Sealcoating & Crack Sealing in Cheyenne, WY

Sealcoating and crack sealing are the two maintenance jobs that add the most life to asphalt in Cheyenne. Crack sealing fills open cracks with hot, rubberized sealant that stays flexible in the cold, so snowmelt cannot reach the base. Sealcoating covers the whole surface with a thin protective film that slows sun damage and keeps the surface tight. Neither adds strength, so both belong on pavement that is still structurally sound.

Cracks and the freeze window

Cheyenne's average freezing window starts around September 29. Sealing cracks in August or early September, when they are open and dry, keeps water out through the long freeze-thaw season that follows. Chinook afternoons above 50 degrees on about twenty winter days melt snow straight into open cracks, and the following night freezes it there. HomeGuide lists crack filling at roughly $0.50 to $3 per linear foot.

Sun at 6,000 feet

Cheyenne gets about 2,980 hours of sunshine a year, around 67 percent of the possible total, and at over 6,000 feet the UV is strong. Sun oxidizes the asphalt binder, turning the surface gray and brittle and letting stones loosen. A sealcoat slows that process.

When to seal

HomeGuide recommends waiting 3 to 6 months after paving, then resealing every 2 to 10 years depending on the product and conditions. The practical signal is color and texture: when the surface has gone gray and stones show, it is time. Sealing too often builds up a thick film that cracks and flakes.

Weather window

Sealer needs dry pavement and temperatures between about 50 and 95 degrees, per HomeGuide; fast-dry products need it above 75 and under 35 percent humidity. Most sealers need 12 to 72 hours before cars. In Cheyenne that means June through early September, watching for afternoon storms.

Preparation

• Clean the surface and edges with blowers and brooms
• Scrape and prime oil stains
• Seal cracks first
• Hand-cut edges along concrete and landscaping
• Barricade until the sealer cures

Shortcuts in prep are why seal coats peel.

Commercial lots

We seal lots in sections so the business stays open, then restripe. HomeAdvisor lists commercial sealcoating at $0.15 to $0.30 per square foot.

A yearly checklist

• May: walk the pavement and mark new cracks and soft spots
• June: patch failed areas once the ground is warm
• July to August: sealcoat faded surfaces in dry weather
• August to early September: seal cracks before the freeze
• Winter: keep plow blades off edges and avoid leaving piles of ice melt on the surface