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This post was most recently updated on January 30th, 2023
What is the Best Sealer for Brick Walls Update
Concrete Sealer Review remains a trusted resource for concrete sealer tips and reviews since 1993. In this updated article, we discuss the qualities to look for when choosing a sealer for brick walls. If you have questions about the best sealer for brick walls, we want to hear from you! Feel free to leave us a comment with some pictures below.
Brick Wall Sealer
Best Sealer for Brick Walls to Prevent Water Penetration
Bricks are used for many aspects of construction. They are considered as one of the strongest and longest-lasting building materials in history. Bricks can be made of clay, concrete, stone, ceramic, or lime and sand. Like other exterior building materials, a brick wall should be sealed to slow the effects of weathering. When moisture is allowed to penetrate the brick, the damaging effects can cause cracking, breaking, crumbling, and efflorescence problems.
Sealing Brick Walls
Sealing a brick wall will lock out unwelcome moisture and protect the bricks and mortar joints from damage. Unless you want to purposely change the appearance, the best sealer for brick walls is a non-gloss penetrating clear sealer. A siloxane-based formula like Masonry Saver Water Repellent or SuperSeal-M will penetrate deeply into most masonry brick walls for optimal protection.
The best sealer for brick walls should be breathable but will not promote peeling or flaking. The siloxane-based brick wall sealers have active ingredients that penetrate the brick pores up to ¼ inch or more. This not only protects the brick wall but also will not alter its appearance of it.
When dealing with the best sealer for brick walls, try to steer clear of acrylics, silicones, and similar types of waterproofing sealers that linger on the surface. These brick wall sealers tend to trap moisture vapors and may promote efflorescence, mold, mildew, and other damaging effects.
Finding the best sealer for brick walls is the key to superb protection and increased longevity of all types of brick walls. Regular maintenance including cleaning and sealing a brick wall will ensure it will be a long-lasting building material that will not fail.
Top Brick Wall Sealer Ratings
Super Seal-M Water Repellent – Best Overall Brick Sealer
SuperSeal M Sealer Review
SUPER SEAL-M is a water-based water repellent made of a special hybrid of Silane and Siloxane. SUPER SEAL-M provides water repellency to porous construction materials such as bricks, stone, concrete blocks, mortar, and grout. The active ingredients in SUPER SEAL-M Water Repellent Sealer are a mixture of different-size particles-some larger, some smaller to fill different size voids. The active ingredients in SUPER SEAL-M Water Repellent can chemically react with the substrate, ensuring long-lasting performance.
Where To Find: SuperSeal M Concrete Water Repellent
Types of Substrates: Plaine Poured Concrete, Bricks, Brick and Chimney Walls, Masonry, Natural Stone
Coats Required: 1 coat
Coverage Per Gallon: 200 sq. ft
Application Tools: Pump Sprayer
Dry Time: 1-2 Hours
Manufacturer: Clemons Concrete Coatings
See Review Article Here: Super Seal-M Water Repellent Review
MasonrySaver Heavy Duty Water Repellent – Best All-Purpose Concrete Sealer
Masonry Saver Heavy Duty Review
MasonrySaver® (Also known as “Defy”) All-Purpose Heavy Duty Water Repellent is a modified siloxane-based product designed to penetrate deeply into most masonry and concrete pores. Unlike acrylics, silicones, and other waterproofing sealers that remain on the surface and trap water vapors, this masonry waterproofing product allows deep penetration of its active ingredient of up to 1/4 inch or more.
Where To Find: MasonrySaver (Defy) Heavy Duty Water Repellent
Types of Substrates: Plain Poured Concrete, Brick, Masonry, Natural Stone, Brick and Chimney Walls
Coats Required: 1 coat
Coverage Per Gallon: 75-150 sq. ft
Application Tools: Roller, Sprayer
Dry Time: 1-2 Hours
Cleanup: Soap and Water
VOC Compliant: Compliant in all States
Manufacturer: Saver Systems
See Review Article Here: MasonrySaver Heavy Duty Water Repellent Review
Questions on Sealing Brick Walls? Please Ask Below.
