What is a urethane concrete sealer and what is the best urethane concrete sealer? Urethane concrete sealers are the most durable but they can also be the most expensive solutions. We find them to be highly scratch, abrasion and chemically resistant topical sealers that have the longest life cycle before reapplication compared to an acrylic or epoxy. Urethane sealers are also available in water and solvent based versions. Unlike epoxies they can be used on both interior and exterior surfaces since they are clear and non-yellowing. Urethanes do not allow moisture to travel through the concrete and they are not very breathable so we do not recommend them for sealing driveways. Please note that urethanes do not bond well to concrete so it if not ideal to apply a urethane to an existing concrete floor. Instead we recommend using an epoxy as a primer and then use a urethane as a top coat especially because urethanes are UV resistant. Commonly used in industrial settings like the food and beverage industry urethane coatings are usually high gloss and they retain their gloss very well over time.

Our Take : Best Urethane Concrete Sealers

Urethanes are tricky to apply and dependent on surface preparation. Some of the top urethane based sealers include Urethane 645 and an alternative to that is APF’s Polyurethane 250 High Performance Concrete Sealer

Recommended For:

High traffic area floors. Urethane provide excellent protection for floors with heavy traffic and vehicle traffic because of exceptional abrasion and chemical resistance properties.

Stamped or decorative concrete: Urethane’s will bring out details and colors when applied to decorative concrete.

Interior Concrete Floors: Since urethanes are abrasion and chemically resistant they are ideal for hopsitals, pharmaceutical facilities and supermarkets.

Wednesday, 18 September 2013 / Published in BEST CONCRETE SEALERS, BEST EPOXY COATINGS, BEST EPOXY COATINGS, EPOXIES

What is an epoxy concrete sealer and what is the best epoxy concrete sealer? Epoxy concrete sealers are topical film forming concrete coatings that produce a hard long lasting abrasion resistance surface. They are an ideal product for resurfacing a concrete floor to product the floor surface. Epoxies exhibit similar qualities to acrylics in regards to characteristics but they are different in performance, lifespan and of course price. Epoxies are an invisible protective barrier that adheres well to concrete factory floors, garage floors and restaurants. A harder material than acrylics they also come in solvent and water based versions. Some water based epoxies are non-porous allowing moisture to escape. But most epoxies do not tolerate moisture well and they are not very breathable. This means that bubbles may occur if water vapor transmission is trapped under the surface after applying an epoxy. Please note that Epoxies should not be applied over a slab with a moisture problem. Epoxies are sometimes used as primers and provide outstanding resistance to chemicals. Since epoxies tend to yellow when exposed to UV rays, they are typically used only indoors. Epoxies are excellent for repelling water and they tend to be used on concrete countertops. Be aware that most epoxies are two component products that are mixed together and then rolled onto concrete. Some negatives include the fact that they require more floor preparation, take a long time to cure and the installation process can be confusing and time consuming. But they last a longer time before needing to be reapplied than say an acrylic.

Our take : Best Epoxy Concrete Sealers

We recommend using an epoxy in a garage or restaurant when you have a few days to let it dry. They are stain proof but tend to make the concrete look like plastic. Some of the top epoxies on the market include Epoxy 325 and Euco #512 VOX Epoxy Sealer.

Recommended For:

Floors with high traffic areas, cement overlays and concrete counter tops.

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