Without sealant, water can seep into a concrete driveway and lead to considerable damage over time, especially in areas known to fall below freezing during the winter months. Water seeps into the pores, then freezes and expands, which can lead to significant cracks.
Concrete performs quite adequately if it is never sealed at all, but applying a good quality sealer every few years will extend its life and keep it looking good. This is especially true if you have a stained or etched concrete driveway or patio.
If it isn't already obvious, having a concrete sealer greatly improves your driveway's ability to stand up to the elements, thereby allowing it to last longer. With proper application of the sealer and regular resealing, a concrete driveway can be expected to last for many years without forming any cracks.
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.
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.
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.
Ever-Seal Concrete Sealant can be applied to any age concrete, and can definitely be applied before 1 year.
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.
If you have cracks in your concrete, sealing won't do anything for those. You'll expend money and effort on something that you might rather replace before too much longer. Sealers fade. The seal on your concrete will fade over time, especially in high-traffic areas.
Kindler said sealing helps prolong the life of a driveway and should be a regular part of home maintenance. “If you seal-coat a driveway or a highway, the surface will last longer,” said Kindler, who teaches a pavement class at Ohio State University. “I would recommend doing it about every three years on a driveway.”
Not sealing it will only make it more susceptible to damage from the elements and other things. Sealcoating can effectively protect your driveway from rain, hail, snow or oil. It will give you a water-resistant surface, protecting you from the elements. Your driveway is also protected from the sun's damaging UV rays.
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.
Not sealing your driveway leads to bitumen loss which leads to water penetrating down to the base causing it to fail which in turn causes potholes and cracks. Once the cracking and pothole cycle begins it's very difficult or impossible to stop.
Sealing concrete also enhances its appearance, giving it a much smoother and better-looking surface, which ultimately increases the value of your property. Overall, there are numerous advantages that come with properly sealing your concrete surface - not least of which is time saved on costly repairs!
Can I Seal Myself? It depends on the project, but many homeowners with concrete driveways find it easy and cost-effective to seal themselves. Solids, epoxies, and urethanes 50% or under are often applied DIY, but 100% solids, epoxies, and urethanes require special tools and professional application.
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.
In order to properly seal your concrete, then, you must clean the surface of the substrate before applying a concrete sealer of any variety. The easiest and most effective way to clean the concrete will vary depending on the condition of your concrete and whether it has been treated with chemical stains.
If you have a concrete driveway, the springtime is the best time to have it sealed. Whether you just had your concrete driveway poured last year or you've had it for quite some time now, sealing your driveway helps to protect it from the elements and help it to last longer overall.
Wait at least 30 days before sealing a new concrete surface—whether indoors or out—so that it has time to completely cure first. For the best results, the concrete surface should be clean and dry. That means no rain should be in the week's forecast if you're working outdoors on a patio, bench, or sidewalk.
As the concrete hardens, which is caused by the cement and water forming bonds, some of that water escapes through evaporation. This reduces the size of the concrete slab, and since concrete is a very hard, tightly bound substance, this loss of material creates stress. This stress can lead to cracks in the concrete.
Concrete typically takes 24 to 48 hours to dry enough for you to walk or drive on it. However, concrete drying is a continuous and fluid event, and usually reaches its full effective strength after about 28 days. Here are some of the basic facts regarding the question of concrete drying and curing time.
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.