A sealcoating company told me that their sealer is “oil based”. What does that mean?
All sealers start with an oil base, but there are two very important differences between coal tar/asphalt emulsion sealer and asphalt cutback sealer. Coal tar and asphalt emulsion sealers are water soluble types, that is to say they are carried by water and as the water evaporates a solid film is left behind. Asphalt cutback sealers can only be cut with a solvent, such as kerosene or naphthalene. They are very poor performing materials. Newly sealed driveways that have a very shiny appearance have been sealed with sprayed-on asphalt cutback.
