There are many different types of concrete sealers available, but when talking about Stamped Concrete Sealing, Exposed Aggregate Sealing or plain/regular concrete Sealing in Southeastern Michigan, the two most commonly used are film forming acrylic sealers and penetrating sealers. Although they both seal concrete, they do so in COMPLETELY different ways.
Acrylic sealers work by forming a protective film atop the concrete. The film protects the concrete in much the same way that a raincoat protects its wearer. The sealer simply covers the concrete surface with a water resistant barrier.
Acrylic sealers come in both water based and solvent based formulations. In both cases, particles of acrylic solids are suspended in a liquid carrier (either water or a solvent such as xylene or acetone). The wet sealer is applied to the slab, the liquid carrier dries or evaporates, and the solid particles are left on the surface to form a film.
Although water based acrylics and solvent based acrylics both coat the surface with an acrylic film, they have their differences. Solvent based acrylics darken the surface and are typically glossier than waterbased acrylics. Customers who desire a darker, shinier finish on their concrete and want marked contrast between the base color and antiquing color should usually go with a solvent based acrylic. Solvent Based Sealers are the most common used sealer in Macomb and Oakland counties used for Stamped Concrete Sealing Or Exposed Aggregate Sealing
Unlike film forming sealers, penetrating sealers are not coatings. They usually contain silane, siloxane, or silicates that do not form a film on the slab’s surface, but instead chemically react with the concrete to coat the pores with a hydrophobic substance. They seal from within by creating an atmosphere that simply won’t allow water to enter. These sealers are used usually used for plain concrete driveways,pool decks or patios and don”t effect the appearance of the concrete.
