There are a few different sealers you can use on new concrete depending on when you want to seal it. If you want to seal the concrete immediately after being poured then you need a concrete cure and seal, or a sealer that can be used on new concrete. If you plan on waiting 28 days until the concrete is fully cured then you can use any type of sealer.
Concrete Sealers for Uncured New Concrete
There are two types of sealers that can be used on concrete less than 28 days old. The first type of sealer is a cure and seal, and cure and seals are designed to both cure and seal new concrete. The second type of sealer is a sealer that can be applied to new concrete, but won’t help the concrete cure.
Cure & Seal: The most common type of cure and seal is an acrylic sealer. Cure and seals contain Styrene and the Styrene makes the acrylic more resistant to moisture so that as the concrete cures, the acrylic sealer will be able to maintain its bond. Cure and seals are specifically designed to help concrete cure by controlling moisture loss in the concrete. Acrylic sealers must be ASTM 1315 and ASTM C 309 approved in order to qualify as a cure and seal.
Best Concrete Cure and Seals
- Armor LV25: Solvent based acrylic cure and seal with an average 5 star review.
- Armor WB25: Water based acrylic cure and seal with an average 5 star review.
- Quikrete Cure and Seal: Water based acrylic cure and seal with an average 4.3 star review.
Sealers for New Concrete: There are sealers that can be applied to new concrete that don’t help the concrete cure. For example, the Armor SC25 is a penetrating water repellent sealer that helps reduce deterioration and staining caused by water absorption and freeze-thaw cycles. If you don’t want a coating over the concrete and don’t want to use a cure and seal, but you do want to help protect the concrete during the curing process, this type of sealer is a great option. There isn’t a “category” for this type of sealer however so in order to find sealers that can be applied to uncured concrete, you will need to research the products you are considering.
Concrete Sealers for Cured New Concrete
If your concrete is at least 28 days old then you can use any type of sealer on the concrete. The three most common types of sealers are concrete densifiers, concrete water repellent sealers, and acrylic sealers.
Concrete Densifiers: Concrete densifiers are designed to increase the strength and density of the concrete in order to reduce dusting and deterioration caused by surface abrasion. See Densifier Sealer Reviews.
Water Repellent Sealers: Water repellent sealers are designed to increase the water repellency of concrete in order to reduce damage and deterioration caused by water absorption and freeze-thaw cycles. Water repellent sealers will also help to reduce mold and mildew growth, and efflorescence. See Water Repellent Sealer Reviews.
Acrylic Sealers: Acrylic sealers are designed to enhance and protect concrete with a wet look, low gloss, high gloss, or colored finish. See Acrylic Sealer Reviews.
Photo Credit: Natural Learning
