Driveway Sealcoating in North Plains, Oregon: 2026 Cost Guide

Driveway Sealcoating in North Plains, Oregon

Sealcoating is the cheapest insurance you can buy for an asphalt driveway, and in the wet Tualatin Valley climate around North Plains it matters more than most places. Washington County's long rainy season and the area's UV-heavy summers both attack asphalt. Sealcoat is the thin protective layer that slows that damage, keeps water out of the surface, and keeps your driveway looking dark and maintained instead of gray and brittle. For North Plains homeowners, a regular sealcoat cycle is what stretches a driveway from a 15-year surface into a 25-year one.

This guide covers what sealcoating does, what it costs around North Plains, and when to do it in this climate.

What Sealcoating Actually Does

Sealcoat is not paint and it is not a structural repair. It is a coating applied over sound asphalt to protect it. A good sealcoat does several things at once:

• Blocks water from soaking into the surface, which is what causes most freeze-thaw and oxidation damage
• Resists UV that dries out the asphalt binder and turns it gray and brittle
• Repels oil and gas that would otherwise soften and break down the asphalt
• Restores the dark, finished look of a fresh driveway
• Fills minor surface voids and smooths the texture for easier cleaning

What it does not do is fix cracks or structural problems. Sealcoat goes over a sound surface. If the driveway is cracked or failing, those issues get addressed first. For the full rundown, see our what is sealcoating guide.

Coal-Tar vs Asphalt-Emulsion

There are two main sealer types, and the choice matters:

• Asphalt-emulsion sealer is the more environmentally friendly, lower-odor option, widely used and well-suited to residential driveways. It is the common choice for homeowners and in areas with environmental sensitivity, which fits North Plains given the surrounding farmland and waterways.
• Coal-tar sealer has historically been valued for fuel and chemical resistance, but it carries environmental and regulatory concerns, and many areas have moved away from it.

For most North Plains residential driveways, a quality asphalt-emulsion sealer is the practical, responsible pick. A contractor can walk you through the trade-offs for your specific surface.

What Sealcoating Costs in North Plains

Sealcoating cost depends on driveway size, surface condition, how much crack-filling and prep is needed, and the number of coats. The ranges below are industry baselines, not a Cojo quote.

Industry baseline ranges. Actual costs vary with driveway size, surface prep, crack-filling, and number of coats.

Service	Common Unit	Industry Baseline Range
Driveway sealcoating	per sq ft	$0.15–$0.40
Typical residential driveway	per visit	$250–$600
Crack filling (add-on)	per linear ft	$1–$3

Crack-filling is almost always done before sealcoating, since sealer alone will not bridge a crack. A driveway that needs significant prep or two coats lands at the higher end. Larger rural drives cost more simply because of the area covered.

Cure Windows in the Wet PNW Climate

Timing is everything with sealcoat in Washington County. The sealer needs warm, dry conditions to cure, and it needs the surface to be dry going in. The reliable window runs roughly late spring through early fall, when daytime temperatures are comfortably above the minimum and you can count on a dry stretch.

Applying sealer too close to rain is a common mistake. If rain hits before the coat cures, it can wash off or fail to bond, wasting the whole job. A contractor who works this climate watches the forecast and schedules around it. Our best time to sealcoat in Oregon guide goes deeper on timing.

Recoat Cadence: How Often to Sealcoat

For most North Plains driveways, a 2 to 3 year recoat cadence keeps the surface protected. Heavily used drives or those with a lot of sun exposure may want the shorter end; lightly used drives can stretch toward the longer. The signs it is time to recoat are straightforward: the surface has faded from black to gray, water no longer beads on it, and the texture is starting to roughen.

One important note for new pavement: a fresh asphalt driveway should cure for several months, often into the next dry season, before its first sealcoat. Sealing too soon traps oils in the new asphalt. If you just had paving done, our asphalt paving in North Plains guide covers that timeline.

Sealcoating vs Repair

Sealcoating is maintenance, not repair. If your driveway has cracks, potholes, or structural issues, those come first, and sealcoat goes on after. Sealing over a cracked or failing driveway just hides the problem and wastes money. If you are seeing real damage, start with our driveway repair in North Plains guide instead. Cojo serves North Plains and the surrounding area, including sealcoating in Hillsboro.