Sealcoat is a liquid that is applied to asphalt to protect it from oxidation and the damage caused by winter cracking, as well as the UV Rays and traffic.[1] In areas of the world that experience freezing and thawing, the reapplication timeline will likely be sped up.
Sealcoating is not only a cold climate need. Since asphalt is a petroleum product, other petroleum products will react with the surface. This includes vehicle oil and gasoline.[2] The sealcoat will act as a barrier against those materials. It should be noted that a sealcoat is not a crack filling agent, this must be done prior to applying the sealcoat.[3]
Use of such sealcoats is illegal in certain jurisdictions as certain brands can contain concentrations of coal tar of up to or greater than 30%.