Best Sealer for Brick Walls Video
As an article and comment contributor to the site, Scott has been around the pressure washing industry since attending college. In 1993 he started his first company called Oakland Pressure Wash specializing in exterior pressure washing, concrete sealing, and deck staining. That company evolved into OPW L.L.C. shortly thereafter concentrating more on exterior restoration. Scott and his restoration Michigan company have restored over 10,000 projects in the Metro Detroit area since the early years. He has become an authority in the restoration industry and has contributed to numerous restoration forums and informative sites.
All the products he suggests through this site are sold through online sites and in retail stores, allowing the consumer to choose their own means of purchase. Scott’s eCommerce sites do sell many top brands he endorses and if you appreciate any of the help he has offered then feel free to purchase from one of them.
What is the best vanish can you use for pan brick’s wall in a restaurant
You cannot add a varnish to brick walls, it will peel.
Hello, for early 1900s porous brick that still has left over plaster, would brushing loose debris and then sealing it with multiple coats actually work to prevent too much crumbling? What sealer is best?
Sealers cannot stop or prevent crumbing of brick that have already started to fall apart.
Is it possible to spray the sealant with an airless sprayer?
Which sealer?
My home is older and has cement wall’s that have been painted outside. The bottom of the house gets a lot of moisture. What can I use to seal the bottom of the house for moisture. I did power wash it to get most of the paint chips off but of course I couldn’t get all of them.
You cannot seal over paint. It would have to be removed fully. Once removed, try the SuperSeal-M:
https://www.concretesealerreview.com/superseal-m-concrete-water-repellent-review/
what is best to seal antique bricks made in the 1890’s ? they are on a veneer wall that is very exposed to the elements .
thanks you
Use this: https://www.concretesealerreview.com/superseal-m-concrete-water-repellent-review/
Hi there! We are looking to seal the brick exterior of our 1756 home but white-wash it first with 50/50 paint/water. (It has already been powerwashed.) I’ve read some of your responses that say a sealer can not be used over paint. So how do I seal white-washed brick?
You can’t.
How would you deal with an exterior brick wall that you want to paint and has water sometimes hitting the other side? Clean, dry, apply sealant, then masonry primer, then elastomeric paint? Or???
You cannot paint over a sealer. The sealer will repel the paint.
So then just clean, dry, masonry primer and elastomeric paint?
That should work.
Is there a way to add a tint to a non-gloss sealer on wall brick?
No, there is not.
Seal and protect…
I am currently “exposing two structural brick columns in my bathroom. What’s best to seal/lorote to with and look nice?
What type of appearance do you want? Enhanced look, gloss, no change, etc. Is it in the shower?
Hi there. Thank you for such a quick reply. I actually am in front of the computer to order a sealant you might refer. I was going to try to possibly phone you for advice on this and another item also concerning brick pavers. I’m ready to order products. Columns I mentioned are close to the shower and I’m aiming for a semi-gloss(?), just a natural look. The house was built in 1903 and is a “Romanesque” rowhouse, downtown Baltimore. I’m changing the bathroom, bit-by-bit, to a more modern, rustic style. Stand-alone tub, etc… These bricks have not seen the… Read more »
For the interior walls, try a water-based sealer due to lower odor.
https://www.concretesealerreview.com/masonrysaver-decorative-concrete-sealer-review/
Paver sealers will not prevent weeds or moss in the sand joints.
Thank you Mr Scott Paul,
I will take your advise.
Too bad about the pavers.. Nature is taking over!!!
thank, so much
Karen
Polymeric sand may help minimize moss growth.
Just to be clear..
in this instance you prefer the concrete sealer over the brick sealer even though the brick sealer mentions to not use an acrylic on unsealed brick? I’m a bit confused. I do like the idea of lower odor though since it will be applied in a relatively small space.
In this case, yes.
