If you are sealing a concrete slab, you are doing so for one of two reasons, or both:
- The slab has moisture issues which is very typical especially if a vapor barrier wasn’t installed, or if one was installed poorly;
- You plan on laying down flooring – usually a carpet, tile, or wood and the manufacturer is suggesting it.
The most cost effective solution for sealing a slab is to use a sodium silicate based sealer. Unlike membrane sealers, silicate sealers are designed to last anywhere from 10-25+ years, depending on the manufacturer. Further, they don’t leave behind a deposit on the surface so if you plan on putting down any type of bonding agent, glue, or primer, you won’t have to worry about adhesion issues.
Silicate sealers are classified however as breathable sealers and are designed to let a calculated amount of vapors through the slab. If you prefer a membrane sealer, like a coating (usually have a life of anywhere from 1-5, sometimes 10 years, consider first applying a silicate then a membrane sealer to the surface. This way, your concrete, and new flooring, is protected.
Sodium Silicate manufacturers:
Foundation Armor (Lifetime Warranty)
Stone Technologies (10 Year Warranty)
ConSeal (No Warranty)
