If you manage or own a commercial property in the southern United States, your asphalt parking lot faces a very different kind of enemy than pavement in northern climates.
Instead of battling snow, road salt, and constant freeze-thaw cycles, southern lots are exposed to intense sun, prolonged heat, high humidity, and frequent heavy rain. Over time, this combination accelerates oxidation, dries out the asphalt binder, and allows water to penetrate the surface—quietly breaking down your pavement long before you would expect it to fail.
The biggest enemy to asphalt parking lots in Alabama, Mississippi, & Georgia is NOT:
Not snow.
Not salt.
Not freeze-thaw cycles.
Sun, heat, oxidation, and water infiltration.
And in places like Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia, failing to sealcoat asphalt regularly can literally cause the surface to fall apart over time.
Below, we’ll show you exactly why.
We recently evaluated a 20-year-old parking lot that had been sealcoated only once in its lifetime.
The result?
You could literally see the stone aggregate raveling out of the asphalt surface.
This is called raveling, and it happens when:
Once this begins, the pavement starts deteriorating faster every year.
Sealcoating exists specifically to prevent this.
You typically see:
20 years of stone, which has raveled out of the asphalt when the sun weakens the binder, the fines erodeout of the asphalt, and the stones come loose.
Asphalt sealcoating is a protective surface treatment applied over existing asphalt pavement to shield it from oxidation, water intrusion, and chemical damage. It is a liquid coating—typically coal tar or asphalt emulsion-based—that restores the deep black appearance of pavement while sealing small surface pores and minor hairline cracks.
Sealcoating does not add structural strength like new asphalt does; instead, it acts as a barrier against UV rays, rain, snow, oil, gas, and everyday traffic wear. By slowing the drying and breakdown of the asphalt binder (the “glue” that holds the stone together), sealcoating helps prevent raveling, cracking, and premature deterioration, ultimately extending the life of the parking lot when applied at the proper intervals.
In the Southeast, asphalt deterioration is driven by:
Sealcoating works like sunscreen for your parking lot.
It protects asphalt from:
Without it, pavement dries out and becomes brittle.
If your property is located in these areas, sealcoating is not optional — it’s preventive maintenance.
Across these markets, heat and UV exposure accelerate asphalt aging faster than in northern climates.
Sealcoating is not cosmetic — it’s asset protection.
Let’s compare:
| Maintenance Approach | Pavement Lifespan |
|---|---|
| No sealcoating | 12–15 years |
| Sealcoat every 2–4 years | 20–25 years |
That’s nearly double the life of the parking lot.
This is exactly what property owners miss when they skip maintenance.
Sealcoating is not an expense.
It’s protection against premature capital replacement.
What Raveling Looks Like (And Why It’s Expensive)
When stone begins coming loose from the surface:
At this point, sealcoating alone can’t fix the problem.
Now you’re looking at:
That’s the difference between maintenance and reconstruction.
Typical recommendation:
High-traffic properties may require more frequent applications.
Sealcoating protects asphalt from UV damage, oxidation, and water infiltration, which are the primary causes of pavement deterioration in southern climates.
Yes. Regular sealcoating can extend pavement life from about 15 years to 20–25 years.
Raveling occurs when asphalt binder deteriorates and stones begin separating from the pavement surface.
Most commercial parking lots should be sealcoated every 2–4 years, depending on traffic and condition.
IIn northern states, asphalt fails from freeze-thaw cycles.
In southern states, asphalt fails from oxidation and UV exposure.
Either way, the outcome is the same if maintenance is ignored.
Sealcoating is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to protect a commercial parking lot.
And once raveling begins, the clock starts ticking.
If your parking lot is starting to look gray, brittle, or you’re seeing stone coming loose from the surface, now is the time to act.
Sealcoating is most effective before raveling begins, not after.
We offer a simple way to help property owners and managers understand the condition of their pavement.
No pressure. No obligation. Just clarity.
Start here:
👉 Get your parking lot assessment
This service is designed for:
Across:
Most property owners don’t know when sealcoating is still effective vs. when pavement is already too far gone.
This quick assessment helps you:
Think of it like a health check for your parking lot.