Why use sealers?

When fresh concrete is placed, sealer is applied to the surface (best when done immediately) to trap moisture. This keeps the surface from drying or curing too fast. When the surface cures too fast, a weak bond is created between the surface and the rest of the concrete and greatly increases the risk of scaling down the road.

The other main purpose of sealers is to protect the surface after it has cured.

Although known for it's strength and durability, it doesn't last forever. Maintaining the sealer will significantly increase the concretes lifespan and keep it looking good.

Sealers protect against the elements, especially in harsh climates where there are many freeze and thaw cycles throughout the year. When water penetrates the surface and freezes, it expands and breaks apart the concrete resulting in scaling and spalling (looks like spider webs). A sealer can create a barrier that is impermeable to water and those harmful deicing salts.

A sealer can also protect a surface from chemicals, especially acids, that may be spilled and makes cleanup easy. Spills can easily be mopped up or rinsed away.

One of the biggest benefits of sealer is stain prevention. It can prevent those hideous oil stains on driveways and garage floors, rust stains from aging patio furniture, grease stains from dripping grills, or those nasty black and green mold stains. A maintained sealer can help reduce or eliminate the amount of unwanted penetration into the concretes, thus keeping the surface looking great.

If you have decorative concrete, whether it's engraved, colored, exposed aggregate, etc. it's pretty expensive work and you want to protect your investment and make it last as long as possible. The only real solution to keep your concrete looking good is to apply a sealer and maintain as needed.

Be careful when choosing sealers and applying them. Choose the appropriate type and follow all instructions that come with the product. Mistakes made can all but completely ruin a concrete finish. Whatever you do, don't go for the cheapest product, especially when sealing decorative concrete. With concrete sealers, you truly do "get what you pay for".

Two types of sealers - topical and penetrating

Topical sealers generally provide visual enhancement as well as topical protection. They require dry, clean surface during application to gain adhesion. Life span is generally 1-5 years.

Penetrating sealers can be applied to dry or damp surfaces and should be properly matched with substrate porosity in order to penetrate the surface, clot, and form a barrier. Penetrating sealers generally do not significantly modify substrate appearance. They are chemically reactive and bond with minerals in cement reducing the amount of free silica available for moisture intrusion and reduce moisture required to induce alkali-silica reaction. 

As well as blocking surface moisture they block subterranean moisture and can reduce efflorescence. Lastly, penetrating sealers can harden and increase the density of concrete, increasing its strength as measured in pounds per square inch. The Lifespan of these sealers can be nearly permanent.

Contact Diamond Concrete Design to create your concrete floor of the future. We suggest contacting us before your concrete is poured for best results and before you apply any topical products that will alter your concretes surface.