Why Choose Seal-Rite?

Our reputation in the sealcoating industry for quality products and service is unequaled and grows each year with every satisfied customer. We know there are a lot of choices out there, but no other company offers the quality, value and great prices that we do: Guaranteed. And nobody comes close to the legendary level of personal service we provide every customer.

While we sell inexpensive units for those starting out, there is nothing “Econo” about our quality on any unit! Even if you are a new business, we expect you to grow and we want our equipment to stay with you as you do. That’s why we don’t have titles like “Pro-Unit.” Every Seal-Rite unit provides “Pro” quality at an affordable price. There are plenty of companies that claim to have an innovative idea or unique offering. They hope to take advantage of your inexperience and fool you into thinking their plastic, octagonal, air driven, “business in a box” or other unproven system is the way to go.

Bottom line…time has proven our equipment made with heavy gauge, round, steel sealcoating tanks featuring top of the line parts and components from quality brands such as Honda, Jenny, Wilden, Goodyear and Hannay will give you less headaches and greater profits than any other machine on the market. And since we build everything in-house, all parts are available year round.

Most of our customers never have to get inside of our tanks to clean them out, thanks to the thick rubber wipers and our perfectly round tank. Ask the competition how many tanks they’ve had to replace due to rubbing or sand scratching against the side, cracks, denting during shipment, just plain wearing through from the straps some use or at the seams? Do they have distributors? Have they ever had a distributor stop selling their units due to the number of problems? Out of thousands of units sold, we have replaced only one tank (because a customer special ordered his own frame design that could not adequately handle the weight of the 1,500 gallon tank).

Will they tell you the truth? Do they have real-world experience? We were contractors ourselves for nearly 20 years and we work hard for our dollar, too, so we’re going to treat you like we want to be treated- before, during and long after the sale of our asphalt sealcoating equipment. Our reputation is proof we stand behind what we say.

Don’t be just another unhappy customer of some other company. Instead, take a look at our product line then send us a catalog request. Even better yet, give us a call at 1-573-387-4491 and we’ll get you on your way to becoming a happy, prosperous sealcoating contractor.

“The bitterness of poor quality will remain long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.”

Things To Consider Before Buying a Sealcoat Tank

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

When selecting asphalt sealcoating equipment, keep in mind it is an investment in your business, and likely the biggest one you will make. Therefore, it should not be made in haste. Do your homework. Determine the types of jobs you will be doing: primarily residential driveways, primarily commercial parking lots, or a little bit of both. Will you work part-time or full-time at this venture?

Another factor to consider is the amount of time you’ll spend driving back and forth, or waiting in line to obtain sealer. How far are you from your sealcoating provider? If you are 20 minutes away, you’ll have an advantage over the sealcoater located two hours from their provider. Something else to keep in mind is some sealcoating material providers give discounts for purchasing certain amounts of sealer. Be sure to take all these variables into consideration before you buy the smallest, most inexpensive sealcoating system on the market.

Being able to spray your sealcoating material with your equipment is another vital function you’ll want to make sure is included with your system. Most contractors use the spray application method. Although spraying has a bad reputation in some areas, if done correctly, it can dramatically increase your productivity without sacrificing quality. Also, spraying gives you the ability to precisely pump material where you want it. This eliminates the need for carrying messy buckets of sealer. Splashing around on someone’s driveway with buckets and being covered from head to toe in sealer isn’t going to make you or your company look very professional. Remember, your image is going to speak loudly – make sure it tells the best possible story!

Spray application is the most effective and durable way to apply a quality sealcoating to asphalt because it places all the variables in the sealcoater’s hand. It alleviates variables one would run into with hand application using brushes or squeegees. These variables include proper application rate, current quality of asphalt, proper mixing of material, etc. The negative opinion some people have of spray application is due to the fact some sealcoating contractors will thin sealer more than the manufacturer’s recommendations, and therefore do not do reputable work. The negativity is caused by scam artists improperly sealcoating and creating this stigma, not the spray application itself. This negative opinion is most commonly associated with spray application because if these dishonest individuals used a hand application, customers would quickly notice the material was “watered down” and realize the contractor was not delivering what was promised. Therefore, this negative reputation should be assigned to those individuals who are taking advantage of people with their “rigs” – which have been known to be a trash pump on a cheap plastic tank.

