Breathable Concrete Sealers

admin August 20, 2014 Concrete Sealers
Best Breathable Sealers

Breathable sealers are sealers that allow for moisture vapors to pass through the concrete or masonry. They do not block the pores of the concrete and they are not designed to stop moisture. Breathable sealers are great to use on:

  • Exterior concrete
  • Stamped concrete
  • Bricks and pavers
  • Flagstone
  • Slate
  • Granite
  • Natural stone
  • Exposed aggregate concrete
  • Stucco

The only time a non-breathable sealer should be used is on an interior poured concrete floor requiring a reduction in moisture for livability, or before installing flooring such as wood or laminate. If a non-breathable sealers is applied to a surface requiring breathability, it can result in deterioration of the concrete and delamination (failure) of the sealer.

Types of Breathable Concrete Sealers

The three main types of breathable concrete sealers are silicate concrete sealers, silane siloxane concrete sealers, and acrylic sealers.

  • Silicate Concrete Sealers: Silicate concrete sealers are designed to increase the strength and density of the concrete. They are commonly used to reduce dusting and deterioration caused by surface abrasion to weak concrete.
  • Silane-Siloxane Concrete Sealers: Silane-Siloxane concrete sealers are designed to reduce surface water absorption. They are commonly used to reduce deterioration caused by freeze-thaw cycles, snow and ice, irrigation water, and pool water. They are also used to help keep concrete cleaner, and free of mold, mildew, and efflorescence.
  • Acrylic Concrete Sealers: Acrylic sealers are designed to enhance the surface of the concrete and protect it against deterioration caused by surface abrasion, spills, and water absorption. They are commonly used to enhance concrete with a wet look, low gloss, or high gloss finish, and the protective film left by the acrylic offers complete surface protection.

All silicate concrete sealers and silane siloxane concrete sealers are breathable, regardless of their percent solids. Acrylic sealers are a little different. The lower the solids, the more breathable the acrylic sealer. 15% solids are the most breathable, 25% solids the second best, and when you start to get into 30% however, breathability is reduced. 30% solids acrylic sealers are still breathable, but when applied to exterior applications can result in delamination because they don’t allow enough moisture to pass through. 25% solids acrylic sealers are the most popular type of acrylic concrete sealer.

Best Breathable Concrete Sealers

Which type of breathable concrete sealer is best for your concrete application will depend on what you want the concrete to look like once sealed and why you want to seal your concrete.

If you want to enhance your concrete with a wet look, low gloss, or high gloss finish, then you want to use an acrylic concrete sealers. Acrylic concrete sealers will change the look of the concrete and leave behind a visible surface film. Acrylic sealers can be applied in clear or color options.

If you want your concrete to look exactly as it does now, unsealed, then you want a silicate concrete sealer or a silane siloxane concrete sealer. There are a few differences between these two types of breathable concrete sealers:

Silicate Concrete Sealers Silane Siloxane Concrete Sealers
Won’t change the look of the concrete Won’t change the look of the concrete
Works entirely below the surface Works entirely below the surface
Lasts forever Lasts 7-10 years
Increase strength of concrete Repels surface water
Reduces dusting and spalling Reduces staining and deterioration

If you need in increase in strength and water repellency then you want to use both a silicate concrete sealer and a silane siloxane sealer. If you use both, you will apply a silicate sealer first and allow it to chemically react below the surface for at least a week. Once it has been given time to react, you can then apply a water repellent sealer to the surface.

How To Buy a Silicate Sealer

For the most part, silicate sealers are the same from one manufacturer to the next. Silicates create a chemical reaction in the concrete, but once that chemical reaction has taken place, there is no longer any sealer left. All that is left is the hardened crystalline barrier formed from the chemical reaction.

The main difference from one silicate to the next is the form and type. Silicates come in two forms, concentrated or pre-diluted. Pre-diluted is already diluted with water and concentrated allows you to add water before application. The benefit to a concentrated form is that you can adjust the dilution ratio to account for overly dry or wet concrete. Concentrated silicates are also more cost effective because you are paying for material, not 75% water.

The two most popular types of silicate sealers are sodium silicate sealers and lithium silicate sealers. Sodium silicate sealers have a larger molecule and are commonly used on porous concrete, or concrete with water or moisture issues. Lithium silicate sealers are fast acting and have a small molecule, and are commonly used on dense or trowel finished concrete.

How to Buy a Silane Siloxane Sealer

Silane siloxane concrete sealers are available in both water and solvent based solutions. Both types will provide great protection above and below the surface. The main difference that separates one sealer apart from the next is the perfect of active materials in the formula (solids content). Low solids solutions, typically found in store, contain roughly 8-10% solids. Low solids solutions provide immediate gratification, but they tend to wear down after only six months to a year. High solids solutions, typically found online only, contain 20-40% solids. The higher solids solutions will perform better and last longer than a low solids solution.

How to Buy an Acrylic Sealer

There are three types of acrylic sealers. Acrylic lacquer sealers, acrylic co-polymer sealers, and acrylic latex sealers. Acrylic latex sealers are paint and should never be used. Most articles written about acrylic latex sealers are how to remove them. Acrylic lacquer sealers are the most popular type of acrylic sealer for fully cured concrete, and acrylic co-polymers are the most popular type of acrylic sealer for un-cured concrete.

There are some differences between the two main types of acrylic sealers, but most of the differences are between the base (water or solvent) and origin (US manufactured or imported).

For more about acrylic sealers, read Acrylic Sealer Reviews.

Breathable Concrete Sealer Reviews

Click on the article links below to learn more about the best concrete sealers:

Best Breathable Sodium Silicate Concrete Sealers

Best Breathable Lithium Silicate Concrete Sealers

Best Breathable Silane Siloxane Concrete Sealers

Best Acrylic Concrete Sealers

 
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