Sealcoating can be an important part of maintaining an asphalt parking lot, but not every sealcoat is formulated the same way.
Property owners and contractors may encounter coal-tar-based sealers, asphalt-emulsion products, and alternative technologies such as BioSealcoat®, Aexcel’s waterborne asphalt sealer.
So which one is right for the job?
The answer depends on what the property owner is trying to accomplish, how quickly the lot needs to return to service, the conditions the pavement will face, environmental priorities, and the performance characteristics of the specific product.
Before choosing an asphalt sealcoat, consider these factors.
What Does Asphalt Sealcoat Do?
Sealcoat is applied over asphalt pavement to help protect the surface and restore its appearance.
Depending on the product and application, a sealcoat may help:
- Restore a uniform black appearance
- Reduce exposure of the asphalt surface to weathering
- Resist gasoline, oil, and other automotive fluids
- Support an ongoing pavement-maintenance program
- Improve the appearance of parking lots, driveways, walkways, and similar asphalt surfaces
The right product should be selected around the pavement condition, application, required performance, and maintenance goals.
1. Consider Appearance and UV Exposure
A freshly sealcoated parking lot is expected to look uniform and dark.
Over time, UV exposure and weathering can affect the appearance of a coating, so color retention may be an important consideration when comparing products.
Aexcel developed BioSealcoat® to protect and beautify asphalt pavement surfaces such as parking lots, driveways, walkways, and recreational areas. Its current product information identifies it as a black waterborne asphalt sealer.
If long-term appearance is important to the customer, compare how the products being considered are designed to perform under outdoor exposure rather than choosing solely on initial color.
2. Evaluate Resistance to Gasoline and Oil
Parking lots are routinely exposed to automotive fluids.
Gasoline, oil, and other leaks can affect asphalt surfaces, so resistance to those materials may be an important part of the sealcoat specification.
The current BioSealcoat® product data sheet specifically identifies the coating as resistant to gasoline and oil.
That makes chemical resistance a legitimate comparison point when evaluating sealcoat options.
When customers are concerned about vehicle-fluid exposure, ask:
- What types of vehicles use the lot?
- Are oil or fuel leaks common?
- Is the lot associated with service vehicles, fleets, or other higher-exposure uses?
- How important is chemical resistance to the maintenance plan?
Those answers can help determine which properties should carry the most weight in the recommendation.
3. Think About Dry Time and Lot Closure
Sealcoating requires keeping people and vehicles off the surface while the coating dries sufficiently.
That makes dry time an operational consideration as well as a product specification.
For BioSealcoat®, Aexcel’s current product page lists:
- 4 hours at 77°F and 50% relative humidity for light foot traffic and recoat
- 24 hours for vehicle traffic
Dry time can change with temperature and humidity.
That is why I would not use a blanket claim that a parking lot can always reopen the same day.
Instead, customers should compare the product’s published dry-time information with the actual weather, application conditions, and closure window available for the project.
4. Consider Film Build and Application Requirements
Different sealcoat products can have different application requirements.
Product performance is not determined simply by applying more material. Film thickness, surface condition, application equipment, number of coats, and environmental conditions can all affect the finished result.
The current BioSealcoat PDS reports its dry-time data at a specified film thickness, reinforcing the importance of following product-specific application instructions rather than relying on generic sealcoating rules.
Before recommending a sealcoat, confirm that the contractor understands:
- Surface-preparation requirements
- Recommended film build
- Application equipment
- Recoat requirements
- Dry and cure conditions
- Cleanup procedures
5. Understand Environmental and PAH Considerations
Environmental concerns are one reason property owners and contractors may compare different sealcoat technologies.
Coal-tar-based pavement sealcoat contains high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs. USGS research identifies coal-tar-based sealcoat as an important source of PAH contamination in urban and suburban environments and notes that coal tar and coal-tar pitch are classified as known human carcinogens.
USGS also reports that asphalt-based sealcoat products generally contain far lower PAH concentrations than coal-tar-based products.
BioSealcoat® provides another option for customers who want to consider environmental characteristics as part of the decision.
Aexcel’s current product information identifies BioSealcoat® as a waterborne sealer, and its current SDS lists no hazardous ingredients in the composition section.
Environmental considerations should still be evaluated alongside performance, application, maintenance requirements, and applicable regulations.
6. Compare VOC Content
VOC content can also be part of sealcoat selection.
The current Aexcel product page lists BioSealcoat® at less than 100 g/L VOC, while the most recent available product data sheet reports an even lower product-specific value.
Rather than relying on one general environmental label, use the current product data and applicable local requirements when comparing coatings.
7. Look at Maintenance Goals, Not Just Initial Cost
The lowest-priced sealcoat is not automatically the lowest-cost option over the life of the pavement.
Property owners should consider:
- Material cost
- Labor and application cost
- Lot closure time
- Expected maintenance interval
- Chemical exposure
- Appearance retention
- Ease of recoating
- Environmental priorities
A higher-performing product may justify a higher upfront cost in one application.
In another, a more conventional system may be entirely appropriate.
The right question is not simply:
“Which sealcoat costs less?”
It is:
“Which sealcoat best fits this property’s maintenance goals and operating requirements?”
What Is BioSealcoat®?
BioSealcoat® is Aexcel’s waterborne asphalt sealer for surfaces such as parking lots, driveways, walkways, bike paths, and other asphalt areas.
Current Aexcel product information lists:
- Black color
- Waterborne formulation
- Resistance to gasoline and oil
- Less than 100 g/L VOC on the current product page
- 4-hour dry time at 77°F/50% RH for light foot traffic and recoat
- 24 hours before vehicle traffic
- Water-and-mild-detergent cleanup according to the product data sheet
Aexcel has also historically developed BioSealcoat around renewable soybean-oil chemistry, and its eco-friendly product information describes soybean oil as part of the binder system.
Is BioSealcoat® the Right Choice for Every Parking Lot?
No.
A sustainable or alternative coating should not be recommended solely because of how it is formulated.
The product still needs to match:
- The pavement condition
- Application method
- Weather conditions
- Closure window
- Chemical exposure
- Maintenance expectations
- Budget
- Applicable requirements
BioSealcoat may be worth considering when a customer wants a waterborne asphalt sealer with gasoline and oil resistance, low VOC content, and environmental considerations as part of the selection process.
But the right recommendation still starts with the application.
Choosing the Right Asphalt Sealcoat
When comparing asphalt sealcoat options, evaluate more than the product category.
Ask:
- What condition is the asphalt in?
- What are the main maintenance goals?
- How important is appearance retention?
- Will the surface be exposed to oil or gasoline?
- How long can the lot remain closed?
- What application equipment will be used?
- Are VOC, PAH, odor, or other environmental characteristics priorities?
- What product data and local requirements apply?
Those questions can help property owners, contractors, and distributors narrow the options and make a more informed choice.
Explore BioSealcoat®
BioSealcoat® gives customers another option for protecting and refreshing asphalt parking lots and other pavement surfaces.
Review the current product data, application requirements, and dry-time information before specifying or applying the product.
[Explore BioSealcoat®]
