There are many factors to consider when selecting a concrete sealer. You can add a bit of colour to the final appearance of the concrete or use a clear sealer. A sealer will give a little more protection to the concrete and ensure it lasts longer.
You can check out many concrete sealing products on Concrete Colour Systems official website. A popular type of sealer you will come across is acrylic sealer. These can be water or solvent based. And you can easily use these sealers as they are cost-effective and easy to apply. This creates a protective film on the concrete so that it prevents oils and salts from getting into the concrete and disrupting its strength. There are different loss levels to acrylic sealers and these are UV resistant as well. You can use them on a sidewalk, driveway or patio. And these will improve the appearance of a variety of concrete types whether exposed aggregate, stamped or coloured. It doesn’t really matter if you are using it for indoor or outdoor concrete as this is a versatile sealer. If you want to improve the colour of the concrete, then it is best to choose a solvent based acrylic sealer. It is generally better to use solvent based sealers for outdoors as they tend to wear better. But these don’t tend to have better wearing capacity than epoxy or polyurethane sealers.
Where an acrylic sealer sits on top of the concrete
A penetrating sealer penetrates into the concrete so that a chemical barrier is formed to prevent moisture and chemicals from damaging the concrete. This provides invisible protection to concrete. So if you want to preserve the natural appearance of concrete, this is a good option. As these sealers are great for harsh environments, these are most suited for outdoor applications. There is a protective film formed on the surface of the concrete when you use polyurethane sealers. These are thicker than acrylic sealers and you will be able to get high resistance to chemicals and abrasion. You can find solvent and water based options along with different levels of gloss finishes. You can use these on both indoor and outdoor applications. You can use these for high traffic areas. You need to make sure that there is no moisture on the surface of the concrete when you apply this.
You can use epoxy sealers for high traffic areas as well. They have high abrasion resistance. And you will be able to achieve a high gloss finish with epoxy. An epoxy sealer creates a hard finish on the concrete that is very durable and water repellant. You can use either coloured or pigmented sealers depending on the finish you want to achieve. These tend to be harder than acrylic sealers. If you are looking for a sealer to use on food preparation areas, this is a very good option. While polyurethanes tend to cost more compared to epoxy sealers, there can be certain situations where it is more cost-effective. You will have better adhesion and rigidity with epoxy compared to polyurethanes. But when it comes to cosmetic performance, polyurethane is better.
