Before applying a concrete sealer or water repellent it is typically needed to prep the surface first. Prepping consists of cleaning with water and using a chemical cleaner that is specific to the stain you are trying to remove. Cleaners for concrete and brick pavers come in many different formulas.
See below for all kinds of tips and articles for cleaning concrete.
I am Scott Paul, a leading exterior paver restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in sealing and protecting. For info about who I am, please read my full bio here.
How To Acid Etch Concrete Floor
Important Note: Always take precautions when planning acid etching on your concrete floor! Improper use could cause damage to both the surface and your body.
When etching a concrete garage or floor, it is best not to use aggressive acids like Hydrochloric or Muriatic acid, but a milder concentrated acid solution that produces a light etch. These concentrated solutions typically use a mild acid (phosphoric) to lightly etch the surface of your new epoxy coating. Using a milder acid instead of muriatic acid gently increases the porosity of the surface without damaging the substrate, thereby allowing better adhesion of the Epoxy Coating.
Using a Milder Acid For Etching Advantages:
I am Scott Paul, a leading exterior paver restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in sealing and protecting. For info about who I am, please read my full bio here.
Removing an epoxy coating from a garage floor is not complicated and can be easily done with the proper power tools. If your garage or concrete surface has been previously sealed, painted, or coated, the use of a diamond grinder or shot blaster is the best and recommended way to remove those coatings and rough up the surface for a new Epoxy Coating. Proper surface preparation is crucial because it ensures that the new epoxy chemical bonds to the surface. If the surface has an older coating failing, the new epoxy coating will not perform effectively.
Note: Both the Diamond Grinder and the Shot Blasting equipment can be rented at your local Rental Yard.
I am Scott Paul, a leading exterior stamped concrete restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in exterior concrete prep and stripping. For info about who I am, please read my full bio here.
Stamped concrete sealers will alter the appearance by giving a wet look and shine.
Unfortunately, Stamped Concrete Sealers sometimes fail by discoloring and turning milky white or yellow and will need to be chemically stripped to fix.
The main ingredient of a Stamped Concrete Sealer Stripper, Methylene Chloride, has been banned for consumer use in the US. The good news is that other options will work. The main difference is a longer dwell time to activate.
I am Scott Paul, a leading exterior paver restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in cleaning, sealing, and protecting. For info about who I am, please read my full bio here.
Thank you for continuing to visit Concrete Sealer Review throughout 2024 and beyond. I remain your trusted source for tips and advice for concrete and brick paver sealers. Here, I have an updated article about the best way to clean concrete. If you have any suggestions or questions, feel free to comment below.
Efflorescence On Brick
Prepping the surface is typically needed before applying a concrete sealer or water repellent. Prepping consists of cleaning with water and using a chemical cleaner specific to the stain you are trying to remove. Cleaners for concrete and brick pavers come in many different formulas.
Let’s look at the main reasons to clean and prep your concrete:
When cleaning to remove dirt and grime, you may need water and a pressure washer. If the stains are stubborn, then a general all-purpose concrete cleaner or even bleach would help with the washing.
I am Scott Paul, a leading exterior paver restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in sealing and protecting. For info about who I am, please read my full bio here.
I am dedicated to being your source for the latest tips and trends for your concrete and brick paver sealers through 2024 and beyond. Poly sand haze is a common occurrence with brick pavers. In this updated article, we explain how to avoid it. Please comment below if you have encountered poly sand haze and have any suggestions or questions.
Poly Sand White Haze
To understand poly sand haze, let’s first look at how pavers are installed. Most pavers, whether for a driveway, sidewalk, patio, or pool deck area, are laid on a compacted bed of sand. The bricks are laid out in whatever pattern you desire and leveled to create an entire paver structure. Sand is poured onto the paver surface and swept into the gaps between the pavers. This is typically fine polymeric sand, specially designed for paver construction.
The polymeric sand joints are then misted with water. The water reacts with the poly sand and creates a binding agent that helps bind the sand particles together. However, before water is misted onto the surface, the poly sand dust left over must be removed entirely. If the poly sand dust is not removed, it will create a white haze on top of the pavers. This is called poly sand haze.
I am Scott Paul, a leading exterior paver restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in sealing and protecting. For info about who I am, please read my full bio here.
I am committed to being your go-to source for the latest tips and trends for your concrete and brick paver sealers through 2024 and beyond. Efflorescence, a white deposit of water-soluble salts, is a common problem with brick. This updated article explains how to clean efflorescence from your bricks and restore them to look new. Please comment below if you have encountered efflorescence on your bricks and have any suggestions or questions.
Efflorescence is a white deposit of water-soluble salts that can appear on masonry bricks. It can be a fine, powdery substance or a crystallized buildup. Depending on the type of salts present, they can also appear green, brown, or yellow. Efflorescence happens when soluble alkalis are present in the brick or grout, and moisture is able to penetrate the brick, forcing salt deposits to the surface. This can happen a month after the brick was laid or as long as a year later.
I am Scott Paul, a leading exterior paver restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in sealing and protecting. For info about who I am, please read my full bio here.
I often hear and see those pesky bubbles appearing in finished concrete sealer projects. In this updated article, I will explain how to avoid and fix concrete sealer bubbles. If you have encountered concrete sealer bubbles and have any suggestions or questions, please comment below.
Concrete Sealer Bubbles
Solvent-based Acrylic Concrete Sealers are designed to enhance, darken, and give a sheen to decorative concrete surfaces. Unfortunately, when misapplied or overapplied, you may have issues with “bubbles” forming in the sealer. This typically happens to Stamped Concrete or smooth decorative concrete surfaces.
When a solvent-based acrylic sealer is applied, some sealer penetrates into the porous concrete. If the application is too thick, or if too many coatings are applied, the solvent is not able to evaporate before the sealer dries. When that happens, the solvent gets trapped and eventually creates enough pressure that it forces its way out, creating bubbles.
Hi, I am Scott Paul, a leading exterior brick paver restoration contractor and business owner with over 30 years of experience in exterior paver prep and stripping. For info about who I am, please read my full bio here.
I often hear about the appearance of a Pavement Sealer that has turned white. I explain how to fix a white Pavement Sealer in this updated article. If you have encountered any issues and have any suggestions or questions, please comment below.
Protecting pavers from the elements is essential to maintaining their appearance and longevity. This can be done by periodically applying a paver sealer to block out moisture and fade UV rays. A paver sealer will also hinder weed growth, moss, and mildew from growing in the paver joints and on the surface. It can also reduce sand joint erosion.
Certain paver sealers are better than others. Homeowners have complained to me about using inferior paver sealers, which most commonly say the sealer has turned white. A milky white appearance on the surface of pavers can occur when a low-quality paver sealer is used. This milky or cloudy white appearance is highly unsightly and difficult to fix. The white hue is a sure sign that the sealer has failed and now needs to be dealt with in a way that will completely fix the problem.