Hi there Scott, My name is Phyllis. I recently moved to AZ and I bought a slump block house. I was told that I need to seal it, I don’t even know if that is true as I have been also told that I don’t need to seal it. I am doing research on sealers and I would like one that is safe for my health and one that will last a while. What do you recommend?
Please reply back with some pics of what you are trying to seal.
My house.
Looks like it is painted? You cannot seal over a paint.
It is not painted.
Try this sealer: https://www.concretesealerreview.com/superseal-m-concrete-water-repellent-review/
Hello’ Scott
Please see the pic.
Do You have an opinion ? I am having this issue the last 15 years
Thought was the roof and/or eaves trough ,replaced them without improvement , many experts have been consulted without solutions , getting worst during the winter ,
Thank You in advance for You comment.
Sorry, but no idea how the water is getting there.
Hi Scott. We have a brown brick fireplace in the living room . It’s 3 years old. We just noticed the bricks turning white with grit and flaking off. We live in Georgia on the coast, the house is at 55 percent humidity or less year round so there is no moisture. We do not use the fireplace very often. How do we stop this?
It is not possible to stop or prevent this. You can clean it off but you need to find out what it is first as there is no cleaner that will remove every scenario as it could be many things causing this. Examples: Calcite, Efflorescence, Calcium Deposits, etc.
My 10 year old house in Houston, TX is brick veneer on all 4 sides. The bricks are showing what looks like tiny, white pebbles where the red of the brick has sluffed off. Some bricks have chips which weren’t there before. Can you tell me what is happening and how I can stop this deterioration. Many thanks,
That is called oxidation from the sun deteriorating the face of the bricks. It cannot be prevented or stopped.
Hi I have a home with Japanese sand and straw wall finish (exterior) would this be able to work on it for waterproofing? I am looking for a good product for exterior and can’t find one… Thanks for any knowledge
Sorry but no idea what will work on this wall type.
Hi Scott. We have a 1960’s built commercial building where the exterior brick had been painted by prior owner. There are a few leaking areas with gaps in the mortar. Do we need to repoint or can we caulk those gaps? Then put some type of sealer on the exterior painted brick? Any advice would be appreciated.
Many thanks, Susan
You cannot seal over a paint. As for the wall, we do not have experience with repointing or caulking. We work with sealers only.
Thanks Scott. I’ll keep researching and I’ll remember these sealants if I’m lucky enough to have an unpainted brick wall one day.
What is the perm rating of Super Seal-M brick sealer? or what sealer product has the highest vapor transmission?
Also what is best brick wall sealer to prevent old mortar dusting without changing appearance?
Not sure of perm rating. No one has ever asked. Check with the manufacturers to see if that rating is even an option. Sealers cannot prevent mortar dusting unless they are “filming” sealers and that means you will alter the appearance.
My husband and I recently bought a house built in 1890. The downstairs bathroom was gutted when we purchased it and we’re in the process of renovating. The room has an exposed brick wall that we plan to keep exposed. The wall is a mix of painted and exposed brick (see photo). What sealer would you recommend for an exposed brick wall in a bathroom? There is a shower and I’d like it to look as close to its natural brick state as possible. Also, I understand that the sealer won’t work / won’t seal the painted brick, but does… Read more »
Try Super Seal-M water repellent. Keep it off the painted areas.
Thank you. I’m not sure my contractor has a pump sprayer. Will the MasonrySaver Heavy Duty Water Repellent sealer work as well?
You have to spray that as well for the best results. Pump sprayers are about $40 at Lowes or Home Depot.
OK. Thank you.
What do you recommend for an interior concrete wall that is in a basement, fully underground? Trying to keep mold/mildew from forming. WE have cleaned the walls and installed a dehumidifier.
Super Seal-M water repellent.
