When to Sealcoat a New Asphalt Driveway in Oregon

When to Sealcoat a New Asphalt Driveway

It is tempting to seal a fresh driveway right away to protect it, but doing so too soon does more harm than good. New asphalt needs time to cure before it can take a sealcoat. In Oregon, that wait runs into our wet season, which adds a scheduling wrinkle. This guide explains exactly how long to wait, why the timing matters, and how to fit the first coat into Oregon's narrow dry window. For the full driveway picture, start with our complete asphalt driveway guide.

The Short Answer: Wait 6 to 12 Months

Do not sealcoat a brand-new asphalt driveway immediately. Wait until the surface has fully cured, which generally takes 6 to 12 months. During this period the asphalt releases the light oils used in the mix and hardens into its long-term state. Sealing before that process finishes traps the oils, keeps the surface soft, and can cause the sealer to fail.

Why You Have to Wait

Fresh asphalt is flexible and oily by design. Those oils need to oxidize and evaporate so the surface can firm up. A sealcoat applied to uncured asphalt:

• Traps the oils that need to escape, leaving the surface soft
• Does not bond properly, so the sealer peels or wears unevenly
• Can leave the driveway prone to scuffing and tracking during hot weather

Patience here protects both the asphalt and the money you would spend on a sealcoat that fails. Our how long a driveway lasts guide explains how proper early care sets up a long lifespan.

How Oregon's Climate Affects the Timing

The 6 to 12 month range is a curing window, not a fixed date, and Oregon's weather influences where you land in it:

• Willamette Valley: Mild, wet winters slow curing slightly. A driveway paved in early summer is often ready for its first seal the following summer.
• Coast: Cooler, damp, salt-laden air can lengthen curing. Coastal driveways benefit from a full season of cure, then more frequent resealing afterward.
• High desert (Bend, Klamath Falls): Hot, dry summers cure asphalt faster, but you still want the surface fully hardened before the first coat.

Because sealcoating itself requires dry weather above roughly 50°F, the practical reality is that your first coat will almost always land in the late-spring-through-early-fall window, regardless of when the driveway was paved.

Timing the First Coat in Oregon's Dry Window

Sealcoating needs a dry surface and a couple of rain-free days to cure. In Oregon that means:

• A driveway paved in summer is usually ready for its first seal the next late spring or summer, after a full curing season
• A driveway paved in fall waits out the winter and is sealed the following summer once cured and dry
• Avoid the wet season entirely for sealcoating; the surface stays damp and the sealer will not cure

So the rule is simple: wait until the asphalt is cured, then pick the next available dry, warm stretch. Our driveway maintenance schedule lays out the full year-by-year plan.

After the First Coat

Once you have applied the first sealcoat, settle into a routine of resealing every 2 to 3 years, more often for coastal or high-traffic driveways. Between coats, fill any cracks promptly, especially before winter, so water cannot reach the base. Our driveway crack repair guide covers the methods, and our asphalt maintenance services page covers what we handle for homeowners.

What to Do During the Curing Year

While you wait to seal, you are not powerless. During the first year:

• Keep the surface clean and clear of debris
• Clean up oil and fuel leaks quickly, since they soften fresh asphalt
• Avoid parking in one spot for long stretches and turning wheels while stopped
• Keep heavy point loads (trailer jacks, dumpsters) off the surface
• Make sure water drains off and does not pond

These habits protect the driveway through its most vulnerable phase and set it up for a long life once sealed.