Sealing your concrete floor is essential in maintaining its durability and appearance. Over time, concrete surfaces can develop cracks, chips, and discolouration due to exposure to the elements, chemicals, and regular wear.
Sealing protects against these issues, prolonging the floor’s life and maintaining its aesthetics. Below, we’ll discuss the importance of sealing, the methods available, and why hiring a professional might be the best option.
Let’s get straight to the point.
Sealing your concrete floor is essential for protecting it from moisture, chemicals, and physical damage while enhancing its durability and appearance. Sealing prevents water infiltration, chemical spills, and freeze-thaw damage, making the floor more resistant to cracking, scratches, and discolouration.
It also simplifies maintenance by preventing stains and reducing dust. The process involves preparing the area, cleaning the surface, fixing cracks, choosing the right sealer, applying it properly, and allowing it to dry fully.
Benefits Of Sealing Your Concrete Floor
1. Protection From Moisture And Chemicals
Concrete is naturally porous and can easily absorb water and other substances. Over time, this can lead to serious structural and aesthetic damage.
Sealing the concrete creates a protective barrier that shields it from various elements, significantly reducing the risk of damage.
Benefits Of Protection From Moisture
- Prevents water infiltration: Sealing prevents water from soaking into the concrete, especially in areas with heavy rainfall or where the ground is often damp.
- Avoids freeze-thaw damage: In colder climates, trapped moisture within the concrete can freeze and expand, causing cracks. Sealing helps block moisture, preventing this cycle from damaging your floor.
- Guards against efflorescence: Efflorescence, a white powdery residue on concrete surfaces, occurs when moisture moves through the concrete, carrying salts. Sealing stops this movement.
Benefits Of Protection From Chemicals
- Resists oil and chemical spills: Unsealed concrete can absorb motor oil, grease, or other household chemicals, leading to permanent stains and degradation. Sealing repels these substances, making clean-up easy.
- Prevents salt damage: Salt is often used for de-icing in colder regions but can corrode concrete. A sealed surface resists salt’s harmful effects.
2. Improved Durability
Sealed concrete floors are significantly more durable than unsealed surfaces. The protective sealer forms a shield over the surface, preventing various forms of physical damage and wear.
Key Durability Enhancements
- Scratch and abrasion resistance: High-traffic areas like garages, basements, or commercial spaces experience constant wear and tear. A sealer helps prevent surface abrasions from foot traffic, machinery, or furniture movement.
- Resistant to cracking: Sealers reduce the likelihood of cracks forming from freeze-thaw cycles, shifting, or pressure changes by blocking moisture and adding a protective layer.
- Prevents spalling and flaking: Unsealed concrete can start to flake or spall over time, particularly in extreme temperature fluctuations. Sealing provides a buffer against these issues.
3. Aesthetic Enhancement
In addition to protecting your concrete floor, sealing it enhances its visual appeal. Whether you have a plain or decorative concrete floor, sealing can elevate its appearance by bringing out its natural colour and texture.
Aesthetic Benefits Of Sealing
- Enhances colour and texture: Sealers often give concrete a wet, glossy look, highlighting the floor’s colour and texture. This is particularly effective on stained or coloured concrete, as the sealer deepens the hues.
- Prevents discolouration: Over time, concrete can become discoloured due to UV rays, water damage, and chemical exposure. A quality sealer protects against these elements, preserving the original appearance.
- Adds a polished finish: Many sealers give concrete a smooth, polished look, making it look clean, professional, and visually appealing.
4. Easier Maintenance
One of the biggest advantages of sealing concrete is that it becomes much easier to clean and maintain.
The protective layer created by the sealer reduces the amount of dirt, dust, and grime that can penetrate the concrete surface.
Maintenance Advantage
- Simplifies cleaning: Sealed floors are much easier to clean. Dirt, dust, and spills stay on the surface, making them easier to sweep, mop, or wipe.
- Prevents stain absorption: Spills on unsealed concrete can lead to permanent staining. Liquids remain on top with a sealed surface, giving you time to clean up before any damage occurs.
- Reduces dusting: Unsealed concrete can produce a lot of dust, accumulating on the surface and contributing to poor air quality. A sealer reduces the formation of this dust, keeping your space cleaner.
Methods For Sealing Concrete
1. Preparing The Area
Before sealing, it’s important to clear the area of any objects, furniture, or vehicles. This ensures you have enough space to work without interruptions.
For best results, the area should be left free of obstructions for up to a week, depending on drying times.
- Remove everything: Ensure the area is completely clear, including outdoor planters, tools, and any personal belongings.
- Check for weather conditions (for outdoor concrete): Sealing concrete is best done when the weather is dry and the temperature is between 50°F and 90°F. Rain or extreme heat can impact the sealing process.
- Use protective coverings: If sealing an indoor area, cover any nearby walls or surfaces with painter’s tape or drop cloths to protect them from splatters.
- Ensure ventilation: If working indoors, ensure adequate ventilation, especially when using solvent-based sealers that emit strong fumes.
2. Cleaning The Surface
The concrete must be thoroughly cleaned before the sealer is applied. Sweep the area to remove large debris, then clean stains with mineral spirits or a concrete cleaner.
