One of the most common questions we are asked is how long do you have to wait to seal concrete.
If you would like to seal the concrete on the same day that it has been poured or sooner then the industry standard 28 days, you can use a concrete cure and seal sealer. These concrete cure and seal sealers help concrete hydrate by holding moisture in a protective film. There are two types of cure and seals, penetrating cure and seals and dissipating cure and seals. The dissipating cure and seals that help concrete to cure, are typically of an acrylic chemistry and will wear away in the first six months or so. At this point you are then free to apply a penetrating concrete sealer or a decorative concrete sealer if you desire a wet look or high gloss finish.
In order to avoid this two step process, you can use a penetrating concrete cure and seal which will help to fully hydrate the slab in a protective film without wearing away. Since there is usually some sort of silane in a penetrating cure and seal, the concrete will be protected from deicing salts and freeze-thaw cycles. You do not need to worry about removing the cure and seal in order to apply a penetrating concrete sealer nor do you need to wait for it to dissipate. These products are all-in-one solutions that need to be applied by the contractor at the time the concrete is poured.
If you are not applying a concrete cure and seal, or if you have time to wait most sealers require about 28 days for the concrete to fully cure before applying a concrete sealer. Some manufacturers have products available that can be applied as soon as new concrete can withstand the weight of the installer, but typically if you are looking to apply a penetrating concrete sealer, decorative or epoxy/urethane coating you will need to wait the industry standard 28 days for concrete to fully cure before applying a concrete sealer.
What does a concrete sealer do? Here are Concrete Sealer Reviews we are big advocates of sealing concrete. If you have ever had to replace a concrete slab you know how costly it can be and you’ve probably learned how easy and cost efficient it would have been to use a concrete sealer.
- Concrete sealers provide enhancement: using a decorative concrete sealer you can beautify the substrate, bring out the colors, textures and enhance the concrete with a low sheen, high gloss or wet look finish. Or if you are looking for a matte finish, penetrating concrete sealers do not provide any enhancement.
- Concrete sealers prevent cracking: penetrating concrete sealers that are silane or silane-siloxane based are able to protect the concrete from salts. Salts like deicing salts and mad chlorides are used by municipalities on the roadways. Vehicles that drive on the roadways can track these salts into driveways and garages. If the concrete is not sealed it can result in spalling, pitting and cracking.
- Concrete sealers waterproof: moisture vapor barrier coatings are typically applied to below grade applications like basements or warehouse floors before the installation of carpet, tile and hardwood flooring. They are able to waterproof and prevent any moisture from seeping through resulting in dry basements without the musty odor and smell.
- Concrete sealers extend the lifespan: concrete sealers are able to extend the lifespan of the concrete by keeping out water and salts and preventing corrosion.
- Concrete sealers prevent costly repairs and/or substrate removal
- Concrete sealers prevent mold, mildew and efflorescence: penetrating concrete sealers keep out the water and in turn they help to resist the growth of mold, mildew and efflorescence.
- Concrete sealers make cleaning concrete easier: By using a durable concrete coating or a penetrating concrete stain repellent sealer it will make spills and stains easier to clean.
If you have ever wondered, what does a concrete sealer do, hopefully you know know that the benefits outweigh the initial investment. Concrete sealers can be used on new and old concrete, horizontal and vertical concrete, indoor and outdoor concrete. Even though it may seem like a big upfront investment, it is one of the best and smartest decisions you can make for your home or business.
Concrete floors can be classified as concrete garage floors, concrete basement floors and interior concrete floors. When it comes to choosing concrete floor sealers there are a number of factors to take into account.
- Where is the concrete floor located: basement, garage, etc.?
- What type of properties are you looking for: chemical resistance, stain repellency, waterproofing?
- What type of finish is desired: natural, gloss, polished?
Here are a few general product recommendations based on the scenarios above.
