The Most Cost-Effective Investment You Can Make in Your Pavement’s Future
Crack filling and crack sealing are the most affordable pavement maintenance services available — and among the most consequential. A small investment in treating cracks early stops water from reaching the base beneath your asphalt, where the real damage happens. LMA Paving and Sealcoating provides professional crack filling and crack sealing services for commercial properties throughout Gulfport, Biloxi, Ocean Springs, MS, and Slidell, LA.
Cracks that are treated early stay cracks. Cracks that are ignored become potholes, base failures, and ultimately, replacement projects that cost twenty or thirty times more than the treatment would have. The math is simple — and we’ll show you exactly what your pavement’s cracks are telling you when we walk your property.
Crack Filling vs. Crack Sealing — What’s the Difference?
These two services are often used interchangeably, but they address different situations. Knowing which one applies to your pavement helps ensure the right treatment is applied at the right time.
- Crack Filling – Used for non-working cracks: cracks that are stable and not actively expanding due to movement in the pavement beneath. Hot-pour rubberized filler is applied into the crack to block water infiltration. Crack filling works well for aged, stable cracks in otherwise sound pavement.
- Crack Sealing – Used for working cracks: cracks that experience movement as the pavement expands and contracts with temperature changes. A flexible, rubberized sealant is applied to accommodate movement while maintaining the water barrier. Crack sealing is the appropriate treatment for cracks that open and close seasonally.
LMA evaluates your pavement’s crack patterns during our site assessment and recommends the correct treatment — filling, sealing, or in some cases a combination of both across different areas of your property.
When Crack Treatment Is the Right Move
- Cracks Are Visible But the Base Is Sound – Early treatment is the highest-value use of your maintenance budget. Treating cracks before water reaches the base prevents exponentially more expensive damage.
- After Sealcoating Is Scheduled – Cracks should be filled or sealed before sealcoating is applied. Sealcoat over open cracks does not seal them effectively — the crack treatment must come first.
- Annual Maintenance Program – Commercial properties that include crack treatment in their annual maintenance routine consistently extend pavement lifespan and reduce major repair costs.
- Before Gulf Coast Rainy Season – With heavy summer rainfall common across Gulfport, Biloxi, and the surrounding region, getting cracks treated before peak rain season protects your base from moisture infiltration at its most intense.
Our Crack Treatment Process
Proper crack treatment is more than just filling a crack — the preparation determines how long the treatment holds and how well it protects against water infiltration.
- Crack Inspection and Classification – We walk the pavement and identify working vs. non-working cracks to determine whether filling or sealing is appropriate for each area.
- Crack Cleaning – Existing debris, vegetation, and loose material are cleaned from cracks before any treatment is applied. Applying filler over uncleaned cracks is a shortcut that compromises adhesion and longevity.
- Hot-Pour Material Application – We use hot-pour rubberized crack filler and sealant materials that bond to the crack walls and remain flexible through temperature cycling — not cheap cold-pour materials that shrink and crack out over time.
- Overfill and Strike-Off – Material is applied slightly above the crack surface and struck off flush to create a clean, smooth finish that does not impede drainage or create trip hazards.
- Curing Time – We allow proper curing before the area is reopened to traffic to ensure the material has bonded and set correctly.
Benefits of Crack Filling and Sealing in Gulfport and Biloxi
The Gulf Coast’s humidity, rainfall, and temperature variation make crack treatment especially critical. Water that enters pavement through untreated cracks doesn’t just sit — it softens the base, freezes and expands in cooler months, and accelerates structural failure from the inside out.
- Prevents Water Infiltration – Sealed cracks stop water from reaching the base where real structural damage begins.
- Extends Pavement Life by Years – Studies consistently show that timely crack treatment is one of the highest-ROI maintenance activities available to property owners.
- Reduces Major Repair Frequency – Pavement maintained with regular crack treatment requires significantly fewer expensive repairs over its lifetime.
- Improves Lot Appearance – Treated cracks present a cleaner, better-maintained appearance compared to cracked and weathered pavement — which matters for tenant satisfaction and property presentation.
- Low Cost, High Return – Crack treatment is among the lowest-cost maintenance services and one of the highest-return investments a property owner can make in their pavement asset.
Why Choose LMA Paving and Sealcoating
We’ve been in construction our whole lives, and we always do right by the customer. That means recommending crack treatment when it’s the right solution — not upselling more expensive services when prevention is all you need.
- Hot-Pour Materials Only – We use hot-pour rubberized crack filler and sealant, not inexpensive cold-pour products that fail quickly. The right material lasts significantly longer.
- Proper Crack Classification – We differentiate between filling and sealing applications based on actual crack behavior — not a one-size-fits-all approach.
- Crack Cleaning Always Included – We don’t skip prep. Every crack is cleaned before treatment is applied. Shortcuts in preparation mean shorter treatment life.
- Licensed MS Contractor – MS State Board of Contractors #25749-MC. Professional qualifications for every service, no matter the scale.
- Two Full Years of Backing – Our commitment that you’ll get exactly what you asked for, done the right way, applies to crack treatment the same as it does to full paving projects.
Crack Filling and Sealing FAQs
How do I know if my cracks need filling or sealing?
The key question is whether the crack moves. Working cracks — those that open and close with temperature changes — require flexible crack sealant that accommodates movement. Non-working cracks that are stable can be filled with standard hot-pour filler. We assess your cracks during the site visit and determine which treatment is appropriate for each area.
How long does crack treatment last?
Hot-pour rubberized treatments typically last 3–5 years depending on crack type, traffic, and weather exposure. Areas that experience significant pavement movement or heavy traffic may require retreatment sooner. Annual inspection is recommended for commercial properties to identify and treat new cracking before it spreads.
Should I do crack treatment before or after sealcoating?
Always before. Crack treatment must be applied first and allowed to cure before sealcoating. Sealcoating over open cracks does not seal them — it bridges them temporarily and then cracks along the same line. Proper sequencing is crack treatment first, sealcoating after.
Is crack treatment worth it if the lot is older?
It depends on the overall condition of the pavement. If the base is still sound and the lot has reasonable life remaining, crack treatment is a smart investment. If the pavement is at or near the end of its service life, investing in replacement may deliver better long-term value. We give you an honest assessment of which scenario fits your property.
Related Services
Combine crack treatment with these services for a complete pavement maintenance approach:
- Sealcoating – Applied after crack treatment, sealcoating protects the full pavement surface from UV damage, water infiltration, and oxidation.
- Asphalt Maintenance – Proactive maintenance programs that include crack treatment as part of a scheduled approach to extending pavement life.
- Asphalt Repair – When cracking indicates structural damage rather than surface deterioration, repair addresses the underlying cause.
- Asphalt Patching – For areas where cracking has progressed to structural failure, patching restores surface integrity before surrounding pavement is affected.
Schedule Crack Filling and Sealing in Gulfport, MS
LMA Paving and Sealcoating provides commercial crack filling and crack sealing for properties throughout Gulfport, Biloxi, Ocean Springs, MS, and Slidell, LA. If your pavement has visible cracks, the right time to treat them is now — before another Gulf Coast rain season pushes water into the base beneath.
Call 228-305-0195 or Contact Us to schedule your free on-site assessment. We’ll walk the lot, evaluate your cracks, and recommend the right treatment to protect your pavement investment.
