This post was most recently updated on January 26th, 2022
Stamped Concrete or Paver Sealer Turned White
Thank you for visiting Concrete Sealer Review throughout 2022 and beyond for concrete and brick paver sealer tips and advice. In this article, we explain what causes concrete or brick paver sealer to turn white sometimes, and what you can do to fix it. If you have any suggestions for the best way to fix concrete or brick paver sealer that turned white, or if you have any questions, feel free to leave us a comment below.
Paver Sealer Turned White
Why has my Brick Paver or Stamped Concrete Sealer Turned White?
This is a very common question and a fairly common occurrence. Typically, this happens to filming acrylic-based sealers that leave a shine on the surface. These sealers are typically applied to brick pavers and stamped concrete surfaces to enhance the overall appearance.
There is no one specific reason that your old sealer has blushed by turning white or cloudy, so there is no one remedy to fix it. In this article, we will go over the main reasons that your sealer has failed so you will be able to fix this problem permanently.
Cheap Acrylic Sealer
In general, just stay away from the paint stores or Big Box stores brands. These “wet look” sealers have a high failure rate due to the inferior acrylics used.
Solution: To fix you will need to remove the sealer with a concrete or paver sealer stripper.
Trapped Water/Moisture and Over Applied Sealer
Trapped moisture under the sealer is the most common reason that the sealer has turned white. This happens to sealers that are not breathable or over-applied. The sun will raise the moisture out of the concrete or bricks but the water cannot escape as it is trapped under the sealer.
Solution: Applying a solvent such as Xylene or Lacquer Thinner will emulsify the current sealer, removing the trapped moisture and restoring the shine. Not a guaranteed fix but is worth the attempt.
Solution 2: If the solvent does not work, you will need to use a sealer stripper to remove and start over.
Efflorescence Salts Trapped under Sealer
Efflorescence is a soluble salt that raises to the surface of the concrete after it is installed. This may never form or may take up to a year to show. Make sure that all efflorescence is removed prior to sealing the surface.
Solution: Strip off the sealer first, then use an efflorescence cleaner to remove the white residue.
Polymeric Sand Issue (New as of the last few years)
We have seen more and more issues with polymeric sand installs. Not so much an issue with the sand, but with poor installation. Polymeric sands are installed by sweeping the sand into the joints, then blowing off the excess from the top of the surface. The sand is then misted with water to activate the polymer bond. The problem arises when the sand is not completely removed from the top of the surface prior to misting with water. The polymeric sand in many cases contains “cementitious” properties. This, when activated by water, may leave a thin layer on top called a “poly haze”.
Solution: Strip off any sealer, then use a mild acid or white vinegar to remove the poly haze.
Please ask any questions you may have on removing the white haze from your brick pavers in the comment area below.
Stamped Concrete Brick Paver Sealer Turned White
Hello I have a 7 year old paver patio snd it has just become dull. I really do not want the gloss as I feel it will make it slick as it is around a pool. Which or what product would you recommend I use?
Supreme Shield SB-600: https://www.concretesealerreview.com/supreme-shield-sb-600-wet-look-review/
Thank you…. Is there some proper prep work I should do prior to application? Wash it? Let it dry? For how long? I just read something about it needed to be very dry and no rain for like 48 hours for good application?!? Also, do you recommend spraying or rolling it on?
Yes, pressure wash it. Wait 48 hours to dry before sealing. Roll or spray.
Hi, I have a colored/stamped concrete sidewalk, I sealed it a few years ago and it looked great, last summer it was starting to look like it needed it again, so I resealed, used same sealer I had some left over from first time. It was a very hot day when I did it… Looked good for about a month and noticed it getting white spots. Now I want to fix this problem this summer….so about 8 months later. How do I go about this? Try spraying Zylene on and try resealing? Just Zylene to see if it helps? Or… Read more »
You will have to strip it to fix it: https://www.concretesealerreview.com/how-to-strip-a-stamped-concrete-sealer/
I got pavers that were sinking so I hired someone to come and lift them up before the winter. When they finished the job they some the white powder they used will be washed out but it has turned more visible and ugly. what can I do in this case?
Post some pictures.
I am a concrete contractor i sealed a stamp concrete patio around 300 SF and rain overnight and after a couple days some white spots are coming up should I spray some xylene on the spots let it dry and reseal everything again ?
What fix do you recommend i have a 300 sq ft patio that has white spots under the sealer should apply xylene with a roller and wait and resealed after the xylene dry ?
Post some pictures here in the comments.
