based products for years after coal tar became harder to get. Most of the materials there are engineered for the 2 year turnaround (dumb strategy) but you can find elite materials by the more reputable companies and will sell to contractors and DIY's alike. Look for higher solids content as an indicator for longer perfromance - theory is more net residue on pavement equals more protection. Try www.raynguard.com and ask for a local source of their products.