You see it on every suburban block. That one driveway. It’s deep, obsidian black, and looks like it was poured yesterday, even though the house was built in the nineties. Then you look at yours. It’s gray. It’s thirsty. It has those spiderweb cracks that seem to grow every time it rains. Most people think the difference is just a professional crew with a big truck, but honestly, it usually comes down to the grade of the sealant used. Specifically, the number 10 from the street—a term professionals use to describe high-solids, contractor-grade coal tar or asphalt emulsion—is what separates a DIY disaster from a long-lasting finish.
Driveways are expensive. Replacing one in 2026 can easily run you $10,000 or more depending on your square footage and where you live. Maintenance is the only way out of that bill.
But there is so much bad advice out there. You go to a big-box hardware store, pick up the cheapest bucket with a "10-year warranty" slapped on the front, and think you're set. You aren't. Those thin, water-heavy DIY mixes are exactly why your neighbor's driveway looks better than yours. They’re using the heavy stuff. They’re using the real number 10 from the street—the industrial-grade material that actually bonds to the aggregate rather than just sitting on top like a cheap coat of paint.
What the Number 10 from the Street Actually Means
If you ask a civil engineer or a high-end paving contractor about "number 10," they aren't talking about a house address. They're talking about the consistency and the particulate size in the mix. In the world of asphalt maintenance, the "number 10" often refers to the fine aggregate or the specific sieve size used to create a slurry seal. It’s the grit. It’s the stuff that provides traction so your minivan doesn't slide into the garage when there’s a light frost.
Think of it like skincare. A cheap moisturizer just sits on your face. A high-end serum actually penetrates the pores. Asphalt is porous. It breathes. It expands in the summer heat and contracts when the January freeze hits.
If you use a sealant that lacks the proper solids—the number 10 from the street grade materials—the sun’s UV rays will literally bake the oils out of your pavement. Once the oils are gone, the asphalt becomes brittle. That’s when the stones start popping out. We call that "raveling." It’s the beginning of the end for your driveway.
The Problem With Big-Box Store Buckets
Have you ever noticed how the sealant you buy at the store feels like watery ink? That’s because it’s mostly water.
Manufacturers have to make it thin so that an average homeowner with a squeegee can spread it without breaking a sweat. Professional-grade number 10 from the street mixes are thick. They’re heavy. Sometimes they require a specialized spray rig or a dual-blade squeegee just to move the material around.
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The "number 10" refers to the sieve size—basically a mesh screen—that allows particles of a certain diameter to pass through. In a high-quality sealcoat, you want a specific amount of "fines" (those tiny bits of sand or slate) mixed in. This adds "body" to the seal. Without it, the sealant is too slick. If you’ve ever walked on a wet driveway and felt like you were on an ice rink, the contractor forgot the sand. They skipped the number 10.
Why Your Driveway Is Cracking (And How to Stop It)
Water is the enemy. It’s the universal solvent. When water gets into a crack, it sits there. Then it freezes. Since water expands when it turns to ice, it exerts thousands of pounds of pressure on your asphalt. It’s like a slow-motion explosion happening under your feet.
You can't just pour number 10 from the street sealant over a crack and expect it to go away. That’s a rookie mistake.
- You have to clean it. I mean really clean it. Use a wire brush. Use a leaf blower. If there is dirt in the crack, the sealant won't stick to the asphalt; it’ll stick to the dirt.
- You need a hot-applied rubberized filler for anything wider than a pencil.
- Then, and only then, do you apply the top coat.
The reason pros love the number 10 from the street approach is that it fills the micro-fissures. These are the cracks you can't even see yet. By flooding the surface with a high-solids emulsion, you’re essentially "re-oiling" the road.
Does Brand Matter?
Sorta. But the specs matter more. Look for a "Federal Specification" (Fed Spec) sealcoat. This means the material meets the standards set for airport runways and government parking lots. If it can handle a Boeing 737 landing on it, it can probably handle your SUV. Most of these high-tier products are coal tar derivatives or, increasingly, refined asphalt emulsions (AE).
