Concrete Floor Sealer

Concrete, by nature, is a porous substance.  In other words, there are many tiny holes you can see in the concrete when you look at under a microscope.  Those holes mean concrete can slowly let water and even gasses through, even dangerous gases such as argon.  It also means concrete easily stains as the tiny holes let in whatever you spill on it.  Finally, continued exposure to moisture slowly breaks down concrete as the moisture works through the pores and reacts with the concrete.

In order to prevent staining and the movement of moisture and gasses through the concrete, it is a good idea to seal your concrete.  Sealing the concrete will keep your concrete looking beautiful for years, eliminate or reduce moisture transfer, and can add qualities like slip resistance.

Concrete Sealers can go Over Decorative Elements.

Concrete sealers also protect decorative elements on a concrete floor.  You can do lots of fun things with your concrete, including staining, etching, painting, adding epoxy, and even decaling your floor.  Adding a top coat to seal the floor will help ensure those finishes stay looking like you want.

Penetrating Concrete Sealers

We like to use concrete sealers that penetrate deep into the concrete.  It makes for a stronger surface, prevents concrete from breaking down, and prevents the sealer from wearing off.  With penetrating sealers, the pores and even hairline cracks get filled, and the concrete is bonded into a better bonded mass that does not want to come apart.

The penetrating concrete sealers will also bond with coatings like epoxy to ensure a better bond with the concrete and can help make the coating last longer on your concrete.

Can’t I Get Concrete Sealer at a Big Box Store?

Yes, you can get some concrete sealers at big box stores, BUT there are some floor sealers that are only available to flooring contractors.  We have access to sealers that will actually clean your concrete after application, a product we have not seen regular stores carry.  If you ask us, you can buy some contractor grade concrete sealers from us, but we won’t sell you a sealer that is difficult to apply properly. Some sealers are easier to apply than others, and, depending on the sealer, you could make a mess of your floor if you don’t know what you are doing.

What is Your Highest Quality Sealer?

Well, that is a bit of a trick question.  It is often about choosing the right sealer for the job, and the best sealer for the job is the best sealer to use for that particular situation. 

That said, we have a penetrating sealer called Glass Guard-CST that is essentially a liquid glass that goes onto most surfaces, and this sealer is really pretty awesome.  The liquid glass sealer is super long-lasting, is slip resistant, and is very easy to clean and maintain.

You do need to occasionally apply a new coat of this sealer on the floor, but after the first application, you just need to ensure the floor is clean before putting a new coat on your floor.  After the first coat, it is as easy to apply as a no-buff floor wax.  We recommend a fresh coat every year for high-traffic commercial applications (think grocery store aisles), but most home owners can go years before needing a fresh coat.

You Have a Self-Cleaning Concrete Sealer!?!

Yes, we have a sealer called Concrete X that cleans dirty concrete over time and keeps clean concrete clean!  We can apply it to filthy concrete or brick, and it will lift all of the “undesirables” to the surface of the concrete over time (how much time depends on how dirty it is).  When the stuff comes out of the concrete, light will help break down the dirt some more and it will all wash off during occasional rains.

Do You Have a Sealer Impervious to Salt & Stains?

As you know, spills on concrete make it look ugly and salt on concrete breaks down the chemical makeup of the concrete making the concrete literally disintegrate over time and repeated exposure to salt. We have a product from Armidex that will permanently seal the concrete so that it cannot stain nor break down from salt exposure.

The Danger of a Resinous Coating Without a Proper Sealer

Resinous coatings are great for helping make a plain concrete floor look beautiful, but in the long run, that same product changes the pH of the concrete leading to premature weakening of the concrete.  We can use one of our Armidex sealers to penetrate and lock-in the pH before the application of a resinous coating to maintain the strength and durability of the concrete for life, despite the resin.

Concrete Sealer for Fresh Concrete Pours.

We also have a sealer that is meant to go on freshly poured concrete.  By applying this particular sealer before the concrete has hardened, you get deep penetration of what is meant to be a “lifetime” sealer because it becomes one with the concrete, and it makes the concrete stronger while eliminating the porous nature, and the sealer changes the chemical makeup of the concrete to be stable over time.

When applied to the wet concrete, the concrete cures more slowly, eliminating issues with cracking and other forms of deterioration.

Do you have questions about Concrete Floor Sealers?

Your best bet is to give us a call when you have questions about floor sealers.  If you are in Wisconsin of the Chicagoland area, feel free to give us a call about your floor at 262-573-0428 to talk about options.