There are several types of concrete sealers that can be used to seal a concrete driveway. The best concrete driveway sealer for your driveway will depend on what you want the driveway to look like once sealed and why you want to seal your concrete driveway.

The most popular driveway sealers are sodium silicate concrete sealers and water repellent concrete sealers.

• Sodium Silicate Concrete Sealers: Sodium silicate concrete sealers are the best concrete sealer to use on your driveway if you are having issues with concrete dusting or deterioration caused by weak concrete or surface abrasion. Sodium silicate concrete sealers penetrate deep into the surface of the concrete where they chemically react to form a hardened crystal-like barrier within the pores. Once hardened, the barrier will drastically improve the surface strength of the concrete.
• Water Repellent Concrete Sealers: Water repellent concrete sealers are the best concrete sealer to use on your driveway if you are having issues with cracking and spalling from freeze-thaw cycles, deterioration from exposure to road salts, staining from exposure to rain or irrigation water, mold and mildew growth, or efflorescence. They chemically react to form a hydrophobic barrier within the pores that caused water and other liquids to bead off the surface. Water repellent sealers will reduce surface water absorption by up to 95%, making it easier to keep concrete clean.

For more information on the differences between the two types of sealers, view Compare Concrete Sealers.

Silicate Concrete Driveway Sealers

Sodium and lithium silicate concrete sealers are two very popular types of concrete densifiers. Sodium silicate concrete densifiers are often used on exterior applications because they have a larger molecule and are slower to react. When applied to old or porous concrete, they are able to fully react and form a calcium silicate hydrate structure within the pores. Lithium silicate sealers are faster acting and have a smaller molecule size. They are primarily used for dense or smooth trowel concrete, like a garage floor. There is no harm to using either type of concrete sealer on an exterior application.

Silicate sealers are sold in two forms: pre-diluted or concentrated. Concentrated silicate sealers require you to add water before applying, and pre-diluted sealers come ready to apply. There are several benefits to choosing a concentrated silicate over a pre-diluted one:

• Concentrated silicate sealers are more cost effective because you aren’t paying for water and you aren’t paying to ship water.
• Concentrated silicate sealers allow you to change the dilution ratio. For example, the Armor S2000 suggests a 3:1 dilution ration for most concrete applications. If your concrete driveway is very old, or showing signs of deterioration, you can apply the silicate at 4:1 dilution ratio to allow for better penetration and absorption in the concrete. If your concrete is wet or having issues with water, you can apply the silicate at a 2:1 or 3:1 dilution ratio so that the water in teh concrete doens’t over dilute the silicate.

Silicate concrete sealers are very easy to apply when it comes to applying them to a concrete driveway.

1. Make sure the concrete is clean and completely dry. If a pressure washer was used to clean the concrete, or if water was used to clean it, make sure the concrete has been given at least 24 hours to dry.
2. Apply 2 coats of the concrete sealer in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Most concrete sealers can be applied with a nap roller or pump sprayer.
3. Let dry for 24 hours. While the surface of the concrete may look dry, driveways need to be kept dry so that sealer can fully react below the pores.

Top Rated Silicate Concrete Driveway Sealers:

• Armor S2000 Concrete Sealer Review (concentrated)
• Stone Technolgies X-1 Concrete Sealer Review (pre-diluted)
• Ashford Formula Concrete Sealer Review (pre-diluted)

Water Repellent Concrete Driveway Sealers

Under the category of water repellent sealers there are Silane Siloxane sealers (like the Armor SX5000 featured below) and Siliconate sealers. Silane-Siloxane sealers are more commonly used in industrial applications while Siliconate sealers are used in residential. They both offer many of the same benefits and differ only in their applications. Silane-Siloxane water repellent sealers can be applied to virtually all types of concrete and masonry included poured and broom finished concrete, brick, slate, flagstone, unsealed tile, pavers, and aggregate. Siliconate sealers an only be applied to light or white poured concrete because when they are applied to dark concrete or masonry they can leave behind a white residue.

Water repellent concrete sealers are very easy to apply when it comes to applying them to a concrete driveway.

1. Make sure the concrete is clean and completely dry. If a pressure washer was used to clean the concrete, or if water was used to clean it, make sure the concrete has been given at least 24 hours to dry.
2. Apply 2 coats of the concrete sealer in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Most concrete sealers can be applied with a nap roller or pump sprayer.
3. Let dry for 24 hours. While the surface of the concrete may look dry, driveways need to be kept dry so that sealer can fully react below the pores.

Top Rated Water Repellent Driveway Sealers:

• Armor SX5000 (featured below): High solids, DOT approved water repellent Silane-Siloxane sealer.
• Eagle Concrete Sealer: Low solids Silane-Siloxane water repellent sealer.
• SC25: High solids siliconate water repellent sealer.

Acrylic Concrete Driveway Sealers

Sodium silicate concrete sealers and water repellent sealers are designed to work entirely below the surface and don’t change the look or color of the concrete. If you want a wet look, low gloss, or high gloss concrete sealer, or if you want a colored concrete sealer, then you want an acrylic concrete sealer.

Acrylic concrete sealers are available in both water based and solvent based formulas. Water based acrylic sealers won’t darken the surface, but they will provide a low to high gloss finish. Solvent based acrylic concrete sealers will darken the surface to make it look wet, and provide a low to high gloss finish. Solvent based acrylics can also be applied in clear or color options, while water based acrylic sealers can only be applied in clear. While both types of acrylic sealers are great to use on concrete driveways, solvent based acrylic concrete sealers are easier to apply, repair, and maintain.

Acrylic concrete sealers are very easy to apply when it comes to applying them to a concrete driveway.

1. Make sure the concrete is clean and completely dry. If a pressure washer was used to clean the concrete, or if water was used to clean it, make sure the concrete has been given at least 24 hours to dry.
2. Apply 2 coats of the concrete sealer in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Most concrete sealers can be applied with a nap roller or pump sprayer.
3. Let dry for 24 hours. Acrylic sealers are sensitive to water and moisture and require a dry environment to bond.

Top Rated Acrylic Concrete Driveway Sealers:

• Eagle High Gloss Sealer (average 4.6 star review)
• Armor AR350 Wet Look Sealer (average 4.8 star review)
• Rust-Oleum Wet Look Sealer (average 4.2 star review)

Concrete Driveway Sealer Comparison

Still not sure which driveway sealer is best for your driveway? Use the comparison chart below to compare the top three types of concrete driveway sealers.

How to Clean a Concrete Driveway

It is imperative that you properly clean a driveway before sealing it. You want to make sure the surface is clean and free of anything that could prevent proper penetration such as oil stains, dirt, or grease. Sealers will help to maintain the look of the concrete and reduce staining, so you want the concrete driveway to look good before you seal it!

The best way to clean a concrete driveway is to pressure wash it. View the video below to learn how to correctly pressure wash a concrete driveway.