Choosing a Sealcoating Unit

One of the most crucial factors of being a successful sealcoating contractor is having the right equipment. If you’ve been shopping for sealcoating equipment lately, you know that there are many different options available. Not knowing the business very well, or at all, will leave you at the mercy of the salesman to hopefully guide you in the right direction. While there are equipment manufacturers and distributors out there who truly do have your best interests in mind, there are some that will sell you whatever they can in order to make a sale. Being educated about the concept of the equipment and why some units are designed certain ways will give you an edge.

When selecting sealcoating equipment, keep in mind that this is an investment in your business, and it is one of the biggest ones you will make. Therefore, it should not be made in haste. Do your homework. Determine the types of jobs you will be doing, such as all residential, all commercial, or a little bit of both. Will you work part-time or full-time at this venture? Also remember to find out how far you are from your sealcoating provider. If you are 20 minutes away, you have an advantage over the sealcoater that is two hours away. You won’t want to spend all of your time running back and forth for sealer, so be sure to take that into consideration before you buy the smallest, most inexpensive system you can find. Also keep in mind that some sealer providers provide discounts for purchasing a minimum amount of sealer such as 300 or 500 gallons.

The next step is to determine if you want to have the ability to spray your material. Many contractors nowadays are using the spray application method. Although it has gotten a bad reputation in some areas, if done correctly, it can dramatically increase your productivity without sacrificing quality. Also, having the ability to spray also gives you the ability to “pump” the material out through the hose wand in areas that need to be cut in. This will eliminate the need for messy buckets. Remember, your image is going to speak loudly. You want to come across as professional as possible. Splashing around on someone’s driveway with buckets and covered from head to toe in sealer isn’t going to make your company look too professional.

In your quest to purchase your sealcoating equipment, be sure to compare features and design. The equipment manufacturer that has actually sealcoated before will have better insight into sealcoating equipment and the business than the manufacturer who knew somebody one time that sealcoated. In talking to the manufacturer or distributor, make sure they are looking out for your best interests as well, not just trying to push the cheapest system on you. Remember that this is the person you will be calling if you have trouble later, so make sure you get a good feeling from speaking with them.

If you’re new to the business, you may not understand the relevance of some features that are offered on the various systems. Most of the equipment on the market is all basically the same concept with a few seemingly small, yet important differences. One of the differences will be the size of the filter pot. This is where the material will be strained for particles that are too large to pass through the spray wand’s spray tip. It only makes sense that the larger the pot, the more time it will take for the pot to become full and therefore need to be cleaned. Another important feature to pay close attention to is the agitation system. It is responsible for making sure the material is kept “stirred up” and the sand is not left sitting at the bottom of the tank. Some systems have rubber wiper blades which sweep the inside walls of the tank and do an excellent job of keeping the inside of the tank clean and the material well mixed. Others only get close to the side, or even have indentions in the tank, which allow the sand to settle. This sand and missed sealer will eventually become a “sand bar” in the tank which will need to be cleaned out at the end of the season to keep it from breaking into pieces and clogging your system.

If you are in the market for a trailer system, the gap widens a little bit on features. The trailer is a good idea for those small contractors who cannot afford a separate vehicle for their work truck. At the end of the day, the trailer can be unhooked and the truck is free for other uses. Some come with a front deck to hold your blowers and other tools, making your system truly “self contained”. Others will require a second truck, or the use of the back of the truck pulling the trailer to hold the rest of your equipment. Hose reels are sometimes optional, so be sure you understand if the system you’re considering has that feature. A hose reel is worth its weight in gold. Few other things are less professional than wrapping 100’ of dirty black hose up on the side of your (hopefully clean) equipment and driving around town. Pay attention to little things like if the hose reel is at your knees or at your shoulder. Are the fenders heavy duty for being walked on, or will they sag after the first use? Pay attention to the construction of the tank and the trailer or skid. Is it welded, bolted, or strapped? What are the weak points of the system you are considering? Will you feel comfortable loading this equipment up with sealer and driving 70 mph on the expressway? Keeping all of these points in mind will help ensure that the investment you make for your company will be a good one.

This article was furnished by an Allied Member. The NPCA does not endorse particular brands. but we do appreciate our allied member's support.

Member's who make sealcoating equipment include Seal-Rite Equipt Manufacturing and SealMaster

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