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.
There are many different types of sealers for concrete and masonry surfaces. Concrete sealers come in both water based and solvent based formulas. They come in generic formulas for all surfaces or formulas that are specific to the surface you are applying to. For example, you would want a Brick Paver Sealer for a Paver Patio and a Chimney Sealant for your Chimney but you could use MasonrySaver All Purpose Water Repellent for both.
So why seal your concrete or brick? The main reasons to seal and waterproof your concrete are:
1. Preventing hairline cracks due to water expansion during freeze/that cycles.
2. Prevent water penetration and seepage of water through walls and foundations.
3. Enhance the appearance by adding a gloss or darkening the overall color.
4. Prevent damage from deicing salts during winter months.
5. Provide protection from “Pitting” or “Spalling” or deterioration of the concrete causing chunks of the concrete to separate from the concrete structure.
Once we understand the surface we are treating and what the reasons we are treating the surface for, then we can narrow down what would be the best concrete sealer to use.
Here is an example of concrete surface in Florida (answers in Red):
1. What State do you live in? Florida
2. Interior or Exterior concrete surface? Exterior
3. Vertical or Horizontal application? Horizontal
4. Change or enhance appearance (gloss or wet look) or no change of appearance? Wet Look/Gloss
5. Type of surface examples: Driveway, Paver Patio, Brick Wall, etc. Paver Driveway
Based on the answers you would want a sealer that is specific to brick pavers, gives excellent UV resistance since it is in Florida while adding a shiny enhanced look. Based on these questions you would want to look at:
- SuperSeal25
- SuperSeal30
- MasonrySaver Paver Sealer.
Feel free to answer these questions for help choosing the “the best concrete sealers for me”. Just post a comment below and based on your answers, we will suggest a couple of different options of what sealant or water repellent you should use:
Please include any additional information that would be useful!
Make Sure to Include Answers to the 5 Questions in Comment Area Below!
Average Article Ratings Score
Colorado
Interior
Horizont
Basement
Vinyl sheeting installed four years ago, now curling up at edges and discolored her out. Told this was due to moisture coming up from the basement concrete, vinyl does not allow it to breathe. Would like to install
Vinyl plank flooring. Would sealing the concrete help?
It would help but not 100% stop this issue.
State. Oregon. Rainy side
Exterior
Stamped and plain cement patios
Normal appearance
Weathered and needs treated after pressure wash
😊 thank you
Hi Reta, try the Super Seal-M or Masonry Saver Heavy Duty Water Repellent.
Indiana
Exterior
Horizontal
No gloss
Driveway
Tim, try the Super Seal-M or Masonry Saver Heavy Duty Water Repellent.
Wisconsin
Exterior
Horizontal
Gloss
Natural stone (stepping stone)
Gloss sealers do not work well for natural stone. Dries blotchy and uneven.
1. What State do you live in? Californa
2. Interior or Exterior concrete surface? Exterior
3. Vertical or Horizontal application? Horizontal
4. Change or enhance appearance (gloss or wet look) or no change of appearance? Wet Look/Gloss
5. Type of surface examples: Driveway,stamped colored concrete
Masonry Saver Decorative Concrete Sealer.
Masonry Saver Decorative Concrete Sealer.
Michigan
exterior
vertical and horizontal (wall top)
wet look
colored concrete wall with white concrete top
Try the Supreme Shield SB-600.
Try the Supreme Shield SB-600.
1. What State do you live in? Oregon
2. Interior or Exterior concrete surface? Exterior
3. Vertical or Horizontal application? Horizontal (patio) and vertical (retaining wall)+
4. Change or enhance appearance (gloss or wet look) or no change of appearance? No change
5. Type of surface examples: Driveway, Paver Patio, Brick Wall, etc. Concrete patio, stairs and retaining wall
Super Seal-M or Masonry Saver Heavy duty Water Repellent.
Thank you very much!!!
Super Seal-M or Masonry Saver Heavy duty Water Repellent.
Washington State, exterior, aggregate concrete, would like wet/gloss finish, application for pool patio and walkway
Super Seal 30 Concrete Sealer.
Texas
Interior
Horizontal (floors)
Add color/wet look/gloss
** protect from cat urine, feces, vomit from penetrating into floors and easy clean up of all of the above
Plain concrete? Might be best to stain this first and then seal after. Super Color by Clemons concrete works well for the stain. Top coat with Masonry Saver Decorative Concrete Sealer or Super Seal-A.
North Carolina
Exterior
Horizontal- stamped cement patio
Gloss
Stamped cement patio, 4 1/2 yrs old, two previous sealers not acceptable – faded into different shades after half a year.
Do I need to totally strip this off before adding new sealer?
Probably will need to remove as a new coating cannot fix the blotchiness that happened from the previous coatings. Once stripped, use the Super Seal 30.