Pros And Cons Of Sealing Concrete Patios
Although concrete is an economical option, it is a serious and worthwhile investment in your home, and if youre considering sealing your patio, you might also want to consider sealing your driveway. The patio is one of the best places to use concrete. It is durable and highly versatile. However, it is not enough to rely on concrete alone. It is quite a porous paving material and it cannot be trusted in thwarting anything that could penetrate the slab. So, to help out, a concrete sealer is applied as a top layer. But, does a concrete patio really need it?
When Is The Best Time To Apply A Sealer
The season you pick and how you prepare your concrete willdetermine the performance and durability of your sealer. Always consider thenature of the surface, prevailing weather conditions and time you allow for thesealer cure.
A new concrete should be allowed at least one month to curecompletely before application of the sealer. Old and worn out surface must becleaned and be repaired before the sealing process. The patio, driveway orsidewalk you are about to seal should be clean and dry.
The temperature of the day is also an important factor.Sealers cure properly when the temperature is between 50 to 90 degreesFahrenheit. The area you are dealing with should be blocked from any trafficfor around 3 days until the sealer has properly cured.
Finishing Touches For Retrofitting
After the concrete has had time to dry and cure, the installation can be finished. This includes removing any protective wrapping from the drains that was in place to prevent damage to the drain.;
You can also take this time to test the drain to ensure everything is properly connected and working accordingly. Once it has been determined that everything is in working order, you can continue on with setting up your facility. This includes adding any protective floor coatings, like epoxies, and moving in facility equipment.;
The most critical element to this entire process is taking your time to ensure that everything is done properly.;
QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions about the installation process or would like to learn more about how slot drain systems can benefit your facility, contact one of our drainage experts today.
FoodSafe Drains contains numerous articles for food and beverage facilities researching the best types of drain systems for their applications.;
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How Long Do Concrete Sealers Last
The average lifetime of a good quality sealer is typically three to five years, after which it starts to wear away, regardless of whether the surface is well-profiled or not.
The exact lifetime varies from patio to patio due to varying levels of exposure and usage, including foot traffic. You may be wondering- then- how you can know when its time to reseal your concrete patio.
Well, theres a few tell-tale signs to look out for: the patio surface losing its sheen, water soaking into the concrete rather than pooling up atop the surface, and the surface finish gradually turning into an unsightly color. If any of this is happening to your concrete patio, its time to apply a new coat of seal!
How To Seal Concrete Patios
- Written by Garry Steck on Jan 29, 2010To ensure our content is always up-to-date with current information, best practices, and professional advice, articles are routinely reviewed by industry experts with years of hands-on experience.Reviewed by
If concrete patios are not sealed they become vulnerable to moisture and staining. Rainwater and melted snow, even water sprayed from a garden hose to wash the patio, can penetrate the concrete surface and invite the growth of moss and algae. Additionally, there is always the risk that cement in colder climates will develop cracks from expanding ice that has seeped into the pores as water and froze. To avoid these potential problems, you should apply a sealer to your patio and reapply it as needed. Here are five steps that will guide you through to successfully completing this project.
Remove Dirt and Debris From the Surface
Clean the surface of your patio by removing all dirt, dust, and debris with a stiff brush. As an alternative, you can consider cleaning it by spraying the concrete with water, however, you will need to wait at least 24 hours to allow drying of the surface.
Remove Paint, Grease, and Oil Stains
Safety Note: Always take care to protect your skin when working with muriatic acid.
Finally, rinse off any soapy water, solvent, paint residue, or acid with clean water before you allow the surface to dry.
Wait for Favorable Weather
Apply Sealer
Apply Top Sealer
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How To Apply A Concrete Sealer
Most concrete sealers can be applied DIY using simple tools, such as a paint roller or sprayer. These include acrylic-resin sealers, penetrating sealers, water based, epoxies and urethanes. High performance sealers such as epoxies, polyaspartic urethanes and polyureas require professional installation using special tools and application techniques. Luckily these are arent typically used in residential homes.
Instructions for applying most sealers to a concrete surface is listed below. As always, take safety precautions such as wearing goggles, gloves, and ventilating the area if its indoors. Also, read the instructions on whatever sealer you buy before applying. The steps below are general. There may be special requirements for what you buy.
Pro Tip. Apply the sealer coats in opposite directions. By doing this youll hit the concrete from a different angle which may help penetrate small pores you missed the first time.
