No matter if your concrete flooring is in your office, domestic kitchen, living area, or commercial space, it needs to be sealed properly. In this article we will be discussing concrete flooring sealers, what they are, how they work, and why they are so important.
While penetrating, film-forming, siloxane, acrylic, epoxy, polyurethane, clear, and stamped concrete sealers can all be used indoors, you may desire a specific shine or colour that can only be offered by some sealers. This article, explores the types and features of each different sealer.
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.
Whether it's your basement or your garage, a sealant is always needed to protect your concrete. Regardless, a sealant is always going to protect your concrete.
Leaving concrete unsealed will leave it with a flat look. The color will remain flatter and dull, in addition to the concrete remaining porous and easier to damage. Sealing the concrete will enhance the colors and give it more of a marble or mottled look, smoother and with richer colors.
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.
If you plan on installing concrete in your home, business, or warehouse, it will benefit you to invest in sealing it. While there may be some short-term savings by leaving concrete bare, the odds are you will need some form of extensive maintenance in the future.
Yes, it possible to do inside basement waterproofing. First, you need to figure out where the moisture is coming from. Identify whether it's the outside source that is permitting water to puddle up after rain or is it the moisture due to condensation on the walls and windows of your basement.
When sealing basement floors and foundation walls the best concrete sealers to use are the Lithi-Tek 4500 primer followed by the Siloxa-Tek 8510 waterproofing sealer. If you are going to be installing flooring in the basement, it is best to use a moisture vapor barrier coating like the Vapor-Tek 440.
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.
Water can also breed mold and mildew. In order to prevent water from damaging concrete a waterproofing concrete sealer is extremely beneficial. There are many different types of waterproofing concrete sealers and every application may require a different solutions. We highlight the most popular choices below.
It's Never Too Late …
Sealing your garage floor might not be possible if you have moisture in your garage. This is typically the only scenario where we don't recommend sealing right away, mainly because you should deal with the cause of the moisture first. It could be due to a plumbing leak or a drainage issue.
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.
Sealing concrete is not a requirement, but most experts will recommend it depending on the placement and environment. Flat surfaces benefit the most from concrete sealant since it dries evenly and seeps into the small crevices.
Concrete can be described as a hard sponge that soaks up oil and water-based spills. Easily marked by tires and outdoor elements, it is important to seal the surface, so it looks beautiful year-round. The other benefit to sealing concrete is improved cleaning and maintenance.
By using a penetrating concrete sealer like the Siloxa-Tek 8500 mold, mildew and organic growth will be reduced and made easier to clean. The Siloxa-Tek 8500 is our favorite product to treat nearly any application.
Over time, this moisture intrusion can lead to a litany of problems, such as mold, mildew, rot, and more. Properly sealing your basement floors with quality coatings helps prevent moisture from entering your basement from below.
When dealing with wet basements, most problems arise because of the outside environment. Therefore, it is necessary to look at the exterior portion of the basement and consider waterproofing basement walls from the outside. Waterproofing can prevent seepage through cracks in the basement.
Nonetheless, the idea of covering up concrete basement floors is still quite common, but it is not recommended. Covering your concrete basement floor with a different material can be detrimental to its longevity and condition. This is because the concrete needs exposure to air in order for it to breathe properly.
If your house has a basement crawl space, it is also necessary to not only seal the interior and exterior walls, but also any crawl spaces that may allow for water seepage.
For large scale projects like buildings, concrete should last up to 100 years if it's properly cared for. Concrete projects that experience more wear-and-tear like sidewalks and driveways have an expected lifespan of about half that—50 years.
How long does concrete last on average? For many projects like building structures and homes, the concrete used is expected to last about thirty to hundred years, depending on the installation methods and construction style.