Asphalt is a durable material, but it’s far from invincible. UV rays, rain, snow, salt, oil spills, and freeze-thaw cycles all wreak havoc over time. Left unprotected, asphalt can crack, oxidize, and erode—turning minor surface wear into major structural damage.

"Sealcoating acts like sunscreen for your driveway," says Dr. Thomas Bennert, Director of the Pavement Resource Program at Rutgers University.