Seal Coating

What Are Parking Seal Coating Options?

The right asphalt seal coat product prevents harmful substances such as gasoline, oil, and water and damaging UV rays from damaging the asphalt floor. But which sealcoat is suitable for parking? This article outlines the important aspects to look for in asphalt seal coats and examines the performance of the various sealers on the market.


It is best to first understand the features that a parking lot sealcoats must perform before evaluating a parking lot sealcoats on the market. That is, to preserve the asphalt substrate of the parking lot to delay the significant capital expenditures associated with resurfacing. In general, vehicle traffic is not the root cause of asphalt deterioration and breakdown. Most pavement failures are caused by:


  • Oxidation and ultraviolet: When exposed to oxygen, asphalt loses elasticity and becomes brittle, which greatly increases the likelihood of breakage. Unfortunately, this process begins with the laying of a second new asphalt. You can see that this process works as the asphalt fades from its original rich ebon to dull, uneven gray. Regular seal coating procedures will significantly slow this costly process.


  • Chemical exposure: Parking lots are temporary houses for vehicles. Unfortunately, fluids such as gasoline and motor oil essentially dissolve asphalt, since both substances are hydrocarbons. These fluids react with binders that fasten small stones of asphalt together, leaving soft, loose areas that inevitably become cracks and dents. It is important to treat the lot with a seal coat that is resistant to these fluids, as there is no way to ensure that all vehicles entering the lot are free of leaks.


  • Freeze / Thaw: Hairline cracks occur due to shrinkage and expansion of the ground under the asphalt during winter. If left untreated, water enters this crack, causing bumps and bumps during frost and freezing. After filling these cracks, the parking lot sealing coating helps to prevent the cracks from deteriorating or reappearing.


Parking lot seal coating Houston worth considering should protect the parking lot from UV rays, oxidation, and damage from vehicle liquids, while also preventing water from seeping into the substrate. Property owners should also consider aesthetic and environmental factors when deciding on a silk coat. With this in mind, let's look at the products on the market.


Coal Tar Sealcoat


Coal tar has long been the standard for seal cotters east of the Rockies. Because the main ingredient is a byproduct of the industrial process(cohesive coal), it is relatively inexpensive. Coal tar sealcoat is known to form a solid film over asphalt substrate. While this(along with the chemical composition of coal tar) helps with gasoline and oil resistance, it is known that the film is inflexible and brittle over time and breaks in large chunks (doorways, parking spaces, etc.), where the vehicle rotates frequently. . This is a problem because the lumps that remain stripped of asphalt remain exposed to oxidation, chemicals, and other harmful elements. Property owners can expect it to take 24 to 48 hours to resume traffic while the sealer hardens, depending on the area and weather conditions.


Coal tar sealcoat has recently been criticized for its harmful effects on the environment, mainly due to excessive concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAH), a known human carcinogen. These carcinogens enter the environment from Col tar in various ways: tire wear, volatilization in the air, water outflow, etc. Since 2011, more and more states and municipalities have banned Col tar sealcoat due to growing environmental concerns. However, a degree in molecular biology is not required to anticipate the negative impact of coal tar sealers on the environment. Anyone who has ever been near a freshly sealed driveway with coal tar can testify to its severe smell. This smell persists for weeks or months even after the lot is sealed. Due to these unpleasant environmental characteristics, property owners pause when considering the designation of the coal tar-based silcoat program.

Bio-based Parking Sealcoats


Innovation has established itself as an alternative to traditional coal tar or asphalt-based seal coats. BioSealcoat uses soybean oil as one of the main raw materials and is specially manufactured to protect parking lots from oxidation, chemical exposure, UV rays, and other known enemies of asphalt. This product is also designed with efficiency in mind. With same-day striping and parking opening, it has a curing speed of 4-5 times faster than conventional products. BioSealcoat-coated parking spaces can be restriped within 2 hours of seal coating. This is possible due to the chemical properties of the formula, which provides excellent protection while applying the product to a quarter the thickness of a conventional parking seal coat. Therefore, the product can be applied later than coal tar sealer. BioSealcoat has a matte ebon finish specifically designed to prevent discoloration over time, ensuring a long-lasting and uniform appearance. Bio-based sealcoats are much more expensive at a cost per gallon, but are more efficient, allowing you to compare the overall project cost to other sealers.


BioSealcoat is also manufactured with the environment in mind. This is one of the few sealcoats on the market that do not emit a severe odor without PAH being detected by EPA testing. As the only USDA-certified bio-based sealcoats on the market, integrating bio-based sealcoats into paving maintenance programs can show promise for the environment.

Asphalt Emulsion based Sealer


Asphalt emulsion is the most common product in the Western United States. Unfortunately, they do not offer much in terms of protection, since they are essentially made of the same material as parking lots. It usually exhibits excellent water resistance, but it accommodates UV, gasoline, and oil damage as well as asphalt itself. Their color tends to fade relatively quickly, sometimes turning gray in a few months. Parking lot seal coating programs centered on asphalt emulsion-based sealers may require annual re-sealing and sometimes may not protect the substrate for the entire season.


Parking lot seal coating is a vital part of any pavement maintenance program. If you promise to protect asphalt with regular seal coating, choose the right product for your property! If you are looking for Parking lot seal coating near me, you can contact Pavement services Houston.