Best Concrete Floor Sealers for Concrete Basement Floors:
When it comes to sealing a basement floor you first must determine how wet or how much moisture is trapped in the concrete. Is the concrete floor wet, damp or moist? If the floor is wet or damp test the moisture content to figure out just how wet it is. If the moisture is high it may be best to use a moisture mitigating epoxy or moisture barrier coating, especially if you are going to be applying flooring. Using a moisture barrier coating product will prevent all moisture from coming up and damaging the floor.
Best Concrete Floor Sealers for Concrete Garage Floors:
Garages can range in size and scope so choosing the right sealer comes down to the functionality. Is the garage a working shop that will be exposed to heavy oils, fluids and chemicals? If so an epoxy system would be the best option. If you live in an area where salts and chlorides are used on the roadways a penetrating salt repellent sealer would be your best bet.
Best Concrete Floor Sealers for Chemical Resistance:
If you are using a concrete floor sealer on a warehouse floor that is exposed to a lot of chemicals it is highly recommended that you use an epoxy system. Even though there is a lot of surface preparation required before applying this type of coating system, chemicals and acids will be repelled and will not damage the concrete or the coating.
Best Concrete Floor Sealers for Stain Repellency:
If you are looking for long term stain repellency (the stain would sit on the surface for an extended amount of time before clean up) and you do not want any stains to touch the concrete it would be best to go with an epoxy coating system. If you prefer a more cost effective penetrating sealer and would clean spills up quickly, or pressure wash the concrete to remove the stain you can use a penetrating concrete stain repellent sealer.
Best Concrete Floor Sealers for Waterproofing:
There are two types of waterproofing concrete sealers. The first category is moisture barrier coatings that are applied to concrete floors. They are commonly used before installing carpet, hardwood flooring and tile. They are able to withstand high amounts of water vapor transmission and hydrostatic pressure. The second category is penetrating concrete sealers. They are excellent choices for preventative waterproofing and can be applied to concrete floors and concrete walls.
Best Concrete Floor Sealers – Clear: Use a penetrating concrete sealer which will not change the look of the concrete; it will dry clear as if no sealer was used.
Best Concrete Floor Sealers – Gloss:
If moisture is not an issue and you are looking for more of a decorative concrete floor sealer use a solvent based acrylic sealer which will leave a high gloss finish. If you are looking for a more durable option use an epoxy coating system which will leave a gloss finish and be extremely durable to forklift traffic, chemicals and abrasions.
Best Concrete Floor Sealers – Polished:
In order to get that polished floor look you would first need to use a concrete densifier. Concrete densifiers are silicate based and help to strengthen and harden the concrete before the polishing process. You would then use a concrete floor polishing machine with different grit floor pads to polish the concrete. The finished floor would be similar to the floors that are seen in big box hardware stores such as Home Depot and Lowes.
Follow the step-by-step application instructions in order to learn how to seal concrete.
Concrete sealer application tools:
- Pump sprayer
- Nap roller 3/8″ or 1/4″
- Paint tray
- Paint brush
- Empty 5 gallon bucket for mixing
- Paint stirrer
- Gloves and safety goggles
Surface preparation: how to seal old concrete
- Remove all standing dirt and debris.
- Remove all oil, grease, paint and previous concrete sealers.
- Make sure concrete is clean and dry and the application temperatures are above freezing.
- Fill in any cracks with crack repair kit.
Surface preparation: how to seal new concrete
- Remove all standing dirt and debris.
- Make sure concrete is clean and dry and the application temperatures are above freezing.
How to Clean Concrete Before Sealing
Surface preparation: How to remove an old concrete sealer before using a new concrete sealer
- Determine if the old concrete sealer was a water based concrete sealer or a solvent based concrete sealer by pouring xylene on an area where the old sealer is present.
- Let the xylene sit on the concrete for 20 seconds. If the area is tacky the concrete was sealed with a solvent based sealer. If the concrete is not tacky the concrete was sealed with a water based sealer.
- To remove an old solvent based sealer use a chemical stripper like xylene.
- To remove an old water based sealer use muriatic acid to etch the concrete or a chemical concrete sealer and coating remover.
