What is a Solvent Based Concrete Sealer?
Concrete sealers are available in either water based, solvent based, or 100% actives/solids versions. What this means is that water or a solvent is used to carry to active ingredients into the concrete. Solvents used include xylene, toluene, mineral spirits and acetone to name a few. Since solvents are chemicals they are usually hazardous and more dangerous than water based sealers. Solvent based concrete sealers are usually shipped red label and because they can container higher levels of VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) they cannot be used in all fifty states.
That being said solvent based concrete sealers tend to outperform and outlast water based concrete sealers. They are able to penetrate deeper and bond better to the slab. Water based concrete sealers are excellent choices if you are looking for eco-friendly options. Even though they do not last as long as solvent based products the industry is moving away from using solvents and manufacturers are improving their water based options. If you are looking for the highest performing carrier, that would be a 100% actives product without a carrier. 100% actives products are actually 100% active ingredients. They are significantly more expensive than water based and solvent based products but they will perform the best.
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Best Sprayer for Concrete Sealer
When it comes time to apply a concrete sealer a popular application tool is a sprayer. Sprayers can range from garden variety pump up sprayers to industrial grade paint sprayers. The type of sprayer used can depend on a number of factor including square footage, type of sealer, and the carrier used. Sprayers are also classified as airless, HVLP and pump up and the type is usually specified by the manufacturer.
Today we are reviewing the best pump up sprayers to use with most DIY concrete sealers. Three of the most popular brands are Echo, Solo and Chapin.
Echo sprayers are sold through approved retailers including The Home Depot. Echo sprayers are easy to spray, fill and clean and are safe for both water based sealers and solvent based sealers. Echo’s most popular product is the Diaphragm Backpack Sprayer since it makes sealing easy on your back. It is a little pricey at about $100 but well worth it for the ease of use.
When it comes to Solo sprayers their 2 gallon sprayer tends to be a good offering since it is easy to fill, easy to use and can be used for other home projects after sealing job is complete. Solo’s 4 gallon backpack sprayer is more economical than Echo’s; however, the straps are cheaply constructed and constantly slip off your shoulders when trying to apply.
Chapin is a name that is tried and trusted by many professionals and their industrial 3.5 gallon sprayer is designed specially for concrete applications. It is a great option and we would recommend using it with solvent based products.
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- Chapin 19494 3.5-Gallon Industrial Concrete Sprayer
- Chapin 1352 3-Gallon Heavy-Duty Steel Pump Sprayer
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511 Impregnator Review
The 511 Impregnator is a product in the Miracle Sealants Company product line offering. It is probably their most popular product with a satisfaction guarantee of up to 20 years. Calling itself the original penetrating sealer, it boasts coverage on a wide variety of applications including: sanded grout, glazed, ceramic and porcelin tile, polished granite and marble, stucco, slate, terrazzo, quartz and travertine.
According to Miracle Sealants, the 511 Impregnator:
…is the original penetrating sealer designed for the protection of all medium to dense porous surfaces. 511 Impregnator forms an invisible barrier that is resistant to moisture and stains while allowing vapor to escape. 511 Impregnator is not a surface coating and will not alter the natural look. All surfaces treated are harder and less slippery. INDEPENDENT LABORATORY TESTS SHOW 511 IMPREGNATOR OUTPERFORMS COMPETITIVE PRODUCTS. (Test results are available upon request).
These claims were exactly what we were looking for out of a penetrating, impregnating sealer so we decided to try it out for ourselves.
What is an impregnating, penetrating sealer? An impregnating or penetrating sealer does just as its name implies, it penetrates the substrate and changes the surface tension to form a water repellent environment. The appearance of the substrate is not changed and retains it natural look while water and fluids bead up instead of being absorbed into the substrate.
So how does the 511 Impregnator work on stone, tile, concrete and masonry surfaces?
