Acrylics
Water Based: Excellent decorative sealers that leave a beautiful subtle matte finish. If it is a high quality water based acrylic it will bead and repel water. Will stand up to sun, salt, and wind driven rain.
Solvent Based: Excellent decorative sealers that leave a high gloss shine. Make sure the VOC limit will meet requirements in your state, especially California (under 100 g/L). Will repel water but will make the surface slippery if silica sand or a non-slip is not added to the sealer.
Coatings
Epoxies: Excellent coatings with good abrasion resistance and protection from dusting. Can be used to leave a decorative floor finish with metallic sand or paint chips. Be wary of the long cure time of an epoxy.
Urethanes: Excellent coatings with excellent chemical resistance, abrasion resistance and protection from oils, acids and stains. If used in conjunction with an epoxy longevity will double. Be wary of the long cure time.
Polyaspartics: Excellent coatings with excellent chemical resistance, abrasion resistance and protection from oils, acids and stains. If used in conjunction with an epoxy longevity will double. Excellent choices for floors that need a fast drying finish. Will cure within a 24 hour time period; however, they do have a very short pot life.
Countertop Sealers
Acrylics: Excellent if choosing a penetrating acrylic blend. These formulas will protect from heat, oils, acids, stains and abrasions. If used in conjunction with a countertop wax you will receive double the protection.
Densifiers
Sodium Silicates: Excellent for densifiying and hardening concrete. This is the product to use when polishing a concrete floor. However, they will not waterproof concrete.
Lithium Silicates: Excellent for densifiying and hardening concrete. This is the product to use when polishing a concrete floor. However, they will not waterproof concrete. Newer technology than sodium silicates.
Water Repellents/ Waterproofers
Silane/Siloxanes: Excellent waterproofers for concrete blocks and cinderblocks. Because of the large molecular size the silane/siloxane is able to form a hydrophobic barrier and seal the large pores and cavities.