Here is the picture
And this happened after it rained the same day as sealing? If so, use Xylene solvent. Just spray on and leave it alone until it dries. No need to reseal after
Yes this happened after i seal it i finish rolling the sealer and it rain like 4 hours later i will spray xylene and let it dry like you said thank you so much for your help i will let you know if it works thanks again
Had my existing stamped patio re-sealed when I got more concrete pored about 4 months ago. They did not strip the original sealer before applying new. It looks like it is now turning white. Do I need to strip and re-seal?
Yes.
I had a sealer applied and it turned white soon after. Applying Xylene makes my patio look new again but it only lasts a couple months and the white comes back. I have applied Xylene three times over the summer using a low nap paint roller and it’s still is coming back. Thoughts?
You will have to strip off the problematic sealer that keeps turning white to stop this from reoccurring.
If I stamp normal concrete and Antique it and seal it well the normal concrete bleach white?
Sealers do not bleach colors in concrete.
I have a coloured stamped back patio. I tried to seal it myself with BEHR low luster seal which is water based and it dried cloudy white so I tried stripping it with BEHR masonry and concrete paint thinner. After stripping it looks even more white. I was scared to leave it on too long thinking the colour may go with it? So it was only maybe 5-10 minutes of sitting before washing off with steel brush and hose. When i wet it, the white areas go away but the colour pigment definitely looks different. Should I try stripping again… Read more »
You have to remove this to fix it. Use the Clemons Concrete Stripper and pressure washing to remove. Their Cleaner Degreaser after.
Would xylene work to remove it as a stripper or no?
No. Xylene is not a stripper.
I didn’t have enough square footage for a local person to refinish my stamped concrete, so I decided to do it myself. I pressure washed the front porch and I used some acetone to remove some light water spots. There were some stubborn water spots that I used a “15-minute stripper” from my shed. Well, now I have two sections with a white hazy look. Is this trapped moister? Is this stripper residue? What would you recommend? Xylene? Or should I get a sealer stripper? Or is there something else I need to do?
Post pictures.
Here are a few pictures, let me know if you need more.
Looks like residue. See if a Cleaner Degreaser will remove this. If not, you will have to strip it all down.
Had a patio poured 5 days ago with integral color then stamped with a darker release color. They stated they would not seal for a couple weeks. Some areas that have seen a lot of water have spots. It has also rained for 2-3 days. Any idea what the spots are and if there is anything I should have them do prior to sealing.
Send some pictures.
Here you go
Not sure, but it looks like it washed away the stain release? Does it look even when wet with water? If so, it will look even with a wet look sealer.
We needed to apply Xylene to release trapped moisture on a newly stamped driveway project. Basically the 1200 sq ft of driveway needed to be sprayed down with the xylene. Is a new application of sealer needed ?
No need.
My installer power washed concrete paver patio and sealed same day. A few weeks later, white spots like in this picture started to appear. They claim this is normal for concrete and will fade over time. Do you agree? Thanks in advance.
It does not go away naturally or fade.
Thanks for quick reply. I’m not an expert so I don’t know what it is but do you think I need to strip it? If so what do you suggest using?
Do you think Xylene will help this or should I strip the sealer and start over?
Try the xylene fist to see if that makes it go away.
What causes the sealer to only get white blotches when it is wet (rain) BUT, all the white blotches go away as soon as the patio dries.? Seems like if it is trapped moisture, where does it go when the deck is dry? Dan
It is trapped moisture that eventually dries out.
I put SW HC water based deck stain on stamped concrete, let dry 24 hrs. Then put 1coat
water based sealer, let dry 48 hrs, then second coat same sealer with nonskid additive mixed in. Deck dry for two days, then rain. Next morning, white haze splotched all over area that got wet. Here’s the kicker…when the sun drys the deck, all splotches go away?? What’s going on?! Dan from Pompano Beach
Water under the sealer is turning it white.
But why does the white haze go away entirely when the patio dries? Shouldn’t it still show when the patio is dry, if it’s moisture trapped? How do I take it off?
It is trapped moisture that eventually dries out. It cannot be fixed outside of stripping off your sealer.
Hi, this question isn’t about white hazing but rather over spray lines. We applied our sealant on our 30 day old broom finish concrete and we have marks/overlap lines. If I spray Xylene, then roll out the sealer will it blend out the over applied sealer? Thus making the over spray lines less visible?
No, you would have to remove all and start over.
Hello! I applied Cure and Seal concrete sealer on my garage floor. It turned white and hazy. Is this an issue that has to be fixed or can I just let it be? I don’t care for the looks just want to make sure it is functional. Appreciate your advice on this!
You would have to chemically strip it ll to fix it. It is functional at this point though.