If you visit any tile store throughout the country chances are they are going to recommend the 511 Impregnator or if you have a contractor applying tile chances are they are also going to recommend using this product. When it comes time to locating this product it was extremely easy to find in local hardware stores including Home Depot and Lowes. It is also readily available online through Amazon.com, HomeDepot.com and Lowes.com, the 511 Impregnator currently boasts 4.3 stars on Amazon.com based on 261 customer reviews 4.3 starts on HomeDepot.com based on 310 customer reviews. Application of the 511 Impregnator could not have been any easier. It is ready to use right out of the container with a low odor. Available in 16 ounce and 32 ounce containers, the 511 Impregnator seemed to work well at sealing sanded kitchen grout. The small 32 ounce container seems to go extremely far and we had enough left over to seal a countertop.
Our experience:
When it came time to seal the concrete countertop, we first applied two coats. But because concrete is so porous this product soaked right in and we needed to apply an additional coat in order to see water bead. Once cured the sealer worked great! We made sure to apply the sealer every few months and we waxed the concrete countertops weekly since they see a lot of use.
Our review:
Keep in mind the square footage on the container states 500 -4000 square feet but this is taking into account polished surfaces and tile grout’s linear feet. We like that this product is food safe and keeps the concrete countertop looking like a concrete countertop without any gloss or shine. The 20 year guarantee does have a lot of exclusions and does not cover any sort of wear and tear, commercial use, outdoor use, and “improper use of household products”. Even if the guarantee is a marketing ploy The 511 does a good job at sealing concrete countertops. And as with any penetrating concrete countertop product we recommend using a countertop wax in order give the countertops an extra wear layer.
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| Type | Two-part polycuramine floor coating |
| Coverage | About 450–500 sq. ft. per 2.5-car kit |
| Finish | High gloss with decorative chips |
| Recoat | 24 hours |
| Best for | Interior garage floors |
| Owner feedback | Mixed; surface prep is critical |
RockSolid Polycuramine Garage Floor Coating Kit Review
Rustoleum’s RockSolid line of concrete coatings feature a no peel guarantee and according to their website:
The Garage Floor Coating, like all RockSolid Polycuramine® coatings, offers unsurpassed durability. Polycuramine is 20 times stronger than epoxy. With its resistance to salt, oil, gas and other harsh chemicals, this is one of the toughest floor coatings on the planet. It’s easy to maintain and will last a lifetime while still looking fantastic.
This claim and guarantee sounded fantastic so we decided to try it out for ourselves.
What is a Polycuramine? We mostly review epoxy and urethane based products; however, RockSolid’s Polycuramine products claim to combine the best product attributes of polyurea, epoxy and urethane chemistries into one.
Other product features include a high gloss finish, low odor and VOCs, hot tire pickup resistance and chemical resistance. The Garage Floor Coating Kit is available in five color variations in either a 1 car garage kit or a 2.5 car garage kit. The finished surface can accept foot traffic in 8-10 hours and vehicle traffic 24 hours after application. Instead of shipping in a plastic pail or metal can, the Rocksolid Garage Floor Kit arrives in a burst pouch that you roll, shake and pour directly onto the concrete. Also included in the kit are a concrete etch, foam roller, decorative paint chips and the burst pouch.
So is the Rustoleum RockSolid Garage Floor Kit all it is claimed to be?
Lackluster reviews on Amazon and Home Depot highlight issues with delamination especially in the areas where tires pull in and out of the garage, a short pot life and less square footage coverage than advertised. Home Depot averages a 2.9 star rating based on 476 reviews with 131 of those 1 star reviews.
Our experience:
When it came time for us to test out the RockSolid Garage Floor Kit, we followed the instructions and did not grind the floor as we read this could cause the paint to absorb into the concrete leaving us short of material. We cleaned the concrete and used a concrete degreaser to remove stains. We used the concrete etcher supplied in the kit, and used the denim chips. After applying one coat we found the coverage to be about 25% less than advertised. We can see how inexperienced applicators may have difficulty applying the full kit before the pot life is up. (Application Tip: remember that as soon as the material starts to roll back up on the roller, stop! Do not continue rolling as the pot life has been reached. You will need to open a new kit to continue with the application.) Because of our experience we were able to apply the product successfully; however, we did need to use 2 of the kits for a 1 car garage.
