Securing Sealing at Pennsylvania Avenue

Earnest R. Beckner Jr. started his sealcoating business 40 years ago like everyone else—knocking on doors to drum up clients and projects. In August 2023, he landed a job at arguably the most important house on the block. Here’s how Beckner’s U.S. Asphalt Maintenance LLC, a veteran owned and operated company based out of Richmond, Virginia, sealed the South Lawn drive on the White House complex.

Beckner makes his own custom blend of sealant, which the crew sprayed on the 50,000-square-foot job.

You can read more about U.S. Asphalt Maintenance in the February 2017 issue. Check out “U.S. Asphalt Seals the Southeast.”

The project began well before the day of sealing with all the employees who would be on site getting their clearances. With background checks accomplished and security badges achieved, the four-man crew assembled not at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but at a nearby secure location by 6 a.m. on the morning of the project.

The crew sprays sealant along the drive. In the background, you can see the orange traffic bollards standing on plastic sheeting, to protect the marble surface at the back of the White House.

“We met at an Air Force base to have the equipment scanned,” Beckner said. “They made sure everything was safe. Then we had a military escort going through D.C. We were on site by 9 a.m.”

Once on site, the team had a plan to execute the job efficiently. You’ll see in the pictures that there are guard stations set up along the drive and walkways for essential personnel to easily access the grounds.

Here’s an example of one of the crosswalks leading between the shrubberies, which the U.S. Asphalt Maintenance team gave priority when starting the project. By sealing these small sections first, they allowed a dry patch for foot traffic in the event of emergencies.

“We did the walkways first so the guards would have access to the building in case there was an emergency,” Beckner explained. Because these walkways are for foot traffic, they were quick and easy to spray and dry.

Earnie Beckner, at right, and his son Brandon, were proud to take on this monumental project in August 2023.

“We cleaned the surface, did the crosswalks, then did the lower areas,” Beckner said. “Then we came back to seal the rest nearer the building. There was an outer border all around the complex we took care of.”

Security was first and foremost for the approximately four hours it took to clean and complete the 50,000-square-foot job. Beckner used a special blend he created with Neyra’s Force sealant as the foundation. “I have my own mix that’s a custom blend that lasts and lasts,” he said. He said it was an honor to use his product and have his workers perform this job at the White House.

A border around the complex required attention to detail.

“You just don’t think about getting to do things like this,” Beckner said. “Never in a million years did I think I’d get to do a project at the White House. It was beyond cool. I was a proud father seeing my son seal at the White House.”