If you own a home or a building, it is almost a certainty that you have used concrete in the construction. Concrete is the most common man-made material on Earth, as well as being one of the strongest. Without concrete, there would be no foundations for buildings, no bridges, no sidewalks, to name just a few of the inconveniences. However, we often do not take the appropriate steps and measures to protect our concrete investments for the long term.
While concrete is strong and durable, it is a fallacy to believe that it needs no protection. In fact, without proper protection, concrete will not even be that strong or that durable. Just look at cracked sidewalks, crumbling bridges, and leaky foundations if you need further proof. Concrete can degrade due to the elements, wear, or really any number of reasons. While it has the potential to last for tens of thousands of years (theoretically), it can degrade over the course of a decade if the proper care isn’t taken.
The most cost effective way to protect concrete is to use a concrete sealer as soon as the concrete has finished curing. Without a concrete sealer, the concrete will be vulnerable to damage that could cost incredible amounts of money to repair – as many home and building owners have found out the hard way, it is a lot cheaper and easier to just prevent the damage by using a concrete sealer. Even if you move into a home or acquire a building that has not ever been sealed, it is not too late.
Concrete sealers come in a variety of types. Topical sealers like acrylics are excellent choices for decorative concrete to enhance the color, add a high gloss shine, or matte finish while protecting from sun, rain, mold and mildew. There are other surface sealers, like epoxies, urethanes, and polyaspartics, that should be used for high traffic/high chemical risk concrete surfaces that are found in places like industrial warehouses, retail stores, and even airports. There are penetrating sealers, like silicates that chemically react to densify and increase the concrete’s strength and penetrating waterproofers that create a hydrophobic barrier to prevent moisture and vapor transmission.
Basements: If you are looking to seal your basement floor look for a penetrating waterproofing sealer that will reduce hydrostatic pressure and vapor transmission. Do not use an epoxy, acrylic or latex based sealer that will peel, flake and delaminate at the first sign of water. If you are looking to seal concrete block walls or cinderblocks use a silane/siloxane blended sealer to fill the pores of the extremely porous blocks.
Patios: If you are looking to seal your patio of pavers look for a non-yellowing acrylic sealer; one that will hold up to wind driven rain and UV light. Acrylics are extremely common sealers with every manufacturer offering their version of an acrylic. Look for an industrial grade formulation, they might be pricier but they will last longer than a garden variety sealer. Acrylics are available in high gloss or a low sheen, solvent based and water based respectively. Water based versions are excellent for their low VOCs while solvent based acrylics will last a little longer.
Driveways: Look for a penetrating silane/siloxane sealer that will hold up to water, and salt degradation. Used by the Department of Transportation on all bridges and roadways, silane/siloxanes are excellent choices. Look for a silane/siloxane with a high percentage of solids since they will last longer and provide better protection.
Garages: The best garage sealers are epoxies and/or urethanes that are cyclo-aliphatic and aliphatic respectively. With these durable coatings oil and fluids have no chance to penetrate and they are easily cleaned up. Long lasting, look for a coating that will resist hot tire pickup.
Floors: For interior floors and warehouse floors look for a concrete silicate densifier that will create a smooth look after polishing. Lithium silicates are more reliable densifiers especially for densifying, hardening and increasing compressive strength.
What is a penetrating sealer and why are they all the rage of late? A penetrating sealer, is usually a silicate, siliconate, silane, siloxane or a silane/siloxane blend. They are able to penetrate into the concrete and chemically react while leaving the surface with a completely natural finish as if it had not been sealed.
Penetrating sealers that are silicates are usually densifiers that seep into the pores and capillary tracts of the concrete, reacting, forming additional calcium silicate hydrate, thus strengthening and hardening the concrete. By filling in all of the pores and veins, mold, mildew, efflorescence and radon are reduced and prevented. Silicates are available in a few different types of carriers, most popular being sodium and lithium. Sodium silicates are an older technology that provide excellent results for sealing and hardening concrete. Lithium silicate on the other hand are excellent choices for polishing floors and warehouses. If you notice the floors the next time you visit a big box retailer, you will see the shiny, smooth polished floors that used a lithium silicate sealer. The only downside to penetrating silicate sealers is their inability to waterproof concrete. Although many companies out there claim that their silicates will waterproof because they are penetrating sealers is a false claim. In order to guarantee water protection the sealer needs to be a blend of a silicate and siliconate. While the silicate penetrates and densifys the siliconate is also chemically reactive, reacting with the carbon dioxide in the air to form an invisible hydrophobic barrier that is unable to peel, flake or bubble still keeping the concrete looking natural.
