Maintenance and Reapplication. Many experts agree that concrete flooring should be sealed every 2-5 years, in order to preserve and protect your floor. Of course, the amount of time between sealant application can depend on many different circumstances.
Sealing your concrete floors prevents damage – no matter how regularly your floors are used. So, if you want to ensure your concrete floors look and stay great for longer, sealing them is definitely a wise choice.
Sealing concrete increases its longevity.
Sealing your concrete not only ensures your concrete surface is protected, but that it is long lasting.
Acrylic Concrete Sealers: Acrylic sealers last 1-3 years before they need to be re-coated. Epoxy Coatings: Epoxy coatings last 5-10 years before they need to be re-coated. Urethane Coatings: Urethane coatings last 5-10 years before they need to be re-coated.
A: Manufacturers of our products recommend that you reseal your concrete every 3 years. Applying sealer too frequently may result in sealer delamination.
A strong enough power washer will blast most types of sealer off of concrete with ease. The trick is to make sure to pressure wash the entire surface area. For more sturdy sealers, it may take a few passes with the pressure washer to get it completely removed.
While the advantages outweigh the negatives, there are some disadvantages that you should keep in mind before sealing your concrete driveway. Sealant can make the surface slippery. Sealants tend to dry down with a glossy or semi-glossy sheen that can be quite slick, especially when wet.
After discussing the factors you need to look for and the regional location of the project, in broad terms, Spring is in fact the best time of year to seal concrete. With its moderate temperatures and humidity levels, it tends to provide ideal conditions for the application and curing of sealers.
PermaSeal® is a long-lasting, permanent seal that protects your concrete structure for good. PermaSeal® speaks for itself. That's why we demonstrate our process for you, so you can make a confident and informed choice yourself.
Sealing your concrete isn't really a labor-intensive, nor costly, job. By sealing your concrete every 2-5 years, as recommended by experts, you should keep your floor in good shape, preventing cracks, pitting, and additional damage.
We strongly discourage anyone from steam mopping polished concrete. This is because steam pushes into the tiny pores in the floor under pressure, but these pores have been closed by grout to ensure a seamless floor.
For mopping, use warm water and a microfiber-style wet mop. Never use cleaners such as Pine-Sol, ammonia, vinegar, or bleach as they will dull, discolor or etch polished concrete and stained concrete floors. Ameripolish Rejuvenating Floor Cleaner is specifically designed for polished concrete.
Solvent base sealers tend to over darken concrete stain, looking as it does when saturated wet with water. Water base sealers such as Clear Shield, makes the concrete look as it does when damp with water, not saturated wet but not dry either.
Another major drawback of sealed concrete flooring is their propensity for showing scratches and wear in high foot traffic areas.
A: Yes! Old concrete can be sealed for the first time or resealed if it has been previously sealed with a concrete sealer. Before sealing old concrete you want to make sure you determine if the concrete has been previously sealed.
Outdoor concrete sealers are not only worthwhile but necessary. Experts who recommend having a concrete surface sealed are doing their customers a big favor. Without this extra layer of protection, concrete will absorb moisture and may begin to crack, spall, flake, and discolor, among other things.
An unsealed concrete floor is going to be more reactive and sensitive to changes in temperature. It will freeze in cold climates and expand in warm ones. This can cause crumbling, chipping, and cracking.
As we noted earlier, concrete sealers produce a very smooth surface on top of the concrete once it has fully cured, which gives your driveway valuable resistance to water, oil, and stains.
Epoxy and urethane coatings tend to be more expensive than a simple concrete sealer, but they offer better protection.
When the sealer is applied too heavily, the air displaced through the surface can't escape, and it forms a bubble in the sealer surface. Bubbling of a sealer can also occur if application is done in hot weather, or if the concrete is in direct sun.
It All Begins With Pressure Washing the Driveway
However, getting out all of the dirt and grime along with stains is a must before permanently securing them onto the driveway's surface with a sealer. Beyond prepping for sealing treatments, there are numerous reasons for pressure washing driveways on a routine basis.
Acrylic sealers can take anywhere from 4-12 hours to dry before being able to be walked on, but they will continue to harden for up to 48 hours after being applied. Concrete sealed with an acrylic sealer should not be walked on (with the exception of a recoat), driven on, or wet for at least 36-48 hours.