Concrete Sealants

Using Concrete Sealants

Once you have successfully layed your concrete, you may decide to seal it for a variety of reasons. Perhaps you simply want to give it a nice coated surface to distinquish it from the rather drab appearance of normal concrete. Or, maybe you need to ensure that water is less likely to penetrate the surface.

In any case, there are a number of quality concrete sealers available today. For example, film formers are used to create a barrier on the concrete's surface and are frequently used to bring out the color of decorative concrete. Epoxy sealers work best for food preparation areas such as countertops. Whatever type of sealer you use it is always appropriate to consider its effect on the environment.

Concrete is used extensively in a variety of construction projects and it is easy to overlook the fact that it is vulnerable and needs to be protected. Using sealants to increase its strength is not only practical, but it is necessary in order to provide years of performance and reliability.

It is not unusual to see what appears to be silt or salt particles rise to the surface of a concrete slab that has been poured within the last six months. This is testimony to the fact that concrete is porous. This can be damaging unless treated properly by the right type of concrete sealant. Otherwise, the concrete can slowly wear away. When properly applied, sealants can actually double the effective lifespan of the concrete surface.

The acrylic sealer permits moisture in the concrete to escape. This is especially important for outdoor applications. And, for interior surfaces, water based acrylics are ideal because they do not exude significant odors.

Epoxy sealers are stronger that the acrylics but they tend to hold the moisture in the concrete and this makes them more suitable for garage applications as well as interior floors. Plus, they tend to be more expensive.

As for cost, the urethane sealer is by far the most expensive. Not surprisingly, they are normally used for industrial applications and they are not recommended for the do-it-yourselfer.

Each of these types of sealers are applied to and rest on the surface of the concrete surface. The silicone based penetrating sealers do exactly what they are called... penetrate the surface and react with free lime to form calcium silicate. They do a great job of giving maximum strength to the concrete and preventing water from seeping throughout the surface and below. Although this type of sealant will not change the appearance of the job, it does provide extensive added strength.

Remember, you really get what you pay for... so be careful. A concrete sealer will only perform as well as the substrate itself. If you are having a new surface poured, then insist on a water-cured product. This is usually more time consuming (read expensive) for the contractor, so more than likely you won't be offered this up front. By insisting on having the water-cured product you will have much more success with the concrete sealant you ultimately apply.