ForConstructionPros.com

Hot pour cracksealing can be an add-on service or an essential piece of business. But no matter what capacity it's done in, if a contractor is going to offer hot pour cracksealing he or she needs to first learn about the available application equipment.

Before purchasing, contractors should consider the type and size of cracksealing jobs they will be doing. "Divide the work you'll be doing into 1,000 pounds per day," says Mark Manning, vice president of marketing for Crafco Inc. "If you want to place 1,000 pounds - or about a half pallet of sealant a day or less - then you would go with the smaller machines. If your primary application is roads then you'll be placing 1,000 pounds or more a day. You'll be looking at a 200- to 400-gallon machine for that."

Pour pot
The smallest option for hot pour cracksealing application is a pour pot. Pour pots generally hold only a few gallons of sealant which needs to be melted prior to being added to the pour pot, Manning says.

A pour pot is more a conveyance for material than an application system, says Brad Dunn, Cimline's vice president of sales and marketing. Usually a small, direct-fire kettle melts the sealant which is then added to the pour pot for application. Other contractors use the pour pots with larger melter units. "Some contractors buy 200-gallon melter/applicators without pumps and hoses and only use pour pots with several crew members," Dunn says.

Pour pots can be a good option for contractors doing very minimal cracksealing - such as sealcoating contractors who need to seal cracks on a driveway before sealing. The small size of pour pots also makes them a good option for cracksealing in small spaces.