Ships Year-Round
If you're in need of a sealer that can be used year-round, the BIG A Oil Sealer is the product for you. Since it doesn't contain water, it isn't prone to the damage caused by freezing temperatures that are a problem for almost all other sealers on the market. While we do recommend that you apply the BIG A Oil Sealer in 40º F (4.5º C) and warmer for "best experience", it can safely be used in lower temperatures. What's the lowest temp? We'll put it this way... The temperature you're willing to sealcoat in.
Some things to consider when sealcoating in lower temperatures:
- The product has a higher viscosity which means it moves slower or acts thicker.
- The product will work best if it is brought up to a reasonable temperature, before use.
- Never pre-heat the product using an open flame or any kind of "open heating" system. The product is flammable.
Performance
Oil Sealers have become a very popular product world wide because of it's ability to penetrate further into existing asphalt, bond with the asphalt binder and rejuvenate the top layers that are damaged by weather. Our water based BIG A Asphalt Sealer in contrast is designed to coat the top layers, and wear evenly over time.
Cutting & Sand
Cutting or Thinning
The BIG A Oil Sealer is a ready-to-use product which means you don't need to cut or thin it. We highly recommend that you stick to the product that comes out of the container, however in rare cases, you might need to cut the product. The most important time, will be lower temperatures. If you expect to sealcoat in temperatures below 40º F (4.5º C) then you might need to cut the product with a small amount of painters mineral spirits for the sole purpose of decreasing its viscosity. This will make the product flow a little easier. Outside of this, we do not recommend cutting or thinning this product.
Sand & Aggregates
Since the BIG A Oil Sealer is ready-to-use, we don't recommend adding any aggregates like sand, however you can do so if your situation requires it. There are two ways we recommend adding sand, the first is to sprinkle sand over the surface of the sealed area and the second is to mix the sand with the product.
If you do mix sand with the product, stick to 2.75 lbs / gallon.
Things To Consider
Keep Away from Flames
Since the BIG A Oil Sealer is solvent based, that means it is also flammable. Keep this product away from open flames by NEVER bringing it up to temperature using a torch or similar "open heating" type of system.
Application Methods
In addition, because this is a solvent based sealer, it makes it more difficult to use in traditional sealcoating spray systems. The solvent can eventually eat through the rubber seals and hoses if they are not designed to withstand solvent solutions. Because of this, there are several options to consider:
- Recommended Method - Apply by hand as thin as possible with a sealcoat squeegee or sealcoat brush
- Convert your pump seals to withstand solvents
- Convert your entire pump to a "Gear Driven" pump (Not an option we currently offer with our line of sealcoat spray systems)
Over-Application Warning
Over application needs to be avoided when at all possible. That said, if you end up with some extra sealer in the bucket and want to get rid of it, you can apply a very very thin second coat once the first coat has fully cured. We recommend avoiding any over-application whenever you can because this can lead to the asphalt softening but yes, it is possible if you take care of how much you apply.
Solvents Soften Asphalt
Since the point of the solvent is to soften the old asphalt to bind with the new, applying a layer of Oil Sealer that is too thick can keep your asphalt from curing properly. In most cases, if you apply it too thick, it will cure just fine over time, but in some rare cases it could take weeks or even months to fully cure. As long as you make sure to apply a coat as thin as possible, you'll be just fine using a solvent based oil sealer.
Packaging Note
Please note the image is for representation only. Our Oil Sealer products are shipped in 55 gallon barrels with sealed lids that are not removable. If you don't have a 55 gallon pump for removing the product from the barrels 2" bungs, you have several options:
- Purchase 5 gallon buckets. These are easier to handle and won't require any special equipment or methods for removing the sealer from the drum.
- Siphon the material. While not ideal, you can always elevate the barrel and siphon the material out of the barrel. It's crude, but gets the job done. Make sure you do NOT inhale or ingest the sealer. We will not be held liable for this method of material removal.
- Purchase a Drum Pump. Due to flammability reasons of this product, we only recommend hand rotary and hand lever pumps.