How to Remove a Concrete Sealer
How to seal concrete: How to apply a penetrating concrete sealer:
See the Best Concrete Sealers for 2017 review to see what penetrating concrete sealer products we recommend.
- Pour the concrete sealer into a pump up sprayer to spray apply or pour the concrete sealer into a paint tray to roll apply the concrete sealer.
- Apply the concrete sealer in a thin and uniform coat. If there are any puddles make sure to roll them out.
- Penetrating concrete sealers generally require two coats. The two coats are applied in succession one after another with no time in between them.
How to seal concrete: How to apply a decorative concrete sealer:
Decorative concrete sealers are usually acrylic concrete sealers that are best applied with a roller.
- Stir/mix the concrete sealer well
- Pour into a paint tray
- Dip the roller into the paint tray and roll onto the concrete
- Apply the concrete sealer in thin coats making sure not to over apply
When it comes to answering the question of what the best concrete sealer is, its hard to pin point one type of sealer for all applications. There are a lot of factors that go into choosing a sealer including application (driveway, patio, etc.), substrate (concrete, brick, masonry) and functionality (salt repellent, waterpoofer, oil repellent,decorative).
Below is a quick reference guide that highlights common applications, substrates and functionalities:
Concrete Driveway: If you are looking for deicing salt protection use a silane/siloxane blended sealer. If you are looking for oil and staining protection use a silane/siloxane with a stain protector like the Siloxa-Tek 8505.
Concrete Basement: If you have active moisture or water issues it is best to use a two step application by first using a densifying primer of a lithium silicate carrier, followed by a penetrating silane/siloxane product. If you do not have active moisture issues and are looking to proactively seal, use this fantastic all-in-one product found at homedepot.com
Concrete Blocks/Cinderblocks: Because of the porous nature of the concrete cinderblocks it is best to apply three to four coats of a penetrating silane/siloxane sealer.
Stone/Stucco/Slate/Bricks: Stone, stucco, slate and bricks are best protected using a penetrating, natural finish silane/siloxane sealer that will not encapsulate the substrate so it is still able to breathe.
Patio/Pavers/Pool Deck: When sealing a patio, pavers or pool deck it is best to first figure out the desired finish if you are looking for a natural/clear finish, low sheen or wet look/gloss. If you are sealing a salt water pool a silane/siloxane blend is going to be the best option to keep the pool deck from spalling and pitting. Keep in mind that the natural finish products are penetrating and give the longest lasting, best protection. Whereas low sheen and gloss finishes typically need to be reapplied on a more frequent basis.
Natural/Clear Finish: Penetrating silane/siloxane sealer
Low Sheen: Water based acrylic
Wet Look/Gloss: Solvent based acrylic
Waterproofing/Salt Protection: A penetrating silane/siloxane like this one that gets great reviews from HomeDepot.com
Oil/Staining Protection: Lowes.com offers this product in a concentrate so you get to control the mixing and application. It’s great to protect driveways from oil stains and leaf staining and backyard patios from BBQ grill and food stains.
After over 20 hours of researching more than 10 concrete sealers and testing and evaluating a few of them, our results for the Best Concrete Sealers for 2018 – Decorative Concrete Sealers are found below.
Part 2: Best Concrete Sealers for 2018 Decorative Concrete Sealers
**Be sure to check out Part 1: Best Concrete Sealers for 2018 – Penetrating Sealers
Best of the Best: Euclid Chemical Super Diamond Clear
Bottom Line: This product is tried and true. This is the go to cure and seal concrete sealer in the industry designed to cure new concrete while providing a non-yellowing seal simultaneously protecting and enhancing the appearance of concrete. Every contractor we spoke to has used this product for years with great results.
Pros: It can be used on fresh concrete; you do not have to wait the industry standard 28 days for concrete to cure before using this product. This product can also be tinted with a color pack available in 33 standard colors.
