How Much Does Sealcoating Cost in Georgia?
A national cost guide puts the average driveway sealcoating job at $574, with most between $282 and $867. The same guide’s Atlanta page runs higher, at $957 to $2,585 and about $1,680 on average. For parking lots, the guide’s Atlanta paving page lists $0.15 to $0.30 per square foot.
These are market numbers, not our price list. The size of the job moves the total most, and prep work on cracks and stains adds to it. We cover the work itself on our sealcoating page.
What do cost guides say sealcoating costs?
National cost guides publish the ranges below. Each one averages its own mix of jobs, so the numbers do not line up. Read each row as one guide’s published range.
| What is priced | Published market range | Kind of source |
|---|---|---|
| Driveway sealcoating, national | $282 to $867 per job, $574 average | First national cost guide, 2026 data |
| Driveway sealcoating, Atlanta | $957 to $2,585 per job, $1,680 average | First guide’s Atlanta page |
| Driveway sealcoating, per square foot | $1.00 to $2.00 | Second national cost guide |
| Two-car driveway, 20 by 20 feet | $400 to $800 | Second guide’s size table |
| Parking lot sealcoating | $0.15 to $0.30 per square foot | First guide’s Atlanta paving page |
| Crack filling | $0.50 to $3.00 per linear foot | Second guide |
| Crack filling, a whole driveway | $100 to $400 | First guide |
| Parking lot striping, 30 to 50 stalls | $500 to $1,200 | Second guide |
The Atlanta number sits well above the national one. That page ties the total to the square footage sealed and the prep the driveway needs. Large driveways cost more to seal, the second guide says. It lists $1,700 to $3,300 for a 1,650 square foot circle drive.
What else moves the sealcoating price?
Size comes first. The second guide says the price depends mostly on the square footage. After that, the first guide names these cost drivers:
- A job minimum. Many contractors set a minimum fee, so a small driveway can cost more per square foot.
- Slopes and odd shapes. Sealer can run down a slope, and odd shapes are harder to treat.
- Hard access. A driveway that is hard to reach with equipment takes longer and adds labor.
- Cleaning. Pressure washing a driveway runs $100 to $500. Some contractors include it, and some bill it separately.
Why does a parking lot cost more than a driveway?
A lot costs more in total because it has far more pavement. Per square foot, the published lot rate runs far lower than the driveway rate. A lot also brings work most driveways do not need:
- Extra coats. One coat suits a basic home driveway. Heavy traffic calls for two or three, per the first guide.
- Oil and grease spots. The pavement sealer trade group says to scrub them out and prime the deep ones.
- Striping. The lines go back on after the sealer dries. The striping row in the table shows what that adds.
- Barricades. The trade group says barricades stay up until the sealer and the striping can take traffic. An open business often has its lot sealed in sections.
When a lot has failed past the point of sealer, the job becomes parking lot paving instead.
Why do cracks get filled before the sealer?
Sealer goes on as a thin coat. A third national cost guide notes that asphalt sealer fills only very shallow cracks. The first guide says sealcoating cannot start until cracks are filled or repaired.
The pavement sealer trade group says to skip hairline cracks. Wider cracks get cleaned out and filled with crack sealant first. Crack filling runs $0.50 to $3.00 per linear foot in the second guide, and $1 to $3 in the first.
Some damage is past filling. The trade group says alligator cracking or soft, sunken spots mean the pavement or base needs repair or replacement. On a badly cracked driveway, the first guide puts repair at $0.60 to $1.75 per square foot. That is asphalt repair and patching work, done before any sealer goes down.
How often should you seal asphalt in Georgia?
Georgia asphalt takes summer heat and heavy rain. NOAA’s 1991 to 2020 normals for the Atlanta airport show about 50 inches of precipitation a year. The same normals count about 47 days a year at 90 degrees or hotter.
Sun breaks asphalt down and leaves it brittle, the third guide notes. The asphalt industry’s engineering group says to seal once the surface turns dry and brittle. Small surface cracks and loose surface stone, called raveling, are signs too.
For a schedule, the first guide says driveways and parking lots need sealcoating every two to five years. The third guide says to seal more often where pavement sits in full sun or takes heavy rain. Do not overdo it, though. That guide warns that too much sealant can make a driveway peel.
New asphalt waits. The pavement sealer trade group says hot mix usually needs 30 to 90 days to cure first. The engineering group says a well-built driveway or lot should not need sealing for about 2 to 5 years. Plan the first coat for later if you are adding a new asphalt driveway.
How long does sealcoating take to dry?
Sealer dries and hardens through evaporation and the sun’s heat, the pavement sealer trade group says. Its ideal day is above 70 degrees with direct sun. Humidity under 60 percent helps too.
Clouds or high humidity slow it down. Then the coat can take up to 24 hours before it can stand up to rain. The group says no sealer goes down when rain is imminent or likely.
For driving, the second guide says most sealants need 12 to 72 hours before you park or drive on them. The engineering group says to keep vehicles off until the sealer soaks into the surface.
In metro Atlanta, the warm months fit that window. NOAA’s normals put the airport’s average high near 74 degrees in April and in October. Winter highs average in the 50s.
How do you get a written sealcoating quote?
Ground Effects Paving sealcoats asphalt driveways and parking lots in Dallas, Georgia and across the west side of metro Atlanta. We fill the cracks before the sealer goes down. On lots, we stripe after it dries. We look at the job and put the quote in writing. Call or text (770) 940-0861, or read more about sealcoating for driveways and lots.