Grease, oil, and dirt must also be removed to ensure the sealer adheres properly. After cleaning, allow the floor to dry completely.
- Sweeping and vacuuming: Sweep the surface to remove dust, dirt, and larger debris. A shop vac may be helpful to remove finer particles.
- Scrub stains: Use a stiff-bristle brush and an appropriate cleaner to scrub away stubborn stains. Focus on oil, grease, or any chemical spills that may prevent the sealer from bonding to the concrete.
- Rinse thoroughly: After applying the cleaner, rinse the surface with a hose (for outdoor areas) or mop (for indoor areas) to ensure no cleaner residue remains.
- Wait for drying: The concrete must be completely dry before applying any sealer. Depending on the humidity and weather conditions, this may take 24 to 48 hours.
3. Fixing Cracks
If the floor has cracks or chips, they must be repaired before sealing.
Use a suitable filler, like caulk, to fill the cracks, smoothing them out with a trowel. Allow the filler to dry before proceeding.
- Inspect the surface: Walk around the entire area, carefully inspecting for cracks, divots, or chips.
- Choose the right filler: Depending on the depth and size of the crack, you may need caulk, epoxy filler, or a cement patch. Caulk works for minor cracks, while epoxy fillers are better for larger gaps.
- Apply in layers (for deep cracks): If the crack is deep, apply the filler in layers, allowing each layer to dry before adding the next one.
- Smooth the surface: After applying the filler, smooth it out with a trowel or putty knife. This will ensure an even surface for the sealer.
- Wait for drying: Make sure the filler is completely dry and set. Depending on the type of filler used, this may take several hours or even a day.
4. Choosing A Sealer
There are several types of sealers available, each with its advantages:
- Acrylic Sealers: inexpensive and available in both water-based and solvent-based formulas. Water-based acrylics are easier to apply but may alter the concrete’s colour. Solvent-based options provide a deeper shine but may require two coats for full protection.
- Epoxy Sealers are known for their durability and resistance to grease and oil stains. Due to its short working time, epoxy is a two-part system that requires quick application. It’s ideal for high-traffic areas and garages.
- Polyurethane Sealers Provide a thick, durable, and waterproof coating. They come in matte, semi-gloss, and glossy finishes and are ideal for indoor and outdoor use.
5. Application Process
Start by carefully applying the sealer around the edges of the area with a paintbrush.
Pour the sealer into a tray and apply it with a paint roller or pad for larger areas. Apply thin, even coats to avoid streaks or missed spots.
- Edge carefully first: Use a small paintbrush to apply the sealer along the edges, corners, and any hard-to-reach spots.
- Roll on in sections: Use a roller for large, flat areas, and work in small sections to ensure even coverage. Begin in one corner and work your way outwards.
- Use a thin layer: Applying too much sealer in one coat can cause bubbling, streaks, or an uneven finish. It’s better to apply multiple thin coats.
- Keep a wet edge: Overlap each stroke slightly to maintain a “wet edge” and avoid lap marks or streaks.
- Use a sprayer for large areas: If sealing a large outdoor area, a sprayer can provide more even coverage and save time. Ensure you maintain a consistent distance from the surface.
Conclusion
Sealing your concrete floor is vital in protecting and enhancing its longevity, durability, and appearance. Sealed concrete surfaces remain resilient in high-traffic areas and harsh environmental conditions by creating a protective barrier against moisture, chemicals, and physical wear.
This helps prevent cracks, discolouration, and damage and simplifies maintenance, ensuring that your floors stay cleaner and more visually appealing for longer. Sealing indoor or outdoor concrete involves careful preparation, choosing the right sealer, and applying it correctly.
While DIY sealing is an option, hiring a professional can ensure that your concrete floor is sealed efficiently and effectively, providing long-lasting protection and a beautiful finish.
FAQs About Concrete Floor
What Happens If You Don’t Seal Concrete Floors?
What happens if I don’t seal my concrete? Concrete is a porous material that readily absorbs liquids. In freeze-thaw climates, the expansion of frozen liquids can destroy the surface of unsealed concrete. In addition, oil, salt, fertiliser, and other household chemicals can discolour and damage unsealed concrete.
What Is The Purpose Of Sealing Concrete?
Concrete sealers protect concrete from surface damage, corrosion, and staining. They either block the pores in the concrete to reduce the absorption of water and salts or form an impermeable layer that prevents such materials from passing.
Is Sealing Concrete Good?
A protective coat of concrete sealer can halt moisture and chemical damage while highlighting the beauty of decorative concrete surfaces. Concrete sealers provide a vital protection from unsightly staining and scuffing on concrete surfaces like countertops and patio pavers.
Can Sealed Concrete Get Wet?
Concrete sealed with an epoxy coating should not be walked on (except a recoat), driven on, or wet for at least 36-48 hours.
How Long Does Sealer Last On Concrete?
Reactive penetrating sealers are the longest-lasting concrete sealers, wearing away only if the substrate surface wears away. These can sometimes last up to 25 years, but we recommend resealing concrete driveways every 5-10 years.
