If you have watched HGTV lately you will realize that concrete countertops are trending. Not only do they look amazing when installed but they are so economical in comparison to your typical granite and marble options. What is also trending is feather finish countertops, which is essentially using Ardex or Henry’s Feather Finish concrete mixes and applying them right on top of existing laminate countertops. You can even add pigments to the concrete mixes to make the countertops a color other than gray; we’ve seen white versions, and black versions that look awesome!
Since concrete countertops are extremely porous it is very important to seal them 28 days after the countertops have been cured to prevent staining, scratches and heat damage.
Popular products:
StoneLok E3 2K complete countertop kit includes everything you need to seal 40 sq. ft of concrete countertops. The sealer is applied via a multi-step process, you first apply a surface conditioner, than an epoxy primer and finally a super heat resistant and abrasion resistant polyurethane top coat. One of the most durable products available for use on a concrete countertop if applied correctly. Available in an extra low gloss, low gloss or gloss finish. Does require precise, skilled application and is recommend for use only by trained professionals. The end result is an extremely durable sealer that can resist coffee, wine, citrus, vinegar and Clorox.
If you are looking for a product that doesn’t require such skilled application but will also give excellent abrasion and chemical resistance we recommend the Polyaspartic 745 kit for concrete countertops. Although it has a short pot life (once part A and part B are mixed you must apply it within 20 minutes) it has an extremely fast cure time (24 hours) in comparison to typical epoxy products that need up to a week of cure time. Sold as a countertop kit, you mix part A with part B (already pre-measured) and roll right onto the countertops. Once cured the surface will leave a high gloss finish, acceptable for use on Ardex or Henrys feather finish countertops or regular poured concrete countertops.
When new concrete is poured curing methods are used to retain moisture and delay shrinkage while the concrete gains its full strength. Curing methods include water curing, curing blankets or cure and seal sealers. If a cure and seal sealer is used, over time it will wear away leaving the concrete exposed and susceptible to salt damage, spalling and cracking. In order to prevent this you would then apply a penetrating sealer after the cure and seal is stripped or worn away. Applying a cure and seal initially and then a penetrating sealer afterwards is costly, time consuming and labor intensive.
Enter a new hybrid that brings the world of cure and seals and penetrating sealers together: penetrating cure and seals. Penetrating cure and seals are typically acrylic silane blends which are film forming to hold moisture to help concrete fully hydrate and penetrating to protect against water, salt penetration and freeze-thaw cycles. Penetrating cure and seals must be applied as soon as all bleed water has dissipated within three hours of the final finishing. Using a penetrating cure and seal eliminates the 28 day three step process into a single step.
Ahead of the curve penetrating cure and seal products:
Vexcon CertiVex Guard AIM: Clear, innovative one step silane water repellent and cure all-in-one. Meets NCHRP Series II and Series IV.
Iso-Cure 8525: A water based, low VOC product incorporating nano-technology allowing for a deep penetration and long lasting finish. Meets ASTM C-309 and NCHRP Series II and Series IV.
As the trees begun to bud and the birds are chirping We are officially welcoming spring! With warmer temperatures and longer days it can mean only one thing – outdoor concrete sealer season has commenced.
With the change of the weather our honey-do lists keep growing. One of the easiest projects you can add to the list is sealing your patio or pool deck. With a plethora of sealing options available on the market – choosing one can seem overwhelming and complicated. But here at Concrete Sealer Reviews, we have tried to make choosing one as painless as possible.
If your patio or pool deck is stamped concrete, nine times out of ten you are going to want to use a high gloss, wet-look sealer to really enhance , darken and bring out the beautiful colors and textures. This finish is typically achieved by using a solvent based acrylic or methyl-methacrylate. Although they are going to have higher VOC’s, (smell or odor during application), they really are the best option to get that decorative look. All that being said if this is the finish you have your heart set on, there is going to be some maintenance involved. Most acrylics need to be reapplied every year to three years depending upon the amount of deicing salt and UV exposure.
If you are not a big fan of the wet look, and are looking for protection without an artificial looking finish, your best bet is going to be a penetrating sealer. Penetrating sealers can range from silicates, siliconates, silanes, siloxanes or blends of these chemistries. For exterior applications, silanes/siloxanes are going to provide the longest lasting protection – especially when exposed to salts, sun, stains and weathering. The water beading or water sheeting effect these sealers boast usually fades after the first few years, but because the active ingredients are able to penetrate into the concrete, protection can last upwards of ten years.
The top concrete sealers for concrete patios are going to be sealers that enhance and beautify the concrete or pavers with out the risk of peeling, flaking or delamination. With patios constant exposure to sun, wind and rain a sealer has to be able to stand up to these afflicting elements. Acrylic sealers are commonly used on exterior decorative surfaces and for good reason. With their finishes ranging from matte, satin and glossy sheens there is a sealer for every aesthetically pleasing application.
Patio sealers are usually available in solvent and water based varieties and it is up to the end use to determine what they are comfortable applying. Although solvent based sealers usually leave a glossier shine they tend to have noxious fumes and high VOCs. Water based acrylics on the other hand have low VOC’s making them easily accessible in all areas of the country.
Our Take: We like water based acrylic sealers because of their low VOCs and subtle matte finish. They will not peel or delaminate like their high gloss counterparts and if it is a high quality acrylic, water will bead from the surface and the sealer will be decorative and repel water. Our favorites include Cryli-Tek 5500 and Decra-Seal WB.
Garages are extremely versatile spaces use for storing cars and working on automobiles. They are susceptible to large amounts of fluids, oils, soils, chemicals and abrasions. In order to protect your garage from all of these disastrous situations an industrial strength coatings should be applied to your garage floor.
Garage floor systems commonly consist of epoxy base coats and urethane top coats. The combination of the two coatings make the finished surface practically indestructible. In order for a garage floor coating to offer indefinite protection you need to make sure you properly prepare the surface. By using a floor grinder to scarify and etch the surface of the concrete you are exfoliating the slab and opening up all of the pores. By creating this rough surface porosity you are giving the coatings a surface to properly adhere to.
After the surface has been prepared you are then ready to apply the first part, the epoxy. Look for a cycloaliphatic epoxy that offers excellent chemical resistance properties. The downside to epoxies is their extremely long cure time of up to a week in some cases. After the epoxy is applied and fully cure you can apply a urethane top coat. Look for an aliphatic urethane that will provide excellent resistance to acids, oil, gasoline and other automobile fluids; also look make sure it is hot tire pickup resistant.
Our Take: Try Urethane 645 or Granitex Decorative Color Chip Systems for indestructible garage floor coatings.
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