Deep Cleaning And Prepping The Concrete
Regardless of the extent of the existing damage to your concrete patio floor, you must prepare the surface before giving it a fresh look. Failure to adequately prepare your concrete floor will make it hard for the new materials to bond with it. In most instances, pressure hosing the patio floors gets the job done. But if you suspect that the present dust wont be easy to remove, use a stiff-bristled broom to scrub the surfaces. You can also increase the pounds per square inch of the hosing pump to reach the depths of your concrete. High-pressure hosing ensures that worked-in dust and grime detaches from the surfaces.
Alternatively, chemical etching ensures your concrete patio is properly prepared and ready for the sealer to penetrate and bond with the existing concrete stain. Just remember that any cleaning that involves chemicals should be done with a lot of care lest someone gets hurt. If your floor has paint drops, you can invest in a paint stripper to clean it off. Also, be careful to remove dust and debris from the kerfs.
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Why Is It Important To Seal A Concrete Patio
There are a number of benefits that comes with sealing concrete patios. Firstly, water is the worst enemy of decorative concrete. If your concrete patio is not sealed well, it is likely to be vulnerable to moisture. Water from rains, melting snow, or the garden hose that you have used to wash the patio can get through the concrete surface and encourage the growth of moss and algae.
Sealing concrete patios can also help with stain protection. Patios are frequently exposed to a number of things like rust that can leave ugly-looking stains on the surface. These range from leaves and dirt, to fertilizers, pet urine, oil, or those occasionally spilled drinks. However, if you are using the right sealant, your patio will stay clean and these extraneous elements will not be able to penetrate the surface and leave an unsightly stain on the concrete.
Finally, concrete faces the risk of developing cracks because of the freeze-thaw damage that is common in colder climates. This means the concrete patio may crack and need filling because of the expansion of ice that has seeped into the gaps. The water that enters the gaps tends to expand when the water freezes. A sealer is helpful in such a case, since it will keep the water from sinking into the patio in the first place. The best way to check if your sealer is working properly is to check if there are water beads on the surface of the concrete. If water beads are not forming, it may be time for you to reseal your concrete patios.
Sealers Protect & Enhance Concrete
Many people ask why its important to seal concrete. Concrete is an important part of your homes construction and a big investment. It doesnt matter where its used, whether it be for a home or a retail store. Its always cheaper in the long run to prevent damage rather than repair it.
Sealing your concrete has aesthetic appeal too. Acrylic resin based sealers enrich and enhance colors which makes them look fresh and new. A good sealer creates a top coat between the concretes surface and any substance that spills on it which helps prevent staining. This layer also helps stop water penetrations and sun damage which are also big causes of concrete damage.
Most sealers are even available with different levels of gloss:
- Solvent sealers give concrete a higher gloss finish.
- Water based sealers have a semi-gloss or matte finish.
- Penetrating sealers have a low or no gloss finish.
Reapplying sealers every few years will protect your concrete against common causes of damage, make it look better and save you money in the long run.
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Choosing The Right Sealer
For stamped concrete, the main type of concrete sealer used is either a solvent- or water-based acrylic. The reason for this is that acrylic sealers allow moisture in the slab to escape and hence, making the sealer breathable. it is also economical and easy to apply. They do not turn yellow easily and are resistant to ultraviolet rays.
With these types of concrete sealers there is lesser chance of the sealer turning milky or white and you can be assured that it will perform better when used outdoors compared to other water-based sealants.
But before you buy, you need to know if that particular product is indeed appropriate for your home project. These are the questions you should be asking yourself to help you decide:
- What type of surface do I want to seal?
- What kind of finish am I looking for? Why do I need to seal my stamped concrete?
Sealers Paints And Stains 101 For Concrete Patios
Choose the right sealant to keep your patio in tiptop shape.
When concrete patios are left to their own devices, nature may compromise durability and appearance. Winter freezing/thawing cycles could create cracks and flaking, and UV rays may whitewash the surface. Sealing your patio will help prevent this, deter stains and revive appearance with the color of your choice.;
Read on to learn if a sealer, paint or stain is best for your concrete patio’s maintenance and your desired aesthetic.
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Is It Necessary To Seal Concrete
As we mentioned earlier, concrete is structurally sound and strong. What most people dont know is that it is naturally porous. This means that water can seep through the surface, exposing it to big problems. Besides, this will eventually affect its structural integrity. Not forgetting that it can promote the growth of mold and mildew that are eligible for some serious health hazards.
