One of the most popular types of sealers for sealing concrete and pavers is an acrylic sealer. Acrylic sealers will not only enhance the look of the concrete, but they will also provide a long lasting, protective surface film. Choosing the right acrylic concrete sealer can revive and preserve the look of concrete, but choosing the wrong acrylic sealer can result in quite the headache. We are here to go over how to choose the based acrylic sealers.
Comparison of Water and Solvent Based Acrylics
Acrylic sealers are available in water based and solvent based solutions. One isn’t necessarily better than the other, but there are a few differences between them:
| Water Based Acrylic Sealers | Solvent Based Acrylic Sealers |
| Won’t darken the concrete | Will darken the concrete |
| Repaired by screen sanding | Repaired with Xylene |
| Requires screen sanding before recoat | No prep required for recoat |
| Can’t add a non slip additive | Can add a non slip additive |
| No VOC | Low VOC |
The main differences between water based and solvent based acrylic sealers are the darkening of the concrete, and the repair and maintenance. If you like what your concrete or pavers look like when wet, then you want a solvent based acrylic sealer because the resins in the solvent based acrylic sealers will darken the surface to bring out any dull and faded coloring. Repair and maintenance is important because you need to recoat your acrylic sealer every 1-4 years. If you don’t want to deal with removing a sealer, and don’t want to screen sand the surface, then a solvent based acrylic sealer will be a better choice.
Comparison of the Types of Acrylic Concrete Sealers
There are three types of acrylic concrete sealers: acrylic lacquer sealers, acrylic co-polymer sealers, and acrylic latex sealers.
- Acrylic Lacquer Sealers: Acrylic lacquer sealers are pure acrylic sealers. They penetrate into the surface and aggressively bond to the surface. They are an all around great acrylic sealer for fully cured concrete and paver surfaces.
- Acrylic Co-Polymer Sealers: Acrylic co-polymer sealers are acrylic sealers that contain styrene. They help to control moisture loss in the concrete during the curing process which is why they are commonly used on new and uncured concrete surfaces. Acrylic co-polymers, although great for uncured concrete, can also be used on fully cured concrete and paver surfaces as well.
- Acrylic Latex Sealers: Do not use an acrylic latex sealers. Acrylic latex sealers contain latex which a non-breathable sealer. They are more of a paint than an acrylic. They chip, peel, delaminate, and are all around a terrible sealer.
Acrylic Concrete Sealer Reviews
There are a few things to consider when reviewing an acrylic concrete sealer.
- Reviews: Reviews are a great place to start because they demonstrate customer experience with a product. They shouldn’t be the only thing to consider though because less than 3% of customers that have a good experience with a product actually post a review.
- Company: You should always look into the company. Are they easy to get in touch with? Are they helpful? Do they know their stuff or are they simply trying to use big words to impress you? Do they promise false warranties to justify their pricing? Are they genuinely concerned about your application, or just trying to sell you a product? You use a product once, but it’s the company you develop a relationship with.
- Quality of Product: Do they use US manufactured non-recycled resins, or imported recycled resins? When you think of recycling, you usually think “good”, but when it comes to recycled resins, it means the exact opposite. Recycled resins contain chemicals used during the recycling process. They also contain additives that are used to offset the chemicals. Acrylic sealers made from imported or recycled resins often break down faster and have issues with performance.
- Warranties: Don’t fall into the warranty trap and pay more for a product guaranteed to last longer than a product actual can. Acrylic sealers will last anywhere from 6 months to 5 years depending on the acrylic sealer you use and the location of the concrete. Acrylic sealers will last longer when applied to interior concrete than exterior. Most exterior acrylic sealers need to be re-coated every 1-3 years, and most interior acrylic sealers need to be re-coated every 2-6 years. If you find an acrylic sealer with warranty longer than 1 year, you should be concerned. Read the fine print to make sure you will actually quality when the sealer naturally breaks down.
Still aren’t sure? Purchase a sample size container and try the product to a small area. This will show you what the product will look like on the surface, and give you a feel for application. Most good companies always offer samples, whether it be paid or free.
Water Based Acrylic Concrete:
- Seal-Krete Clear Seal Acrylic Sealer (average 4 star review)
- Armor WB25 Acrylic Sealer (average 4.9 star review)
Solvent Based Acrylic Concrete Sealers:
- Eagle High Gloss Sealer (average 4.6 star review)
- Armor AR350 Wet Look Sealer (average 4.8 star review)
- Armor AR500 High Gloss Sealer (average 4.9 star review)
- Enduraseal SB Acrylic Sealer (average 4.5 star review)
I used an Eagle sealer a few years back and it worked great but I started to notice areas where the coating was worn down to nothing. I wanted something that would last a little longer but I didn't want to remove the coating. I called up Foundation Armour and they had me apply a blush repair product then the ar350. I am really happy with how easy it was and even more happy I didn't have to remove what was already on there. I will keep you posted and let you know how it worked. I wanted to give a review because Mike was really helpful. He looked over all the images I send and helped me with determining the best product. He went above and beyond and offered the best customer service of any online company.