As the times are evolving, there is an evolution that can be seen in the kinds of flooring. A need is being felt to protect the floor or surface and it aggravates if it is about concrete flooring. Though it has been in existence for a very long time for driveways, concrete flooring has started gaining popularity in regular households too.
There is a very old debate on the topic where the two propositions argue if it is important to apply a sealer to concrete driveways or not. It is not possible to reach its conclusion without knowing what the concrete driveway sealers are and why they play a crucial role.
Concrete driveway sealer is nothing but a protective layer on the surface of the concrete. They help protect the concrete driveways from damage, corrosion, and staining by blocking the pores in the concrete to bring down the water and salt absorption level.
Multiple researchers have confirmed that the most concrete damage to a driveway comes from the moisture. Hence, these concrete driveway sealers protect the surface from the same damage. There is certainly no doubt why they are important. It is similar to giving a protection cover to your asset or investment just like you do with your precious other things.
Now choosing the best concrete driveway sealers could be a challenge for some, but here we are, doing the compilation of the best concrete driveways for your convenience. Here goes the list:
When we talk about the concrete sealers, this name tops the rest, certainly. It is designed in a way that it penetrates up to 4 inches into masonry, concrete, plaster, stucco, and pavers. Its process of protecting the surface starts from penetrating into the substrate from the surface, migrating downwards through the voids in the substrate and waterproofs it.
Once it is soaked into the substrate’s matrix, it binds the component parts into a denser solid. As it densifies the concrete matrix, it gains resistance to water, acid, saltwater, oil & grease, basically to all the concrete damaging elements.
There is a reason why this particular sealer ranks first in the list of concrete driveway sealers. It has a multiplicity of benefits attached to it such as:
- It's inorganic, non-toxic, odorless and non-flammable. Basically, it is a green, eco-friendly product, unlike many others.
- It does not wear off or breakdown since it is not a surface coating or membrane.
- The application does not call for any special equipment.
- Absolutely safe for use inside and outside.
- It can last 15 years plus!
- USA PS101 Siliconate Sealer
Pro: This sealer is considered helpful when applying a concrete sealer on the smooth troweled concrete surfaces. It is considered a good choice as it is amply penetrative in both, hard troweled floor such as garage floor, warehouse floor, etc, as well as dense surfaces such as brick and stone in residential and commercial constructions.
It works by going deep inside the pored and capillaries of a concrete surface and creates an internal protective membrane with some chemical reactions. However, it has a flip side as well.
Con: Owing to its chemical reactive properties, the sealer becomes limited for usage on broom finished concrete and concrete block and is not deemed fit to be used on any other surface types. Moreover, it may also demand good long-term care, attention, and maintenance.
- EnduraSeal 7747509 Concrete Sealer
Pro: It is a high-performance, semi-gloss solvent sealer which is certain to give a shiny wet look to your floor. It is made up of pure acrylic which means it will not go yellow with time and will remain highly durable without any additional costing.
Con: However, its enthusiasm comes with a problem. Some customers, who have shown enthusiasm to buy it have often complained of the issue of discoloration as and when the concrete surface is exposed to direct sunlight for a longer period of time.
While other sealers face yellowing, this sealer reports milky white discoloration issues. Thus, every time before a customer uses this sealer, he/she is advised to test it in a smaller area first.
- ToughCrete Concrete Sealer
Pro: This sealer is considered perfect for the outdoor usages while it is known as an excellent garage floor sealer too. It is a siloxane product and protects well against deterioration, salt or alkaline damage and water damage. To its new customers, it is often advised that before using this sealer on any patterned or colored surface, they should take off the existing protective coat to let the sealer perform for better penetration.
Con: The product comes with the satisfaction warranty of ten years but nothing is perfect in the universe and is true with ToughCrete. It is likely to leave a user to have leaf stains. Its exact reason is unknown though, it could be pertaining to the application of the product or the weather intensity of the place.
- Ghostshield Lithi-Tek LS 9500 Concrete Sealer
Pro: This sealer comes with qualities like water-resistance, abrasion resistance, along with lower suffering from ASR, hydrostatic pressure, moisture intrusion, and water vapor transmission.
Con: The sealer clears the coat and penetrates deep well. However, having said this, it has a negative side too which ranges from efflorescence to stains. It is also said that this product’s usage on a polished floor is likely to result in the sealer failing and water damage.
Hence, it is proven that nothing comes without a cost. If it is giving you an advantage, it is also certain to give you reasons to lament over your choice. But if you ask us, the probability of you lamenting on the StableCrete Concrete Penetrative Sealer is less likely if compared with another sealer. But what takes StableCrete at the top is the fact that it is eco-friendly unlike many others discussed here. Hence, if you are looking for a concrete driveway sealer, StableCrete must be your first choice.
