When Should I Seal Coat My Parking Lot?
The right timing matters more than most owners realize. Here's how to decide whether this season is your year.
Seal coating is the single most cost-effective maintenance you can do for an asphalt lot — but only if you do it at the right time. Done too often, you're wasting money. Done too rarely, you're already losing pavement life.
The rule of thumb: every 2–3 years
For a well-trafficked commercial lot in Sioux Falls, plan on seal coating every 24 to 36 months. New asphalt should cure 6–12 months before its first coat.
The visual test
If your lot has faded from black to gray, if you can see the aggregate stones poking through the surface, or if water absorbs rather than beads off — it's time. Don't wait for cracks.
Season matters in South Dakota
We seal coat from late spring through early fall, when overnight lows stay above 50°F and surface temps are warm enough to cure properly. Booking by April locks in the best dates.