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What is the Best Concrete Sealer?
2017 is here and time to review and apply a new concrete sealer. This article is one of our top articles related to concrete sealers and there has been over 2100 Comments and Questions. If you need advice on What is the Best concrete Sealer for you, please ask below in the comment area.
Concrete comes in many different types and substrates that can be found both for both interior and exterior applications. There are Concrete Driveways, Vertical Brick Walls, Brick Paver Patios, Basement Floors, etc. Concrete is very porous and can be prone to degradation from Water, Ultra Violet Radiation, wear, and tear, etc. By sealing or waterproofing your concrete surface you will add life and protection to your surface.
So what is the Best Concrete Sealer?
The answer to that is dependent on why you are sealing, what surface you are trying to seal, and what your final expectations are.
Best Brick Paver Sealer
Brick Paver Sealer
What is the best paver sealer to use?
2017 is here and time to review and apply a new Brick Paver sealer. This article is our top article on our Review site and there have been over 2400 Questions anAnswersrs on this topic. If you need advice on What is the Best Brick Paver Sealer for you, please ask below in the comment area.
Brick Paver Patios and landscaping blocks have become increasingly popular in the last 10-20 years. They offer an alternative to regular plain white concrete by adding old world charm which resembles walkways and streets of the 19th century. Brick Paver patios can be customized to be designed for any area. They are very popular for driveways, walkways, around pools, etc. Of course, with any exterior horizontal surface, there is a need for general maintenance with brick pavers by cleaning and sealing on a regular basis.
Brick paver sealers are water repellents and coatings that are specifically designed to be used on paver stones and block.
Paver sealers have 3 main functions:
- Seal and protect the pavers from UV degradation and fading.
- Enhance to pavers by either adding a wet look, shine or both.
- Solidify or stabilizing the jointing sand in between the individual stones
Supreme Shield SB-600 Wet Look Review
Update May 2017
As of 2017, we have found that the Supreme Shield SB-600 is the most popular sealers when looking for a wet look without the gloss or shine. This can be used for Stamped Concrete, Brick Pavers and other Decorative Concrete Surfaces. If you have any questions on this product, please ask below in our Q&A area. We are here to help!
SUPREME SHIELD SB is a solvent-based penetrating sealer designed for stamped concrete, concrete pavers and other porous concrete surfaces. Application of SUPREME SHIELD SB will enhance the color and give the wet look without adding the gloss and plastic look associated with other traditional film forming sealers. Once treated, the surface repels water and oil to prevent staining.
SuperSeal30 Paver and Concrete Sealer Scores (1-10)
Wet Look: 10
– The Supreme Shield SB-600 will add a rich wet look, similar to any other solvent based paver or stamped concrete sealers.
Gloss Level: N/A
– This product is not designed to add a shine.
Paver Sealer Turned White! How to Fix?
Protecting pavers from the elements is an important part of maintaining their appearance and longevity. This can be done by periodically applying a paver sealer to block out moisture and fading 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 as well.
Certain paver sealers are better than others. There have been complaints from homeowners using inferior paver sealers that 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 extremely unsightly and can be 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.
How To Fix Concrete Sealer Bubbles
Concrete Sealer Bubbles
Solvent based Acrylic Concrete Sealers are designed to enhance, darken, and give a sheen to decorative concrete surfaces. Unfortunately when applied incorrectly or over applied 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 of the 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 the bubbles.
SuperSeal VOC Concrete and Paver Sealer
SuperSeal VOC Compliant Sealer
This is a Low VOC solvent based concrete sealer that is compliant for states that restrict the Volatile Organic Compounds to a 250 limit.
The SuperSeal VOC is a 25% solid solvent based acrylic that is primarily used for all exterior decorative concrete such as Brick Pavers, Stamped Concrete, Exposed Aggregate, etc. This sealer will darken the appearance and leave a shine similar to a semi-gloss.
It was one of a handful of solvent based sealers of this type that can still be shipped to states such as California.
Note: This sealer has the same properties as the SuperSeal25 but with an exempt solvent that allows it to be used for Low VOC restricted states.
SuperSeal VOC Paver and Concrete Sealer Scores (1-10)
Wet Look: 10
– SuperSeal VOC enhanced the Stamped Concrete patio dramatically. The gray and red colors in the dye of the concrete were restored and enhanced to a rich color.