We recently exposed the brick wall in our basement in Tennessee. Its a 3 course think wall and 3 feet of the brick are below grade. All of the brick were previously covered in plaster. We have worked hard to remove the plaster but there are still a lot of “dusty” looking areas. When wet the brick looks fantastic and so some of the acrylic sealers are tempting, but we also want to careful to allow the brick to breath since its below ground and susceptible to moisture being pulled thru the brick. Is there any product that would help… Read more »
Look at using Surebond SB-6000 for this interior wall.
hello Scott. I have a rather large external brick wall. can I seal only the bottom half of this or do I need to seal the whole wall
Ann
Best to seal all of the wall.
we are remodeling our kitchen and exposed a 100+ year old brick chimney passing through it as a feature. After we are done removing plaster and cleaning it what would you recommend to finish/seal it with (non glossy)
Enhance or no enhancement to the bricks?
Hi Scott, I have the same question and scenario as Steve. I don’t want enhancement on the bricks.
Will this sealer work for ceramic pool tiles? If not, what’s your recommendation?
No, and we are not sure what will work on ceramic tiles.
We have cold air coming in where our kitchen is is there a sealant I can put on the outside brick to prevent air coming through thanks.
Sealers will not prevent air from coming through the brick wall. If you have air coming through then it is coming through large gaps and possibly the mortar.
Have cinder block walls outside that have been painted and have efflorescence. After cleaning areas, what is best product to use before repainting to stop from reoccurring as happening throughout our community.
Nothing will work to stop efflorescence and you cannot apply a sealer over paint.
We have a totally brick home exterior in Florida. On the South side the lower 5 or 6 courses of bricks are flaking away, some small chunks and in some cases the entire outer surface in one big piece. We cleaned all of them and applied a sealer that was recommended by a builder. It has not helped at all. Do you have any suggestions?
A sealer cannot stop or prevent bricks from deteriorating. You would need to replace the bricks.
Had a stamped concrete patio poured summer of 21. Sealed shortly after per contract by same company. Have what looks like fog or or thin ice layer after any moisture contacts patio. Company has sent rep out to examine after phone discussion. Company rep has explained nothing out of ordinary. Pictures are included. Please share your thoughts. Thank you.
Bad sealer. Needs to be stripped off. https://www.concretesealerreview.com/how-to-strip-a-stamped-concrete-sealer/
Hi Paul. I have a brick garage it is on the fence line of my property and I suspect it was built in the 50-60’s. I have converted some of it into a studio and now I’m experiencing internal mould. I have stripped off the bottom metre of plaster board to expose brick internally and yes they are wet I suspect on my neighbour side some of the brick work is under soil. I know I will need to dig down to foundations and seal. My question is should I use a bitumen sealer below soil and then what products… Read more »
You would need to seal from the outside to fix this and prevent water from soaking in. We do not do below-grade foundation work so not sure what the best options are for your scenario.
We have a bitumen floor in both bedrooms the two corners of the bedrooms ,both floors are wet in the corners we don’t know how to cure it ,it seems to be only when it rains .
You have to fix it from the outside, not the inside. To fix you will need to fin out how it is getting in.
Two questions:
1) We have a 100 year old brick house and had two hurricanes which packed tangential rain resulting in water intrusion in many areas. Which sealant is best to prevent this?
2) The humidity in our house seems to change based on the outdoor climate. We live in a high-humidity climate region where the interior of our house often has humidity in th 60-70% range. Will one of the sealants help regulate/decrease the internal humidity? If so, which one is the best for this?
Try Super Seal-M Water Repellent for the bricks. A sealer will not help with humidity.
What to seal an exposed interior wall built 1890
Try SuperSeal-M water repellent.
How long will it seal the brick for?
5-7 years.
I am looking to prevent my stone walls from dusting, and I don’t care what the finish looks like, the priority is to stop the dust. I see you have recommended filming sealers to others who have this problem, but have not recommended a specific product. Is there a specific filming sealer you would recommend?
Interior or exterior?
We are finishing a large detached garage in Utah with thin bricks that are attached with Locktite Premium Max Construction adhesive and then grouted. All exterior walls of the garage are covered with the brick. We want to seal the brick to prevent moisture behind it that could freeze and pop off the thin brick. What do you recommend to seal the brick of the garage, how should it be applied, and how long will the sealant protect the brick from moisture? Thank you.
