How To Choose A Right Concrete Water Sealer

Concrete has a special place in the hearts of both home and business owners because of how long it lasts and how strong it is. Even so, problems can still happen with concrete over time. If cracks and spalling are not carefully stopped, they can quickly weaken the structure of a concrete surface.

One of the best ways to keep concrete from breaking down too quickly is to use the best concrete water sealer. Of course, you will need to choose the right type of sealer if you want the job to turn out well. Read on if you would like to learn more about concrete sealers. This article will discuss two important things to consider when choosing the best concrete water sealer.

Safety

Almost any good concrete water sealer will keep your surface from being too worn down if you use it correctly. However, you can only sometimes say the same thing about how the sealer will affect you and your family. You need to know that a sealer will change how your concrete grips and, thus, how safe it is.

So, the most important thing is how much the sealer will make the surface less gripping. How this is decided depends a lot on how thick the sealer is. Generally, the less traction a sealant gives, the wider it is. The top of the sealant will be smoother and flatter the farther it is from the rough and bumpy surface of the concrete.

Material

This depends on how the concrete was made in the first place. More heavily textured concrete, like broom-finished concrete, will have a more severe effect on the texture of the sealer. Make sure to talk to your concrete contractor about how much traction you need to find the best balance between thickness and traction.

In addition, surface additives like sand and plastic grit can be used on any thickness of the concrete water sealer to improve traction. A worker spreads these things across the surface of the sealer, which is still wet. As the sealer dries, the particles stick to the surface, making it very easy to hold on to. One problem with this method is that the filler tends to come loose over time. This means that the sealant will gradually lose its grip.

Appearance

Acrylic resin is the main ingredient in the best concrete water sealers today. But several other substances are also used to change how the sealer works, how long it takes to apply, and how it looks. This group is made up of silicone, epoxy, and polyurethane.

Regarding how something looks, gloss is the most common factor on a scale from 0 to 100, and concrete contractors rate the shine. A sealer with a gloss level of 0 will be completely matte, which means that its surface will reflect the least amount of light possible. The more the gloss rating increases, the more shiny and reflective it will be.

Talk to your contractor about how you want the house to look so that they can help you choose the right level of gloss. A lower gloss rating is usually better for outdoor uses because it reduces glare. On the other hand, decorative and indoor concrete water sealers will look better with a higher gloss.

Professional Installation

Concrete water sealer is the best way to protect the money you put into a concrete surface, whether it is for practical or aesthetic reasons. Of course, if you want the best results, you will need a professional with the right skills and knowledge to install your sealer.