Hi, I had a new driveway put in last week, and they sealed it with Sika sealant. It looked great. That night it rained and by the morning it looked horrible, with big white marks all over, some blocks were 100% covered, others not…very random. See photos. Is this bloom due to rain moisture trapped under sealant or efflorescence. Best removal method please?
Looks more lie efflorescence. Strip it off as the article explains and then clean with an efflorescence cleaner after.
Must I remove cloudy Sealer from stamped concrete before applying a new coating? This is a patio and sidewalk.
Yes, you will need to strip.
Best way to fix a chip and best way to get rid of cloudy sealer
You cannot spot fix a chip and have it blend. As for the white, you will need to strip it all off as the above article states.
Can you apply crystal clear sealer over fresh concrete?
If it is a cure and seal sealer like this one, you can: https://www.concretesealerreview.com/superseal-m-concrete-water-repellent-review/
What is the best Efforesence remover to use ?
EacoChem NMD80.
If I have some areas with white and apply the sealer over this is the white going to show through?
The stamped concrete has been power washed. I sealed it a couple times myself using an inexpensive sealer Homax and it sounds like the problem was from my application.
I am hiring someone to reseal it and want to know if using this sealer will eliminate the white. I have not sealed it in over 5 years and don’t really think there is any sealer left on it.
You cannot fix the issue by adding more sealer on top. You have to strip it all off.
I used Eagle Natural seal on stamped concretre. A large section turned white. Can you please advise how to fix this problem?
You will need to strip it off.
Is there any recommended company to strip the sealant off my patio in the S418xb area please
Sorry, but we do not know.
We had our brick pool deck sealed this past weekend and about an hour after it was sealed there was a bad rainstorm, it ended up raining for 24 hours straight. Now we have these large white patches everywhere. How do we fix this?
How to fix would depend on the sealer brand and type you used? I would suggest contacting the installer of the sealer for some help.
We have colored concrete that was stamped with a slate pattern. They used a liquid release instead of powder. Then sealed a day or 2 after the pour…. it did not rain before the sealer dried but it was cold.it looked beautiful. Within a short period of time we noticed some whiteish spots in one area. Now a month and a half or so later we are seeing more whiteish areas all over. Is this normal color from the concrete or is something not right?
I forgot to mention the sealer was ChemMaster Poly seal A
It doesn’t look normal. Might want to call them back out to look at it.
With the sealer remover will it take away the stain
If the stain is on top of the concrete then yes. If the stain is in the concrete, then no.
Hi my printed concrete was done only last June, yes that’s when we had the heat wave and not long after it was done white blemishes came and some parts sealant has gone, it was a shiny look we wanted, please help as contractor who did the job won’t answer any calls
Apply solvent called xylene first to all of the patio. Make sure it is clean and dry. See if that fixes it.
My concrete is brand new in my garage and half is white and half in spots are clear, it looks tiger stripped
last year I coated my stamped concrete with super sealer 30. shortly after a lot of bubbles popped up. this spring stamped concrete is cloudy or milky. can you please instruct me on how to fix this problem thank you
See this for tips: https://www.concretesealerreview.com/how-to-fix-concrete-sealer-bubbles/
Most likely using a solvent like Xylene will fix the issues.
I’m guessing I need to strip this driveway with the concrete stripper. Do I need to use degreaser after stripping; if so what brand do you recommend? And what would be the best sealer, I live in SW Florida
Yes, you will have to strip. Use the cleaner after as well. We use Clemons Concrete Sealer Stripper. Seal with Super Seal 25 paver sealer after the prep.
How do I know if it’s the sealer that’s turning white or if the color has just faded on my stamped concrete? It was done in June 2017 and looks really bad. We’re in the Florida east coast sun.
Post a picture.
Hi
I have got this same white patches on smooth finish pavers, How can i get rid of them?
You may need to stip it down. Post a picture.
Bricks turned white after they were power washed in preparation for sealer. Is this due to bad bricks? What can we do to restore original color before they are sealed?? Can you suggest a sealer??
Post a picture.
i applied a clear coat of concrete sealer to my patterned concrete some 3-4 years ago and it has often had a white colour on – its like as if the lime is coming to the surface and it doesn’t have to be wet at the time
Post a picture.
Are these footprints and dark spots fixable???
I do not think you can fix this.
Footsteps seem to be in the seal,not on the concrete.
I had my stamped concrete installed in March, when they did the seal the concrete seemed like it was 2 different colors, and I have come to realize that there are footprints all over it, and a few dark spots….is this fixable????
