There are a few different types of sealers that can be used to seal a concrete porch:
- Invisible Penetrating Sealer – Silane Siloxane sealers are very popular, especially if you don’t want to change the look or color of the concrete. Silane Siloxane selaers penetrate into the concrete and create a water repellent barrier on the surface.
- Acrylic Sealer – Acrylic sealers are coatings that bond to the surface of the concrete. They leave behind a protect film and enhance the appearance with a satin sheen or high gloss finish.
Get That Look
The image to the left is of a stamped concrete porch that has been sealed with a satin sheen acrylic sealer. The concrete was most likely dyed during installation but if you don’t have the ability to dye your concrete, you can acid stain the concrete to get the same look.
Step 1: Clean the concrete. Make sure the concrete if free of dirt and deep stains.
Step 2: Apply the acid stain to the concrete. Once stained, neturalize with an ammonia and water mixture.
Step 3: Three days after applying the acid stain, apply a satin sheen acrylic lacquer coating.
What To Look For
Not all sealers and coatings are created equal. In fact, even minor differences can make for large performance variations.
Silane Siloxane Sealers: When it comes to silane-siloxane blend sealers, the higher the solids the better the performance. Most manufacturs offer a 2-20% solids solution simply because it costs less to manufacture. If it costs less, they can sell it for less. Most professional grade companies will offer a 40% solution. Some will offer even higher but most applications only require a 40%. The ONLY case where you would need more solids is if you were sealing a concrete or tile roof.
When it comes to water or solvent based, solvent based tend to perform better. Water based sit more on the surface and will wear faster than a solvent. Solvent based will provide longer life and better performance.
Acrylic Lacquers: Acrylics vary from manufacturer to manufacturer because each manufacturer has their own blend. The solvents and resins used to make the acrylic are unique to each manufacturer and the solvents and resins used determine performance. You will notice a very clear difference when you apply an acrylic from Home Depot and an acrylic from a PRO manufacturer, such as Foundation Armor. An acrylic from Home Depot will go on much differently and tend to have a short life. An acrylic from a PRO manufacturer will penetrate and bond better, provide a longer life, and offer superior resistance to abrasion, oil and gas. Most contractors will agree – sometimes the added cost is worth it.
When it comes to water or solvent based, solvent based tends to perform better. Not only to solvents perform better but they are easier to maintain. You can recoat a solvent based acrylic with another solvent based acrylic. Water based acrylics however need to be removed – you can’t recoat a water based. If you want a matte packet, color or non slip additive, you can add those to a solvent based acrylic. If you add those to a water based acrylic, you can disrupt their performance abilities.
These are all important factors to consider when choosing the best product for your application.
Manufacturers
- Foundation Armor: Invisible penetrating sealers and satin sheen/high gloss acrylic lacquer coatings.
- SealMaster: Water based acrylic coatings.
- Eagle: Penetrating sealers and acrylic coatings.