Gloss Level: 7
– SuperSeal VOC is a 25% solid styrene acrylic sealant. After drying the patio had retained a semi-gloss shine, Overall appearance was uniform and no bubbles in the sealer were present.
MasonrySaver Decorative Concrete Sealer Review
MasonrySaver Decorative Concrete Sealer
MasonrySaver Decorative Concrete Sealer is a non-yellowing acrylic polymer blend sealer formulated for use on properly cured stamped concrete surfaces. MasonrySaver Decorative Concrete Sealer dust proofs concrete with a durable acrylic blend resin. MasonrySaver® Decorative Concrete Sealer leaves an attractive, non-yellowing durable gloss finish that protects concrete from damage and color loss due to ultra-violet light, moisture, and abrasion/wear.
This sealer can be applied on top of previously applied solvent or water based sealers without creating an adhesion issue.
Applied to a Stamped Concrete Patio.
MasonrySaver Decorative Concrete Sealer Scores (1-10)
Wet Look: 7
– The MasonrySaver Decorative Concrete Sealer did darken the surface similar to other water based sealers. Overall enhancing of the surface was acceptable but not as good as a solvent based sealer.
Gloss Level: 8
– We applied 2 coats of the sealer at 150 square feet per gallon. The gloss level was a semi-gloss shine after drying.
MasonrySaver Heavy Duty Water Repellent Review
MasonrySaver Heavy Duty Water Repellent
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. This proprietary blend of silanes and siloxanes creates a “SaltShield™” barrier on concrete surfaces, for greater resistances to the deteriorating effects of road salts and de-icing chemicals. This 100% breathable concrete waterproofing product is a great choice for both horizontal and vertical above grade surfaces.
Concrete Sealer Ingredients: Blend of Silanes and Siloxanes
Concrete Sealer Type: Invisible Water Repellent. Does not change appearance.
MasonrySaver Heavy Duty Water Repellent Scores (1-10)
Ease of Application: 10
– We applied the MasonrySaver Heavy Duty Water Repellent to a 1000 sq. foot driveway using a plastic pump sprayer. The sealer goes on milky white and dried clear in about 20 minutes. It took less then 30 minutes to seal the entire driveway.
Water Repellency: 8
– We waited a day after application then did a water test. The water did bead up well and did not penetrate into the concrete.
SuperSeal M Concrete Water Repellent Review
SuperSeal M Sealer
SUPER SEAL-M is a water based Silicone 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. It is not suitable for very low-porosity substrates such as polished stone.
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. This ensures good penetration into porous substrates, resulting in good coverage and durable water repellency. Additionally, the active ingredients in SUPER SEAL-M Water Repellent can chemically react with the substrate, ensuring long-lasting performance.
Concrete Sealer Ingredients: Blend of Silanes and Siloxanes
Concrete Sealer Type: Penetrating Clear Water Repellent
SuperSeal M Concrete Water Repellent Scores (1-10)
Ease of Application: 10
– The SuperSeal M was applied to a new concrete driveway the day after installation. SuperSeal specifically says that the sealer can be applied to new concrete as soon as the bead water is gone from the install. We used 5 gallons for 1000 sq. feet. It took 30 minutes to apply and did not have any issues.
Water Repellency: 8
– After 3 days we tested the water beading with the garden hose. All of the water beaded up on the driveway with a light mist of water. A heavier saturation and the water still did not penetrate into the concrete.
V-Seal Industra-Gloss SB
V-Seal Industra Gloss SB
INDUSTRA-GLOSS SB is a high-performance proprietary formulation of pure acrylic resin in a solvent base. Can be used as a cure, sealer and as a stain resistant surface protector. INDUSTRA-GLOSS SB is excellent for exterior and interior on most horizontal and vertical surfaces.
Driveways | Patios | Pavers | Stamped concrete | Garages | Showrooms | Exposed aggregate | Decorative Concrete
Tested on Stamped Concrete – 1 coat applied.
V-Seal Industra-Gloss SB Gloss Scores (1-10)
Wet Look: 9
– V-Seal Industra-Gloss SB gave a beautiful wet look to our stamped concrete patio. This sealer enhanced the red and brown colors extremely well. Exactly what you would expect with a high solid, solvent based acrylic sealer.
Gloss Level: 9
– We applied 1 coat of the V-Seal Industra-Gloss to our stamped concrete. It applied at 150 sq. feet per gallon and the result was a gloss sheen. We did not bother applying a second coat as it did not need it.