Q: How Much Does it Cost to Seal a Concrete Driveway?

A:  The cost of sealing a concrete driveway is going to depend on whether you are looking to hire a contractor to do the sealing or if you are looking to do the sealing yourself. Most concrete sealers these days are extremely DIY friendly. VOC regulations (volatile organic compounds, or how smelly a product will be) are relatively low and concrete sealers do not usually require a respirator or special equipment.

If you decide the task is too much of an undertaking and you hire a contractor the cost is going to be significantly more. You are not only paying the product cost but you are also paying for the concrete surface preparation, product application and cleanup. Most contractors usually charge about $1 a square foot to do the actual sealing. If the concrete does not need any surface preparation the job can usually be done in one day.

The product cost is going to vary based on the type of concrete sealer that is used. If you are using a decorative concrete sealer like an acrylic or urethane the product cost can vary anywhere from $0.25- $0.50 a square foot. If you are using a penetrating concrete sealer the cost ranges anywhere from $0.20 to $0.75 a square foot.

So how much does it cost to seal a concrete driveway? If you hire a contractor the cost is about $1.20 -$1.75 a square foot. If you decide to seal the concrete yourself the cost is about $0.20-$0.75 a square foot. If you decide to use an acrylic concrete sealer or a decorative sealer that will give a gloss or wet look finish, keep in mind that these products need to be reapplied every few years. If you decide to use a penetrating concrete sealer they only need to be reapplied every 5-10 years.

If you decide to embark on the sealing process read our How to Seal Concrete article which goes over the step by step application process.