Try Super Seal-M. Apply with a pump sprayer. Lasts about 5-6 years.
Thank you. Temps here right now are 20-35. Can the sealant still be applied to protect from winter rain and snow, or do we have to wait until spring and hope brick won’t get moisture behind it?
Spring. Needs to be above 50.
I have a brick wall on a house that leaks inside when the rain hits it from the right direction what sealer would you recommend or would a sealer not help this situation thanks
You have to seal the outside brick. Try Masonry Saver Vertical Brick Sealer.
Hi
Does the brick work need to be completely dry before you apply the sealant? Just wondering if i need to wait until summer.
Typically yes.
What can i put on the inside of my brick walls to stop moisture coming through. The body corp wont allow anything to be applied externally.
A sealer cannot prevent water from seeping out. You can only stop externally by preventing water from soaking in.
Should 2 coats ofSuperSeal Brick M be applied to a brick wall? If so what is the time between coats. TIA
No, just one coat is needed.
Sorry for the additional question please. If I desire to apply a second coat of SuperSeal Brick-M do I have to do it before a certain amount of time elapses to prevent the first coat from blocking the second? Is a second coat recommended or helpful?
You cannot. It will not take a second coat nor is it needed.
Hi, two questions please. 10 years ago I used Thompsons Water Seal on a small section (6ft by 6 ft) of a brick wall. I now want to do the whole wall with a silane sealer. Can I remove enough of the Thompsons with mineral spirits or EC-1800 to be able to apply the silane sealer on that section?
Secondly, SuperSeal-M says it is composed of various sized particles. Will it clog up a pump up garden sprayer if used to apply it? TIA.
No, you cannot remove the Thompsons. If the surface is porous, then it will take the siloxane-based sealer.
SuperSeal-M does not clog sprayers.
Hi, all our concrete block walls are already painted. Will SupaSeal-M penetrate the paintwork or does it need to be stripped off first?
No, you cannot apply a sealer over paint.
What sealer for a 25 year old brick driveway that you don’t know if it has ever been sealed? Penetrating dealers say don’t use if previously sealed. Surface coat sealers say don’t use if not previously sealed (moisture forms under coat).
Post some pics of drive and does water bead on surface?
What sealer is best for a rendered wall. We get a lot of moisture on this wall
SuperSeal-M.
Hi I have a brick waterfall that runs 24/7. What do you recommend as the best sealer for this? Super seal m or masonry saver?
thanking you in advance
either.
I want to build a shower stall of bricks. What are your suggestions?
Try Super Seal-M.
A landscaper needs to add dirt over the brick that is above the foundation of my house in order to grade the water away, I think that brick should waterproofed first.
what do you think and what would you use to do this?
It does not hurt to seal the brick first. Use Super Seal-M or Masonry Saver Brick Water Repellent.
We have exposed the chimney inside the house. Someone told us we should put a sealer on it. Is that true, and if so, what?
No need.
I have an interior brick wall I want to seal mainly to avoid the dust that comes from the brick and protect it from spills etc. Best I can tell, the bricks were made around 1860, some of which seem quite soft. The room is vacant at present, but whatever I use has to be reasonably suitable for indoors. Suggestions? Thanks!
Penetrating sealers do not stop bricks from dusting. You would need a filming sealer that dries on top of the bricks and this will be shiny.
i have building side wall 48 sq metre. brick construction twine wall no cavity . there is possible damp or has been in past wish to protect the brick work and try to improve the heat retention. any recomendations will hand paint or spray thank you
Masonry Saver Brick Water Repellent.
we live in a flood prone area and have been flooded three times this year. The lowest room in the house is brick double in some places and single in others. I am trying to make this room as waterproof as possible by using flood barriers on the doors and sealing the bricks from the outside. Will brick sealants protect against flood waters?
No sealer will 100% seal brick walls from flood waters that we know of.