If you want to keep asphalt looking clean and in good condition, it must be sealed on a regular basis to prevent the onset of decay and cracking. A professional grade asphalt sealer and the right sealcoating equipment is necessary for driveways, paths, parking lots, and virtually anything paved with asphalt. Most asphalt experts recommend that it be sealed approximately every two years. Oil stains, cracks, and potholes should be repaired as soon as possible to prevent further asphalt deterioration.
Asphalt is made up of rock, sand, tar and bitumen and starts out as a dense liquid that is able to move with the ground rather than cracking. Over time the asphalt surface dries out and loses its flexible properties. The sun basically cooks (dries out or oxidizes) the liquids right out of the asphalt surface.
This process does not happen overnight, but as everyone knows asphalt is very black when it is first laid. Over time turns greyish in color. This graying process is called "oxidization". The Asphalt liquids have been cooked out leaving only dried out tar and bitumen on the surface.
If you have a brand new asphalt surface you have a major advantage, as it is has not been oxidized and dried out YET! It is time for asphalt sealcoating.... but, make sure to use an excellent asphalt sealer before it greys and dries out!
If you have an old asphalt surface that is grey and dried out it is still important to protect it from the elements. If you don't do it now it will ONLY get more dry and therefore become more fragile and need replacing before that of a sealcoated driveway.
There are a variety of asphalt sealing tools, from brushes and brooms to squeegees. Asphalt Kingdom's Driveway Sealcoating Package offers these asphalt sealing tools and supplies for homeowners to do it yourself.
Once the asphalt sealcoating has been done it creates a barrier against the natural outdoor elements (sun, rain, snow, etc.) and is the one that takes the abuse rather than your asphalt surface.