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Why It Is Important To Seal Concrete & Masonry Surfaces
Jul
Why It Is Important To Seal Concrete & Masonry Surfaces
In locations where freezing and thawing are common, concrete may absorb liquids, leading to damage if they expand later on. Concrete is a porous building material, so sealing it can improve its longevity; furthermore, sealants may improve its colour.
Sealers are typically used in above-grade applications where concrete is frequently exposed to moisture and traffic such as car parks, industrial floors and other exterior concrete surfaces.
The benefits of sealing concrete and masonry floors and walls
- Sealing concrete stops mould
- Extends the life of the surface
- Protects the surface for a longer period than if not sealed
Cracked or damaged concrete is ugly, this can completely ruin your property’s kerb appeal.
Interesting read on the history of concrete: https://www.cemex.co.uk/history-of-cement-and-history-of-concrete
What happens when concrete is left unsealed?
Delamination problems
Thin layers of concrete can become detached from the surface, splitting or blistering, creating a surface that is more susceptible to rough elements in the environment. To determine the location that requires a repair, you can test this with a hammer, strike the concrete surface with a hammer and if you hear a different sound than usual (when hitting bare metal on concrete) then your concrete has this issue.
Repairing should always be done before putting sealer down.
Disintegration caused by weather
The winter seasons can be unfavourable to residential and commercial properties if you don’t adequately prepare the surface. During winter and snowfall, we tend to use salt as a de-icer or to melt the snow, in addition to lowering the freezing point of ice, it will cause damage to your concrete as it lowers the freezing point of the water, which in turn draws moisture.
Moisture is harmful to concrete, and excessive moisture will cause the freeze-thaw cycle to increase.
What is a freeze-thaw cycle?
If your concrete is left unsealed and goes through each winter cycle, your concrete absorbs water/snow which in turn creates a slight expansion, once the weather becomes warmer, it starts to thaw out and then contract. If you imagine each day/week/year where the above is repeated, this means there is a guaranteed level of expansion and contraction. This results in cracking, splitting, disintegration and visible surface problems.
Unable to lay flooring
The negatives mentioned above are part of this reason, if you’re laying any type of floor over unsealed concrete this will cause you expensive problems as time goes on. The moisture and cracks in the concrete, let alone the expansion will damage the floor by seeing mould, cracks and also a cold floor.
What are the benefits of a sealed concrete floor or masonry walls?
Concrete sealing provides plenty of benefits. Weather, water, grease, oil, and abrasions are all inhibited by a high-quality concrete sealer. Furthermore, it reveals the natural beauty of concrete and makes cleaning simple.
Concrete can be protected from damage, corrosion, and staining by applying a sealer. An impermeable coating is created to prevent substances from escaping. A high-quality sealer can block up to 99% of moisture. The primary benefit of concrete sealing is to give a longer life of the material and maintain its good looks.
- Concrete structures can remain standing for long periods if the concrete is properly protected.
- The overall appearance of the surface is improved.
- Increases the value of your home
- Easy to apply yourself
- Mould and moisture resistant
- Adds a layer of protection against stains and spills
- Beneficial for high traffic areas
- Dustproof the surface
- Dramatically reduces cracks and blistering
Over the years we have seen some poor quality sealers from well-known brands, so on the tail of what was heard – we manufactured our own Pliocem® Clear Concrete Sealer, this product is a solvent-borne, high-performance sealer which can also be used as a top/finish coat and comes in a 2.5l, 5l or 25l tin.
If you decide to use this sealer as a base coat then we highly recommend the following products as the final coat giving more protection to the surface and allowing you to choose your colour.
- https://www.palatinepaints.co.uk/product/pliolite-masonry-paint/
- https://www.palatinepaints.co.uk/product/trutex-masonry-paint/
- https://www.palatinepaints.co.uk/product/carbotread-polyurethane-floor-paint/
Tools and products needed for a good concrete seal:
- Pliocem® Clear Concrete Sealer
- 9” Paint Tray
- ProDec Extension Pole (easier to apply the paint across big areas)
- Titan Roller Cage Frame
- ProDec 9” Industrial Roller
- Paint Mixer – fits almost every power drill
- ProDec Painters Bib & Brace – stay clean
- Latex Gloves
How to use the Palatine Pilocem Concrete Sealer?
As with everything, correct preparation here is the key to a successful concrete sealer coating.
- Clean the floor or walls to remove any contaminants, oil, grease and dust
- Check for any damaged areas and ensure a good repair is carried out
- If you have an existing sealer on the surface, strip this off completely to have the full benefit of a new coat
- Once happy that the area is clean and free of damages you can start applying the first coat.
- Open the tin and use a paint mixer drill bit with your cordless drill to mix up the sealant for a few minutes, pour this into your 9” tray and connect the roller to the extension pole
- Now apply the first coat of the sealer and wait for 24 hours before applying the second coat
- Then apply the second coat in the opposite direction to the first
- Wait another 24 hours for full curing time.
Conclusion
We hope that by reading this blog, you have understood the benefits of using our Pilocem Concrete & Masonry sealer with the downsides of not sealing at all. Our brief guide will help you on your way but if you have any technical questions, please feel free to contact one of our friendly members of staff who are more than happy to help.
You can contact us via the following:
Email: [email protected]
Call Us: 01942 884 122
Contact form: https://www.palatinepaints.co.uk/contact-us
Live Chat Service (the small blue icon at the bottom left of your screen)
BUY YOUR CONCRETE SEALER TODAY
Exterior Masonry Paint
A solvent-borne high performance Pliolite® based clear resinous sealer, made to seal cured or mature concrete and masonry.
- Can be used as a top or finish coat
- Dustproofs and seals concrete and masonry
- Excellent surface bonding
- Touch dry in 4 hours