Cons: Not as readily available through online retailers as we would like. A hazmat shipping surcharge is usually applied, and the VOC content prevents it from being shipped to all 50 states. Also the smallest quantity available is a case or four, one gallon jugs.
Also awesome all around: Cryli-Tek 5505 concrete sealer
Bottom Line: We really liked the versatility of this concrete sealing product and how a matting agent is available to reduce the gloss finish. You can choose from a high gloss, wet look, satin or low sheen finish. A slip resistant additive is also available to reduce the slipperiness when wet. The additive is mixed in at the time of application.
Pros: Available for purchase through a number of online retailers with an instructional application video available on the manufacturers website.
Cons: It comes at an expensive price point but as the saying goes you get what you pay for.
Home Depot Star Rating: 4.5/5
Check Price: Home Depot.com
Actual customer reviews: (source HomeDepot.com)
Star Rating: 5/5 “Excellent product. I power washed my colored textured concrete pool deck and applied the product using a roller. The product dried clear with a wet look. The surface is slippery, and the only recommendation I would make is to add grit to the product itself or on the surface during the drying process.” – Mike
Star Rating: 5/5 “…Ghostshield recommended just one coat. I applied two (do at your own risk). The results were awesome. Remember that surface prep is by far the most important part. Clean the concrete with a great cleaner…several times. I used tsp. Sweeping, mopping and more of each until there is no dirt left. After the first coat was dry I let it sit for about two weeks then cleaned and applied the second. It looks wet all the time now and brought out all the colors. Easy to install, I am not a contractor nor do I work on concrete. I’m just a regular guy who likes to diy. Hope this helps someone out there.” – Anonymous
Considerations:
Chemistry – For Part 2 of our Best Concrete Sealers for 2018 series, we reviewed decorative sealers/coatings; more specifically water and solvent based acrylics and methacrylates.
Finish – Decorative concrete sealers leave matte, satin or gloss finishes and change appearance of the concrete giving you the much desired “wet look.” If you are looking for a longer lasting concrete sealer that will protect from deicing salts, check out our Part 1: Best Concrete Sealers for 2018 – Penetrating Sealers
Features – Features of this concrete sealer include color enhancement, gloss or satin finish options, non-yellowing appearance, uv protection and dustproofing.
Availability – We considered concrete sealing products that are in stock on shelves, products sold online through big box retailers and/or products sold online only shipped through the manufacturer themselves.
Performance – Results were conducted through independent tests by our experts, contractors, and homeowners. Products were evaluated on a 1 week, 3 month, 6 month and 1 year basis.
How we decided: There are hundreds of concrete sealers available on the consumer market, so how do you tell which one is right for you? We test every product we review. For this decorative concrete sealer comparison 10 models were considered, 20 hours were spent researching, 2 experts were interviewed and 50 consumers were consulted. We listened to your feedback and have finally released our list of Best Concrete Sealers for 2018: Decorative Concrete Sealers edition! In our research, we found that more inexpensive decorative sealers suffered in longevity due to low resins and solids content and most commercial products had high VOC’s and could not be used in all fifty states. We prioritized finding a high quality concrete sealer that was both durable, with little maintenance and reasonably priced. We also looked to big box retailers for credibility, and pulled reviews and information from Home Depot, Lowes, White Cap and Amazon.
Deciding factors:
The Super Diamond Clear concrete sealer product is the go-to product in the contractor marketplace. Experienced guys tell you this is their recommendation for concrete flat work. Does all that is expected out of a decorative gloss sealer while helping concrete to cure assuring proper cement hydration and strength gain.
The Cryli-Tek 5505 concrete sealer product is a methacrylate acrylic that holds up extremely well for a decorative concrete sealer. The wet look of this product lasts well over the year we tested it for and when it comes time for it, the resealing process could not be easier since you can apply the 5505 directly on top of a previous coat.
Tips and Tricks:
When using either of these concrete sealer products use a good quality, shed-less 3/8″ nap roller or a low pressure, solvent resistant airless sprayer with a fan nozzle. Use a slip resistant additive to add traction without affecting the appearance.