If you are a business owner or commercial parking lot manager, you likely hear all the time about sealcoating your parking lot. You may think sealcoating is unnecessary, too expensive, and simply not worth it. Do you know the benefits of sealcoating your parking lot?
Sealcoating offers incredible benefits for the longevity and success of an asphalt lot. Toste Construction is here to help you further understand sealcoating, what it does, and why you should have it regularly completed.
What is Sealcoating?
Sealcoating is the process of applying a thin coat of sealant to an asphalt parking lot. The sealant’s purpose is to act as a binder and protector of the pavement. As a binder, it will hold together any loose aggregate that has been lost over time and slows the oxidation process. As a protector, it provides a barrier to moisture intrusion as well as UV rays, chemicals, and salt.
Benefits of Sealcoating
1. Protects Against Moisture Intrusion
Water is the most damaging element to asphalt. It enters an asphalt parking lot through cracks and holes in the surface. Once it gets below the surface, it will quickly erode away the foundation of an asphalt parking lot. The longer moisture is allowed to flow through the pavement, the worse the damage can be.
Sealcoating’s greatest benefit is protecting the asphalt from moisture. The sealant provides a barrier from moisture as well as filling in small cracks. The sooner cracks are filled with the sealant, the less likely large potholes will form.
2. Protects From UV Rays
Sunlight is the second most damaging element to asphalt. The more a parking lot is exposed to UV rays, the more it will oxidize. When asphalt oxidizes, it will lose the adhesive that holds together the aggregate. If enough of the adhesive wears away, it will allow water below the surface and to the foundation of the parking lot.
Sealcoating an asphalt parking lot protects from UV rays and preserves the binder. Maintaining the binder is essential to preserve the service life of asphalt surfaces.
3. Beautify The Asphalt
As the asphalt ages, it will lose its rich, dark color. This is caused by general traffic wear, weather, and oxidation. Over time, a parking lot can become very unpleasant looking and unattractive for visitors.
By having the lot sealcoated, you restore the rich, dark color that was original from the initial pavement installation. It is recommended to also have the parking lot lines repainted after a sealcoating. Doing so creates a clean parking lot that is easily navigated by vehicle and pedestrian traffic alike.
How Often Should Sealcoating Be Completed?
Asphalt experts recommend that sealcoating be completed at least every three years. Depending on where you live also plays a factor in how often it should be done. For example, if you are in a region that sees a lot of sunshine, you might need to have the sealant reapplied sooner than a parking lot in an area that has mild temperatures or sunlight.
Traffic loads also play a factor in how often a parking lot should be sealcoated. If you have a lot of traffic daily driving on the asphalt, you might need to have the sealant applied sooner than a parking lot that sees little to no traffic regularly. It is best to have the asphalt assessed by a professional before you decide whether or not to have your parking lot sesalcoated.
Call Toste Today!
If you are located in the greater Mooresville area and in need of a sealcoating contractor, Toste Construction is here for you! We have been sealcoating asphalt parking lots for over 15 years and can handle a lot of any shape or size. Call our office to schedule a FREE estimate today.
Toste Construction specializes in sealcoating and crack filling to ensure you and your customers have a smooth surface to drive on. We are your Mooresville asphalt and pavement maintenance company. Our services include asphalt sealcoating, striping, patching, pothole repair and crack filling for both residential and commercial projects throughout western North Carolina.