Penetrating sealers that are water repellents are siliconates, silanes, siloxanes and silane/siloxanes. They work by impregnating the concrete and creating a water repellent barrier. The do not change the look or feel of the concrete and keep it looking natural. Silanes and silane/siloxanes are also great deicing salt repellents. They help to protect concrete from cracking, spalling and deterioration.
One of the many benefits of penetrating sealers is the long lifespan. They can last upwards of ten years before needing to be reapplied. Because they penetrate concrete, brick and masonry and don’t sit on the surface as a coating they will never peel, flake or delaminate. Not to mention the incredible water beading that shows them in action. Over time the water beading effect will fade but the substrate will remain protected.
With the extreme popularity of concrete sealers that enhance and add a wet look or high gloss shine to concrete, acrylics are the most popular and cost effective concrete sealers available. If an extreme gloss is wanted choose a solvent based variation, just make sure the VOC content is legal for your state. If a slightly less shiny finish is wanted, a matte, water based acrylic will be your best bet with low VOCs and ease of application. Solvent based sealers are usually rolled onto the surface with a nap roller, while water based sealers can be sprayer with a pump sprayer.
Best applications for acrylics include patios and pavers. Enhancing and protecting from rain, weathering and sun choose a high quality acrylic over a cheaper one. There is a reason they are more expensive, their higher percentage of solids, which aids in durability and longevity. Solvent based acrylics typically last longer than water based versions which need to be reapplied every 1-3 years, solvent based 2-5 years respectively.
With hundreds of thousands of sealers on the market it can be extremely difficult choosing one that will actually work and last as claimed. That’s why here at Concrete Sealer Reviews, we test, use and evaluate concrete sealers based on strength, durability, price, quality and longevity.
Lets start off with waterproofers, when looking for a basement waterproofer you want to make sure you go for a silicate/siliconate blend. Through densification and a hydrophobic barrier, moisture, vapor and water have no chance at damaging your home.
When it comes to a water repellent look for a silane/siloxane blend that is at least 20% solids to repel and bead water. Best sealer choices for concrete blocks and cinderblocks because of the larger size particle of sealant.
When it comes to decorative sealers you can decide if you want either a high gloss finish or a matte finish, solvent based and water based respectively. The best decorative sealers are acrylics and they are non-yellowing and UV stable.
Concrete coatings are extremely popular but can be labor and time intensive from floor prep to cure time. In order to maximum the benefits make sure you scarify the surface of the concrete so the concrete will adhere and wont be at risk for delamination. If you are looking for a fast cure time try a polyaspartic.
With the constant exposure to the elements, from rain, snow, salt and sun, driveways are continuously exposed and susceptible to damage. When looking for a concrete driveway sealer it is best to keep in mind where you live will effect the sealer you want to apply. If you live in the north, with snow and salt degradation major issues you want to look for a silane/siloxane blend sealer. Extremely durable solutions frequently used on municipality jobs, silane/siloxanes will help to prevent freeze-thaw damage and salt degradation. The higher percentage of solids of silane/siloxane the better the protection and the heftier the price. Make sure when purchasing a silane/siloxane you inquire about the percentage of solids and do not even bother with a less than 20% solids silane/siloxane.
If you are fortunate enough to live in a warmer climate where snow and salt degradation are not threats to your driveway and if your driveway is comprised of pavers or brick your best bet would be to use a high quality acrylic sealer. If you are looking for a decorative high gloss finish look for a solvent based variation and if you are looking for a matte finish look for a water based sealer. Make sure the acrylic is hot tire pickup resistant, non-yellowing and UV stable.
Our Take: Concrete Driveway sealers we like are Okon S-20 and Siloxa-Tek 8500 they are long lasting with a high percentage of solids.