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.