Facility maintenance crews recognize that the parking lot is more than a convenience-it is a visitor’s first impression and a sizable capital asset. Even the densest hot mix asphalt weathers under sunlight, traffic, and freeze–thaw cycles. Sealcoating is the budget-friendly treatment that slows this aging, postponing costly asphalt resurfacing projects and preserving every square foot of pavement. With a predictable coating schedule in place, managers can treat paving the same way they treat roofing or HVAC-planned upkeep instead of emergency repair. Understanding how the coating works and when to reapply it keeps maintenance dollars working smarter.
How Does Sealcoat Work?
Sealcoat (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sealcoat) is a thin, protective film-usually a refined coal-tar or asphalt-emulsion blend-brushed or sprayed over cured pavement. The film seeps into microscopic voids left by paving or surface milling and dries into a smooth, water-resistant skin. Rain beads up instead of seeping through, so the stone base stays dry and stable. The coating’s deep black color also sharpens contrast for parking lot striping or thermoplastic striping, improving driver and pedestrian visibility. Finally, the slicker surface reduces friction, helping snowplow blades glide instead of dig during winter clearing.
UV Damage Explained
Ultraviolet radiation is pavement’s silent enemy. In an uncovered lot, sunlight oxidizes the asphalt binder, turning it brittle and gray. As the binder dries out, aggregate particles loosen, hairline cracks appear, and potholes soon follow. A correctly formulated sealcoat contains fine mineral fillers and black pigments that absorb or reflect UV rays before they reach the binder. By repeating the treatment every three to four years, facility teams interrupt the oxidation cycle and can extend pavement life by 30 – 50 percent compared with lots left bare.
Ideal Curing Conditions
Even the best sealer will fail if the weather is wrong. Temperature, humidity, and surface preparation determine how quickly water leaves the mix and how tightly the film bonds. Planning around both the forecast and lot usage keeps crews from wasting material or reopening the site too soon.
- Temperature: Apply when daytime readings stay above 50 °F (10 °C) and nighttime lows remain above 40 °F; this ensures uniform film formation.
- Humidity & wind: Moderate humidity paired with a light breeze speeds evaporation without flash-drying the surface.
- Surface preparation: Blowers, brooms, and power washers remove dust, oil, and debris so the coating bonds tightly.
- Weather window: At least 24 hours of dry weather after application prevents wash-off from rain or sprinklers.
- Seasonal timing: Many managers choose shoulder seasons when day–night temperature swings are smaller, reducing the risk of thermal shock.
For site-specific guidance, contact All Star & Stripe Lebanon.
DIY vs Professional Application
Choosing between in-house labor and a specialty crew is mostly a question of risk tolerance. Beyond the cost per gallon, managers must weigh downtime, warranty coverage, and the chance that a bad coat will need to be stripped and redone. A short upfront saving can morph into a long-term liability if the finish peels or chalks prematurely. The Asphalt Institute cautions that improper dilution or poor cleaning is the root cause of most early failures. Read more on this page.
- Equipment & materials
- DIY crews may own a small spray rig but often rely on pre-mixed pails that vary in quality.
- Professionals batch-mix sealers on-site, adjusting sand load and viscosity for current conditions.
- Surface preparation
- In-house staff might skip edge cleaning or crack sealing due to time pressure.
- Contractors arrive with routers, blowers, and tack-coats that extend the membrane’s life.
- Application technique
- Uneven passes leave streaks or puddles that peel within a season.
- Pros apply two thin lifts at measured gallons per square yard for uniform color and thickness.
- Risk & liability
- A misjudged closure plan can disrupt tenants and invite slip-and-fall claims.
- Certified crews post signage, set cones, and carry coverage that protects the property owner.
Professional teams also coordinate follow-up tasks-such as re-painting stall lines or adding new traffic arrows-so the facility reopens with crisp graphics and no loose ends.
When to Reseal Asphalt?
Fresh pavement needs at least 90 days to off-gas before its first coat; afterward, a three-to-five-year interval is typical. High-traffic entrances, loading docks, or areas repeatedly plowed in winter may warrant a two-year cycle. Visual cues include loss of deep black color, hairline cracking, and accelerated wear in tire paths. Maintenance planners should also coordinate resealing with other services: new line work adheres best on a fully cured sealcoat, and repairs such as patching or crack filling must come first so the coating seals the newest work.
Regular sealcoating costs pennies per square foot yet saves dollars per square yard when it defers overlay, milling, or full-depth reconstruction. By following a disciplined schedule and partnering with skilled asphalt paving applicators, facility maintenance teams deliver safer lots, stronger curb appeal, and longer-lasting assets-hallmarks of good pavement maintenance.