Sealed stamped concrete with valspar wet look then used behr wet look that’s when it started turning white
You will have to chemically strip it all off. Use the Clemons Concrete Sealer Stripper
Sealed pavers over the summer. Now every time it rains they get a white haze. Once they are dry, the white haze disappears and they look fine. Thoughts?
Strange. Typically the white does not go away once dry. Good thing that it does. Is the white possibly sand stuck on top of the pavers but under the sealer?
Thanks for your response. But I don’t understand your answer to my 1) question, where you said “No of those are good”? Do you mean sealers with Silane and Siloxane are not good?
And is SB-600 better than SuperSeal-M for my paver sealer need?
Meant to say “No both of those are good.”
Just have a different finished look.
Thanks for your response. Couple of additional questions:
1) So for my paver need, is Super Shield SB-600 better than SuperSeal-M? I read where sealers that are made up of a special hybrid of Silane and Siloxane are the best.
2) What stripper do you recommend? And degreaser?
3) Can pavers be stained or dyed to enhance their color? If so, do you have any product recommendations? I assume it would have to be done after the stripping and before next sealing.
Thanks
Taylor
1. No both of those are good.
2. We use the Clemons Concrete Stripper and their Degreaser
3. No, you cannot stain them. The sealer will enhance the color
My pavers have been sealed a couple of times. Last time being 2 years ago. Once with SuperSeal30 and once with a non Clemons sealer. They always seems to turn to a faded whitish color over time. I understand Acrylic sealers are bad, in that that trap the moisture and thus cause whitish color. But I don’t think SuperSeal30 is acrylic, and pavers still faded over a couple of years. I recently tested applying some lacquer thinner to a few pavers. It did restore the color pretty good. But I imagine if I applied it to all the pavers, they’d… Read more »
SS30 is a breathable acrylic but if have a different brand that is what is probably causing the white haze. You will need to strip off the coatings to fix. Use a Cleaner Degreaser after that for final prep. Try the Supreme Shield SB-600 after. Wet look sealer but no gloss. Less chance of this happening again.
Stamped concrete driveway done 18 years ago and structuraly almost good as new. However it turns to a milky white almost greenish haze after about a year. What do you recommend? I live in the Detroit area and winters can be harsh. Also every year I seal it with Diamond clear and it bubbles after 1 coat. I seal every fall and power wash 100% and never used a stripper. What would you recommend?
It has to be chemically stripped. Use the Clemons Concrete Sealer Stripper and heavy pressure washing. After that, use a Cleaner Degreaser.
It will not be an easy strip due to the many coats. I may take several applications to remove all.
I have colored concrete which is about 45 days old and have white spots appearing in areas making me weary of sealing and a bit nervous overall.
You should call your installer. Looks like something is leaching out of the concrete.
I have colored concrete which is about 45 days old and have white spots appearing in areas making me weary of sealing
Picture, please.
I have used a water based sealer on brick pavers every 3-5 years. I applied a new coat 2 years ago and now see the white specks on the deck. Since it is water based what should I use to clean and reapply a new coat? I use Eagle Natural seal.
Picture, please.
We had a stamped concrete patio done 5 years ago. The contractor sealed it and right from the beginning there was a white milky look in the deeper spots. Now the the entire thing is faded , cloudy and hazy. I know we should have resealed it before now but with the original milkiness in the deeper places we did not know where to begin. Do we need to strip it it first? Will that bring back the original color so we can seal it or is there a step in between we will need to do? If so…what?
Yes, you will need to chemically strip this before reapplying a new coating.
What stripper and what sealer would you recommend. We live in northeast Ohio Also is there anything I need to do after I strip but before I seal?
Strip with the Clemons Concrete Sealer Stripper. Final prep after with the Cleaner Degreaser. Seal with Super Seal VOC for Ohio.
Thank you so much!!!!!
Seven years ago I had hand stamped concrete laid that looks like flagstone and it looked great. It has never been sealed again. About two years ago my yard guy was forcibly scrubbing the patio using a push broom to remove the dirt and after that there were white spots in the areas that he cleaned. I want to have it resealed but do I need to use xylene first? What sealer type to use? Thank you.
Post a picture please of the spots. Do they show when wet with water?
It still shows white when wet. We recently moved our hot tub so you can see the difference where tub was compared to where yard man scrubbed. First picture is wet. Thank you.
You may need to strip this all off and start over.
Thank you. So just confirming we should use something like Concrete Sealer Stripper by Clemons Concrete? Then apply a coat of sealer? What sealer do you recommend?. We live in Santa Fe which is very arid.
Yes, that is correct. After the stripping, use a cleaner degreaser for the final prep. Seal with Supreme Shield SB-600/
Thank you so very much. Happy 4th of July!
thank you I tried that too– whats the next step?