A good sealer will increase the life of your concrete floor. It will enrich and preserve the appearance. Besides, it will provide protection against contaminants, stains, and moisture. Also, it will make it easier for you to clean and maintain the concrete as it is. 

It is good to use concrete because of its strength and durability, therefore the features make it an important structural material.  

However, the porous nature of concrete allows it to absorb water and soluble salts which can prove to be destructive.   

Further, when steel reinforcement is embedded in the concrete to increase its strength, absorption of salts by concrete, particularly chlorides can lead to corrosion.  

Therefore, it is critical to protect concrete from environmental factors. Applying concrete sealer on the new or on the existing surface is considered the right solution.    
When applied to concrete, sealers essentially behave as water repellents, which eliminate or reduce the penetration of water and soluble contaminants, like chlorides, into the porous concrete layer. Concrete sealers are used in the above-grade applications where concrete is made to get in touch with the moisture. Here are some good examples of areas with sealers; 

• Parking decks  
• Other exterior concrete surfaces where thick film coatings are not needed. Ideal concrete surfaces that are to be sealed might also include block and masonry walls. 

There are a variety of sealers but out of all, silicon-based materials are most frequently used. Other types of sealers include the following:   

• Linseed oil solutions (diluted with solvents). 

• Acrylic, epoxy, and polyurethane materials. 

Normally, concrete sealers function by reacting with the components of the inorganic concrete to fill pores, therefore making it difficult for water to perforate the surface. 

• Even though the concrete sealers will not keep the pressure-driven water from getting into the concrete, any water that is penetrated can evaporate because the sealer is permeable to water vapors.  

You can expect the concrete sealers to last up to several years based on the concrete surface, particular repellent properties and the service environment.   
Concrete sealers are low viscosity materials that can be either water, or solvent based. The sealers are typically applied through low-pressure spray to the concrete floor surface.  

What Does Sealer Do? 

The concrete sealer provides protection by penetrating the pores of the concrete by leaving a little measurable film on the surface. Due to this, a typical problem is light coverage. This can lead to hinderance. The proper application can be a challenge because of thin viscosity. 

The silicon-based compounds are among the most common repellents because they resist oxidation. Also, these compounds offer thermal stability and heat resistance, as compared to the typical organic compounds. Not only this, the sealers also have good resistance to UV rays and water, which makes them an ideal water-repellent material.  

The silicon-based sealers are hydrophobic in nature; therefore, these are able to repel water from the concrete surface causing the water droplets to bead. Silicon-based concrete sealers include siloxanes, silanes, and silicates.  

Silanes and siloxanes function by penetrating the concrete and filling the pores. Silicates function in an altogether different way.  

Siloxanes, silanes, and silicates react with the calcium hydroxide present in the concrete. These help in blocking the pores than filling them.  

Some silicate sealer products are also known as densifiers because they harden the top surface. These products are typically used for polished concrete floors.   

There are other sealer products as well which are based on organic resins like acrylics, epoxies, or polyurethanes. These may penetrate concrete surfaces to a slight degree, but these are likely to form a thin film layer on the surface.  

There are some hybrid sealers as well which are based on silanes or siloxanes which incorporate organic resins like acrylics. 

Selecting Concrete Sealers 

There are different factors on the basis of which you will be selecting the concrete sealer for your floor.  

For instance, the type of finish or surface roughness, whether new or existing, and overall condition, are key factors that will affect coverage rates for a product. Generally, one or two coats are required, which will again depend on the condition of the concrete. 

The durability of different sealers also varies widely–like from as short as one year to several years.  

Preparation of Surface  

The preparation requires cleaning of the surface. Make sure the floor is sound. You do not have to roughen the surface because the sealer absorbs the concrete rather than adhering to the outer surface.  

However, if you want your sealer to function as you have desired, it would be critical to clean the surface. For instance, grease and oil on the surface will prevent the repellent from getting absorbed into the concrete surface.   

If you prepare the existing concrete surface, also include repairing the cracks, spalls, and filling voids with the right concrete repair material. Make sure the repair materials are used with concrete and are appropriate for the service environment. Any efflorescence, if formed, must also be removed.   

Efflorescence is formed when moisture travels through the concrete dissolving soluble salts, and then dissipates by leaving the salt residue on the concrete surface. So, what you have to keep in mind is the removal of surface contamination. The residue can also be removed by washing the surface thoroughly.  

Surface Preparation Methods 

The typical surface preparation methods include the following:  

• Pressurized water cleaning and mechanical abrasion. 

As already stated above, sealers function by absorbing into the concrete without forming any film coat, roughening the surface is also not necessarily required.  

It is also possible to use cleaning solutions that contain detergents recommended for cleaning the concrete surface. It is important that any cleaning material be compatible with the sealer you use. 

Even though mechanical abrasion methods and blast cleaning are not necessary for the sealer application, these can be used to roughen the surface and increase slip-resistance before applying the sealer. These methods can also be used for removing any existing coat.  

What is Mechanical Abrasion Method?  

Mechanical abrasion method includes blast cleaning, which is accomplished if proper care is given. In this method, the goal is to roughen the surface without causing any damage or gouging which might require repairs.  

For this method, lower blast pressures and a great stand-off distance is required along with blast cleaning. This method is an alternative method to the traditional method i.e., blast cleaning. It is wet abrasive blasting that requires two variations such as injection of water into the air stream propelling abrasive which is similar to dry abrasive blasting.  

One can also go for blast cleaning as it is performed by using self-contained centrifugal wheel blast units. Such units are well-suited to large horizontal surface areas like parking decks and concrete floors.  

The successful application of sealers will be the one that prevents water, soluble salts, and other contaminants from absorbing into the concrete floor and will also extend its service life. At the same time, sealers will also provide some protection from destructive environmental conditions.  

If your floor needs concrete sealing services, contact Tuff Build, a concrete floor sealer service provider Melbourne.