Important Elements To Know About Sealing Concrete Driveways & Patios
Wish to extend the life of your concrete driveways and patios? Well, in that case, apply the high-quality sealer and keep it looking good and brand new. A sealer is mandatory for protecting driveways and patios from the damage caused by stains from dirt, thaw cycles, oil, and other contaminants.
Concrete driveways, sidewalks, and patios are usually exposed to water, and freezing weather, snow, and ice speeds up the damage to a great extent and turns your fabulous patio into an awful one. Therefore, it is suggested to apply the sealer to make your concrete slabs look good and last longer.
Scroll down to get more information about sealing the driveways and patios to perform this procedure accurately.
A Look at Different Types of Sealers Available
Before you commence the sealing process, note the fact that there are different types of sealers available in the market, and depending on the requirements, you’ll have to choose the right option. Let’s find out them here.
- Acrylic Resin-Based Sealer
This type of sealer lays down a film of acrylic resin and can be easily blended with silicone, epoxy, and polyurethane to enhance the durability of your driveway. It is further divided into two parts – Styrene Acrylic and Pure Acrylic Resin.
Pure Acrylic Resin might be the better choice to opt for. It lasts longer and never turns yellow under direct sunlight.
Styrene Acrylic can be chosen if you want to spend fewer bucks; however, it is not much durable and turns yellow under sunlight.
- Penetrating Sealers
As the name implies, this type of sealer mainly works by penetrating into the concrete and forms a chemical barrier to oil, water, and other contaminants. This is made up of specialty resins like silicone, silanes, and siloxanes.
Penetrating Sealers are the foremost choice if you are serious about protecting your driveways and garage surface and are also ready to spend bucks on the same. Before using such types of sealers, you are advised to go through the instructions to know more information about their usage.
- Polyurethane or Epoxy Sealers
Epoxy sealers work by filming down a thicker layer on the surface of driveways and patios and are expensive as compared to the rest of the two. However, its high cost doesn’t mark its superiority. The layer it lays down is slippery which is a big minus.
In addition to this, Epoxy Sealers prevent the concrete from breathing out the moisture, and owing to this, a white haze forms between the concrete and the sealer which in turn reduces its life and performance.
Tips to Apply Sealers on Driveways & Patios
- Make sure that the surface is clean and dry before applying the sealer.
- Always cover your body with gloves, trousers, and goggles while performing the sealing process.
- Depending on the product, apply the sealer either with the roller or with a sprayer.
EndNote
Go through the instructions mentioned on the label to get more information about the sealer and only then apply the same to add life to the masterpiece of your dream.