With constant exposure to water, cracks may start forming on the surface over time. Thus allowing insects into your home. Why let these issues arise, when you can easily avoid them by sealing concrete! Its an essential type of preventative maintenance. Best of all, it helps to maintain the integrity, outlook, and overall quality of your house!
Remove Concrete Sealer With A Quality Product
If youre working with a concrete sealer thats merely topical, at some point youll need to strip it away completely before you reapply a fresh coat. Products like PROSOCOs Cure & Seal Remover penetrate deeply to completely remove all remnants of the old sealer, giving your new coat of sealer a fresh and clean surface to which it can adhere.
If you want to be able to add any kind of finish to your concrete, such as a translucent decorative finish, youll need a product that allows for this. A penetrating sealer like PROSOCOs Consolideck LS will make a concrete floor more resistant to damage from water and surface abrasions. Sealing a concrete floor will also make it harder, less dusty and easier to maintain.
For more information on removing sealant from concrete, contact PROSOCO to speak with a professional. PROSOCOs Customer Care team is available to help you find the right product for your specific conditions and circumstances, including stain, substrate and region. You can reach them Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Central Standard Time, at 1-800-255-4255.
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Will A Sealer Make Concrete Patios Slippery
Film-forming, high-gloss sealers can really intensify the color of a concrete patio, but they may also make the surface more slippery, especially when wet. Thats usually not a concern with exposed aggregate or textured concrete patio surfaces, but smooth, untextured concrete may require the use of anti-skid additives to improve the traction. Most of these additives are simply mixed into the sealer at the time of application and are transparent, so they wont alter the color or appearance . Another option is to switch to a penetrating sealer that wont form a surface film.
Installing A Channel Drain In Existing Concrete: Important Considerations
Floor-based drainage systems play a vital role in a wide range of different facilities, from breweries to food processing plants to industrial manufacturers. While some floors and drains are installed around the same time, you may often have them going down separately.
Older facilities will also need to upgrade their drainage, and a retrofit option is generally the best choice, rather than completely redoing a production floor that doesnt need redoing..;
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How To Seal Concrete Patio
by Anna · June 28, 2021
Concrete patios have become the most famous material when it comes to building a patio because its considered a more practical option since you can build a gorgeous patio out of the material all by yourself. Its always important to do the regular maintenance of your patio to make it look adorable and feel comfortable all the time.
One of the most common maintenance steps that you have to do is sealing.;Sealing is still considered a good way to keep the look and comfort of your outdoor space. Moreover, sealing is also quite easy maintenance that you can do all by yourself without costing you a lot.
Check this easy tutorial on how to seal concrete patios by yourself.
Effective Patio Drainage For Paver Patios
- Written by Niki Hampton on Oct 24, 2009To ensure our content is always up-to-date with current information, best practices, and professional advice, articles are routinely reviewed by industry experts with years of hands-on experience.Reviewed by Charles Ramos, Jr. on May 26, 2021
Even though it may not be the first thing on your mind when you go to plan your new paver patio, drainage will greatly impact your ability to enjoy your new living area. Drainage is the natural or artificial movement of surface and sub-surface water. Without the proper setup, water can roll back on your foundation, causing damaging erosion. Standing water can breed insects and ruin your landscaping, and it can cause your paver patio to subside and throw the entire area out of level. There are a number of ways you can effectively drain the water from your patio.
Base
The base of your patio provides drainage. Unless you have mortared each paver, there is a certain amount of sand in between each piece. Water will percolate through this sand until it reaches the base. Depending on whether you properly laid a base of gravel or sand, the water may pool under your pavers, or it may wash out the sand if not properly compacted. This will cause your pavers to sink. Therefore, your first line of defense is to properly lay the base when installing the patio.
Slope
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When Should You Reseal A Concrete Patio
Even the most durable sealer will wear away with time. Theexact time for this depends with the usage, amount of traffic, weather and thestipulated life time of the sealer. Resealing is usually done averagely after 3to 5 years to reinstate the concrete protection and preservation of itsappearance.
It is easy to tell if your patio or driveway needs a newcoat of sealer. If the surface sheen is lost, the finish looks worn out andwhen water soak instead of beading, then its the right time to reseal.
Before you start the resealing process, give the concreteand thorough cleaning and let it dry. Follow by application of a light layer ofthe same sealer you used before. If you are changing to a different brand, youwill have to remove any traces of the previous product.