If you have new concrete or existing concrete, you may be wondering if you need to seal the concrete. For the most part, if you have exterior, decorative concrete and you wish to protect it and keep it looking nice, then concrete sealing is recommended. If you do not seal your concrete, then foot and vehicle traffic, exposure to the elements will all cause discoloration and damage to your concrete. Especially for indoor concrete surfaces, concrete sealing is needed. Depending on your particular substrate and needs, there are many different sealer options.
Materials for Concrete Sealing
There are a variety of sealers and their efficacy in protecting your concrete and their price will vary depending on what you choose. Concrete sealers fall into four broad categories.
- Acrylic Sealers: either a water based or solvent based. Used for walkways, driveways (solvent based), and interior concrete floors.
- Polyurethane Sealers: approximately twice the thickness as acrylic sealers. Used for walkways, driveways, and interior concrete floors.
- Epoxy Sealers: high build coating that can be solid color, metallic color, or broadcast with quartz or paint chips. Used for interior floors, garage floors, and many commercial applications.
- Polyaspartic Sealers: extremely chemical resistant sealer, as a top coat over epoxy systems or as a stand alone sealer. Used for interior or exterior applications.
The type of sealer you should use will depend on what your concrete surface is used for, how heavily it will be used, and whether the concrete is located indoor or outdoor.
Please call us at JDM Contracting LLC for more information and consultation. JDM Contracting LLC has been in the business of decorative concrete for 20 years and has worked with all types of interior and exterior concrete. Please call (828) 764-1608 or send us an email for more information.