The AE versions are better for the environment. They don't have that pungent, "burnt" smell that lingers for a week, and they won't irritate your skin as much if you accidentally splash some on your ankles.
The Economics of Doing It Right
Let’s talk money. A bucket of cheap stuff is maybe $30. It covers 300 square feet if you’re lucky. You’ll be doing it again in eighteen months.
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The number 10 from the street professional grade stuff might cost you more upfront—especially if you hire a pro—but you only do it every three to five years.
- Cheap DIY: $150 in materials + 6 hours of labor every 2 years. Over 10 years, that’s $750 and 30 hours of back-breaking work.
- Pro-Grade Number 10: $600 once every 4 years. Over 10 years, that’s $1,500, but your driveway actually stays black and structural integrity remains at 90%+.
The math favors the quality. Always. If you let the driveway go too long, you aren't looking at a "seal" job anymore. You're looking at a "patch and pave" job, which is where the real expenses live.
How to Spot a "Tailgate" Scammer
We’ve all had them. A guy pulls up in a beat-up truck and says, "Hey, I have some leftover material from a job down the street. I can do your driveway for $200 right now."
Don't do it.
They are almost certainly using "watered-down" material. They might even be using "tack coat," which is a sticky primer used between layers of asphalt. It looks black and shiny when it’s wet, but it never fully cures. It’ll stay tacky, and you’ll end up tracking black goo into your house and ruining your carpets.
A real pro who uses number 10 from the street grade sealant will have a tank with an internal agitation system. Sealant is a suspension. The heavy solids—that number 10 grit—settle to the bottom of the tank. If they aren't constantly stirring it, you're just getting the watery "tea" from the top of the tank. Ask them: "Do you have a mechanical agitator in that tank?" If they look at you sideways, tell them to keep driving.
Technical Nuance: The Weather Factor
You cannot apply number 10 from the street sealant if it's going to rain in the next 24 hours. You also can't do it if the temperature is going to drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit at night.
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The "cure" process is actually a chemical evaporation. The water leaves, and the solids bind together. If the temperature drops, the evaporation stops. If it rains, the sealant just washes into the storm drain. It’s a mess, it’s illegal in many jurisdictions due to runoff regulations, and it ruins your driveway.
Ideally, you want a clear, sunny day with a light breeze. The sun helps the "number 10" particles settle into the pores of the asphalt.
Actionable Steps for a Perfect Finish
If you're ready to tackle this, or if you're hiring someone to do it, follow this checklist. It isn't just about making it look pretty; it's about making it last.
- Pressure Wash Everything: You want the asphalt to be "hungry." Removing the dust and salt from winter is non-negotiable.
- Edge the Grass: Use a weed whacker or a spade to pull the grass back about an inch from the edge of the asphalt. This is where most failures start. If the sealant doesn't cover the edge, water seeps in sideways.
- Oil Spot Treatment: If your old car leaked oil, you have to scrub those spots with a degreaser and then apply a primer. Sealant will not bond to oil. It’ll just peel off in sheets.
- Two Thin Coats are Better than One Thick One: It sounds counterintuitive, but thick coats of number 10 from the street can "track" or "scuff" in the heat. Two thin applications allow for better evaporation and a harder finish.
- Stay Off It: Keep cars off the surface for at least 48 hours. Even if it feels dry to the touch, the "tires" of a heavy vehicle turning in place will tear the new seal right off the aggregate.
When you finish, the texture should be slightly gritty. That’s the sign of a job well done. It shouldn't look like a sheet of glass. It should look like a fresh, high-quality road.
Keep an eye on the edges. If you see the gray coming back, or if you see the "stones" of the asphalt starting to show through, it’s time for another round. Taking care of your pavement isn't a one-and-done thing. It’s a cycle. But using the right materials makes that cycle a whole lot easier to manage.
The next time you see a neighbor’s driveway looking suspiciously perfect, you’ll know why. It wasn't luck. It was the number 10 from the street. It was the refusal to use the cheap stuff and the patience to prep the surface correctly. It’s the difference between a house that looks "fine" and a house that has real curb appeal.