In your quest to purchase your sealcoating equipment, be sure to compare features and design. An equipment manufacturer that has been a sealcoating contractor will have better insight into the equipment, as well as the business, than a manufacturer who has never been a sealcoater. When talking to an asphalt sealcoating manufacturer or distributor, make sure they are looking out for your best interests, not just trying to sell you the cheapest system available. Remember, 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. They should be knowledgeable and readily available when you have questions.

If you’re new to the business, you may not understand the relevance of some features offered on the various systems. Most of the equipment on the market will have the same basic concept with a few differences, yet those differences can drastically change how well the machine performs. One such difference is the size of the filter pot. This is where the material is strained for particles that are too large to pass through the spray wand’s spray tip. The larger the pot, the more time it will take for it to become full and therefore will need to be cleaned less often. Seal-Rite’s extra-large pot and unique strainer baskets are the best in the business.

Another important feature to pay close attention to is the agitation system. It is responsible for making sure the material is properly mixed so the sand is not left settling at the bottom of the tank. Seal-Rite systems have rubber wiper blades which drag the inside walls of the tank and do an excellent job of keeping the interior of the tank clean while simultaneously ensuring the material is well mixed. Others will only get close to the side, or may have indentations in the tank, which allow a place for the sand to settle. Settled sand and 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.

Some people use “poly” (another word for plastic) tanks because they claim sealer doesn’t stick to them. It does. “Poly” tanks (like all plastics) age when exposed to the sun and weather. They can fade, become brittle, and crack. This can be disastrous if your sealcoating tank ruptures and releases 500+ gallons of sealer wherever you are at the time. Our top-quality heavy-gauge steel sealcoating tanks will last for many, many years with no risk of cracking or loss of strength.

Another thing to consider is the proper mixing of sealer. Simply recirculating the material and adding fresh sealer isn’t enough. Quality sealcoating application needs sand mixed in to get the best asphalt protection and you may choose to use additives as well. This is why professional sealcoating specifications always recommend hydraulic “full-sweep” agitation.

If you are in the market for a sealcoating trailer system, the gap widens a little bit when it comes to features. The trailer is a great idea for those contractors who sealcoat part-time, or even those who do not want to invest in 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. Seal-Rite trailers come standard with a front deck to hold your blowers and other tools, making your system truly self-contained. Other trailers will require a second truck, or the use of the back of the truck pulling the trailer to hold the rest of your equipment.

A hose reel is worth its weight in gold. This feature comes standard on Seal-Rite equipment, but is optional on competitor units, so be sure you understand if the system you’re considering has one. Seal-Rite equipment also comes with swivel reels for optimum performance and ease of use. Few things look less professional than wrapping up 100’ of nasty, sealer covered hose on the side of your (hopefully clean) equipment and driving around town.

Pay attention to little things, such as – if the hose reel is at your knees or at your shoulder level. Are the fenders heavy-duty enough for being walked on or for transporting sand, or will they sag after the first use? Take note of the construction of the tank and the trailer or skid. Is it welded, bolted, or strapped? What are the weak points of the sealcoating system you are considering? Will you feel comfortable loading this equipment up with sealer and driving 70 mph on the highway? Keeping all of these considerations in mind will help ensure the investment you make for your company will be a wise decision. Remember, at Seal-Rite, we make our sealcoating units heavy-duty from the ground-up, and our trailers are built around the tank. We never use units bolted or strapped to a utility trailer and call it a “trailer unit.”

Our trained sealcoating professionals understand your needs and will help you plan and determine what will work best for you. Choose from numerous models of asphalt sealcoating equipment, and then feel free to look at other manufacturers. (We also recommend that you talk to successful contractors who have been in the business.) Do your research, get your questions ready and we’ll look forward to hearing back from you when you’re ready to “Seal-Rite!”