sealing driveway? If it's been done before do I need to reseal?

[Joe]

The former owner of my house sealed the driveway two years ago. I got a letter in the mail from the contractor who did the sealing telling me it's time to reseal. I did notices some small cracks developing in the asphalt. My question - if an asphalt driveway has been sealed once does it need to be sealed every two years for the rest of its life now? I've read online that sealing a driveway actually can weaken the integrity of the asphalt and is usually only done for cosmetic reasons. Is there something else I can seal this small cracks with? The problem with using some tar like product is that my driveway is somewhat sunbleached now and anything I use to seal the cracks is going to show - is there some clear product that will seal the cracks without making them more noticeable?

[Eigenvector]

Why are you so eager to seal the cracks? If its a matter of weed control, seems like an awfully expensive way to go about it. The cracks are forming because the ground is shifting under the driveway, anything you do to seal it will just have to be done again and again and again. I realize I'm not helping you in the way you would like, but honestly there are some things I care about and others I just throw up my hands and say "when it gets so bad that it becomes an eyesore - I'll tear it up and put in a new one."

That's just my opinion, take it for what its' worth.

[dpb]

Charles wrote: ...

That would be "spalling"...

Spalding is the sports equipment people...

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[RobertPatrick]

"Eigenvector" wrote in news:Y8OdnZfw6LyLwgTbnZ2dnUVZ [e-mail]:

If you live where it snows, cracks are not good because of water getting in there and freezing and thawing.

[Eigenvector]

Yeah I might be jaded because I live in an area where harsh weather isn't a big deal - plus my driveway is already shot to hell - so I really don't care about maintaining it.