Sealcoating protects your pavement from the damaging effects of sunlight and ultraviolet (UV) rays. As pavement ages, the asphalt binder “glue” used to hold the sand and stone particles together begins to break-down. This causes the binder to release the sand and stone particles that your asphalt is composed of. Over time, your pavement begins to deteriorate.
Left untreated for extended periods of time, a condition known as raveling begins to occur. Raveling is a condition most notable when the pavement takes on an extremely rough and porous texture appearance. The increased porosity traps dirt and moisture and makes the surface harder to clean and take longer to dry.
As the parking lot continues to dry out, it causes the asphalt pavement to lose flexibility and become brittle making it more prone to cracking and stress damage. By seal coating, you have the benefit of maintaining a more flexible surface with an increase resistance to cracking and damage.