How Sealcoating Helps Protect Against Winter Salt and Snowplows

Winter in Ontario is beautiful — but it's also brutal on your asphalt. Between snow, ice, salt, and plow blades scraping your surface for months on end, even the toughest driveway or parking lot can take a beating. Sealcoating is a simple, cost-effective way to fight back.

The Winter Enemies of Asphalt

Salt and de-icing chemicals break down the binder that holds asphalt together, causing surface erosion, soft spots, and premature cracking. Moisture and freeze-thaw cycles get into tiny surface cracks, freeze, expand, and split the asphalt further. Snowplows and shovels can peel up unsealed asphalt, damage edges, and wear down high-traffic zones.

What Sealcoating Actually Does

A properly applied sealcoat acts like waterproof armor for your pavement. It seals out moisture by stopping water from seeping into small cracks and protects the base layer from freeze-thaw cycles. It resists salt and chemicals by creating a smooth, non-porous surface that's far more resistant to salt penetration, gas and oil drips, and ice-melting chemicals. It also reduces plow and shovel damage — sealed asphalt has fewer surface imperfections and better adhesion, so plows glide over it more smoothly.

Bonus for Commercial Lots

If you manage a commercial property, a sealed parking lot allows for cleaner, safer snow removal, reduces liability risks from slips, trips, and potholes, and keeps your lot looking professional all winter. Many snowplow contractors also require cracks and surface damage to be repaired before they'll sign a service contract.

By the time winter hits, it's too late — temperatures drop and sealant won't cure properly. The best time to seal your asphalt is in the fall, before the first freeze. Contact Lawns & Lanes today to book your final appointment before sealing season ends.