Our review first week after application:
Even though Rustoleum is marketing their Rocksolid product as a DIY friendly kit, it will take a skilled applicator to be able to apply this product successfully without any issues. There was a noticeable color variation between the two kits we used. We used one kit up to a control joint and then used the second kit from that control joint to the end of the garage so the color difference appeared to be more of a design choice that a product failure. The overall appearance looked okay after application minus some areas of bubbling. We reached out to Rustoleum directly who stated this was a known issue and if we sent in our receipts and photos they would issue us a refund.
Our review one year after application:
Definitely does not last a lifetime as claimed and after a year there is noticeable wear especially where the car is parked and directly along the tire routes. We have much better luck when using an industrial grade epoxy base coat and urethane top coat. Despite a longer cure time, and higher price point industrial grade concrete coating products are well worth the investment.
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Q: What Kind of Paint Do You Use on Concrete?
A: Concrete floors can be painted with a traditional paint; however, paint is at high risk of flaking and peeling when applied to concrete, especially in garages with vehicle traffic or basements with moisture. When it comes to painting the concrete we would recommend using an epoxy floor coating with a urethane top coat. Epoxies are essentially durable paints. They are two component products that have a part A and part B that are then mixed together and applied to concrete.
Epoxy floor coatings are effective on concrete as long as the surface has been properly prepared. Concrete needs to be etched with muriatic acid or grinded with a floor machine grinder. When concrete is poured it is typically troweled smooth. This can be problematic when applying an epoxy floor coating since there is no “bite” in the concrete for the coating to adhere to. By prepping the concrete it is going to end up feeling like sand paper, the perfect profile for installing a durable concrete coating.
Once the concrete has been cleaned if there are any oil stains on the concrete you are going to want to use an oil stop primer. Oil stop primers are applied over oil stains and they allow the new epoxy coating to adhere to the concrete. If an oil stop primer is not used a concrete coating will not bond to the oil stain. If an epoxy floor coating is going to be applied in a basement that has moisture you are going to want to use a moisture barrier coating to stop any moisture and prevent the epoxy from de-laminating.
At this point the concrete is ready to accept an epoxy coating. Epoxies are available in clear or colored versions and decorative additions like paint chips, oxides, quartz and metallics can be used to achieve decorative effects. Epoxies are sold in kits that need to be mixed with a drill attachment or jiffy mixer prior to application. Once part A and part B have been mixed you can then apply the epoxy with an Epoxy Glide roller. About twelve hours later you can go over the epoxy with a urethane top coat for extra abrasion and staining protection.
Even though they are more expensive, epoxy floor coatings are great options for giving concrete the paint look with a longer lifespan of 5 to 10 years when compared to standard paint.
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Q: Can You Seal Old Concrete
A: Yes! Old concrete can be sealed for the first time or resealed if it has been previously sealed with a concrete sealer. Before sealing old concrete you want to make sure you determine if the concrete has been previously sealed. If a previous sealer has been used you want to make sure it is removed by acid etching or grinding. If the previous sealer is compatible you may be able to reseal without removing the previous sealer. (Solvent based acrylic concrete sealers can be applied on top of previous solvent based acrylics).
Once a previous sealer has been removed you are then going to want to clean the concrete. You want to make sure all mold, mildew, efflorescence, rust, grease and oil are removed from the concrete before sealing as you do not want to seal these elements into the concrete. If you are applying an epoxy floor coating you are going to want to make sure you have good surface profile which can be achieved by acid etching or grinding the concrete.
Since old concrete may have developed cracks throughout the years, you are going to want to make sure all cracks are filled. SikaFlex provides great crack repair products available in different colors to match any concrete substrate. If the concrete has extreme damage from spalling or pitting you may want to think about using a concrete overlay to resurface the existing concrete and then preventatively seal. Concrete overlays are essentially thin layers of concrete that is mixed up and applied on top of an existing slab.
Once the concrete is properly prepared you can then go about sealing the concrete. When choosing a concrete sealer determine the type of protection you are looking for before choosing a product. If you are looking to seal a driveway from road salts, use a penetrating salt repellent sealer. If you are looking to seal a basement from moisture use a waterproofing concrete coating.
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- Siloxa-Tek 8500 Ultra Concentrate (1 gal. makes 5)
- Sikaflex Self-Leveling Concrete Joint Sealant (10.1 oz)