4 Benefits of Asphalt Sealcoating You Shouldn't Ignore

If your driveway or parking lot has seen better days, you might want to spruce it up with some sealcoating. Asphalt is a strange compound. It's actually quite porous and easily damaged, which is where sealcoating comes in. If you've ever wondered why sealing asphalt is so important then read on. 

One of the most common images of asphalt in popular culture is that long desert highway with the sun beating down on it. In the image, it's usually cracked and faded as well. And that's exactly what happens to asphalt which isn't protected from the sun. Ultraviolet light can break down a lot of things and the binders and aggregate in asphalt are no exception. Sealcoat helps to provide long-term protection from the harmful parts of the spectrum, making asphalt last longer in the wild.

A lot of us tend to forget how much damage water can do to things. Asphalt is no exception, especially in areas where freezing is normal. Moisture can work its way under the asphalt and the expansion of water as it transforms into ice can cause cracking which disrupts the surface integrity of a large piece of road. Even without freezing, asphalt can be eroded by water during the rainy times of the year. Where there's a complete washout, you can even end up losing the underlying base rock and gravel, causing substantial damage in a short period of time.

Asphalt has a limited lifespan. It weathers more quickly than concrete and it's more prone to damage both from the elements and from the cars which pass over it. Sealcoating, when properly applied, can significantly lengthen the lifespan of a project constructed with asphalt. That means the road, driveway, or parking lot will last much longer after it's been sealed than it would otherwise since it helps to prevent damage which would naturally accrue over time.

We've all seen sun-faded and worn roads over the years. Even if there's no significant damage a lot of business owners despise the look of faded asphalt. While it's not quite as important for roadways, most of us want our businesses to look good. Sealcoating will help asphalt to maintain it's aesthetic for a longer period of time. That means that even if your driveway is getting up there in age, it'll still look like asphalt instead of particularly dusty concrete.