Urethanes and polyaspartics are topcoating concrete sealers that are specially designed to adhere and bond to the surface of concrete slabs. Once properly applied to the surface, the sealers offer incredible levels of protection, leading to them often being referred to as the miracle concrete sealers. They both offer extensive heat resistance, comprehensive scratch resistance, resistance to abrasions and high foot traffic, as well as prevention of acid and chemical stains.
Due to their plethora of preventative and protective properties, urethanes and polyaspartics are typically in high demand for industrial warehouses and large retail stores, namely places that feature high levels of foot traffic or potentially damaging activity (such as lifting bales of product or driving with a forklift over the concrete). Urethanes and polyaspartics work to protect the concrete underneath from any and all types of damage.
They also, however, work best as part of epoxy floor systems. Epoxy floor systems are typically layers of concrete sealer that are applied one after another to increase the protection offered to your concrete floors. Most systems consist of an epoxy basecoat that is meant to adhere directly on the concrete substrate’s surface, followed by another epoxy coating to increase resistance to various problems. Now, after the first two epoxy coatings, many people choose to install a decorative, aesthetic piece by sprinkling in paint chips or decorative quartz (which is really just sand) onto the second epoxy coating. With this completed, the urethane or polyaspartic topcoat is applied to provide maximum, translucent protection.
The biggest, and really only, difference between urethanes and polyaspartics is a big one. Polyaspartics tend to be slightly more expensive because they have an exceptionally fast dry-time. No, really, it is quite exceptional. Polyaspartics tend to be the topcoating of choice for large retail stores that need to be open the next day: simply apply the polyaspartic coating overnight, and it will be completely dry in only a few hours. When compared to urethanes, the benefits and coverage are the same, by the dry-time is exceptionally different.
Our Take: The best urethane we have found is an aliphatic urethane Urethane 645 while a fast drying polyaspartic is Polyaspartic 745.
If you live in an area with a warmer climate, such as in the West or the South, then there is a strong possibility that your driveway will be made from concrete. Concrete driveways also appear in colder climates, though asphalt tends to be the preferred method of construction, as it holds up to colder seasons better than traditional concrete.
Either way, wherever your home is located, having a concrete driveway means you are at risk for the various problems that can plague exterior concrete. Concrete, while strong and long-lasting, can suffer from cracking, spalling, crumbling, and a general degradation over time with prolonged exposure to the elements. As concrete is dotted with tiny pores all across its surface, these pores can allow water, salts, and other debris to enter to the concrete’s microscopic network of pores and hairline cracks. The incursion of water, salts, and such can be disastrous for the concrete driveway, as the concrete can degrade over time from within.
Fortunately, there is an easy solution to prevent the degradation of your concrete driveway. Whether you live in a warmer or colder climate, you will want to use an acrylic sealer on your delicate pavered driveway. Pavers are a type of concrete with larger pores that is, accordingly, more porous. The increased porosity of the concrete makes penetrating sealers a bad option for protecting the surface from degradation. Therefore, the best option remaining is a surface sealer, like an acrylic.
You will likely want to choose an acrylic sealer that is a water-based solution, as these are easier to apply while also being safer for yourself, your family, and the environment. These sealers are full of large particles of acrylic sealant that pool on the surface of the concrete driveway to be spread out evenly over the course of the application. Once spread out properly, the sealer will provide comprehensive surface-level protection.
Our Take: The top acrylic sealers for exterior driveways are Cryli-Tek 5500 and Everclear
The Glaze-N-Seal Multipurpose Sealer offers an adequate level of surface protection for your more delicate and decorative concrete surfaces. The sealer itself is an acrylic sealer, meaning it is made up of large particles of acrylic sealer that will not penetrate past the surface of the concrete, as would a silicate. Instead, the particles of sealant will remain on the surface of the concrete upon application, waiting for the person applying the concrete sealer to evenly spread over the surface of the concrete.
When spread properly, acrylic sealers will bond to the concrete substrate to help repel water from entering the concrete and causing potential damage. The Glaze-N-Seal offering is a water-based sealer that will result in a mild gloss. If you prefer a matte, or more natural looking surface, then you should opt for a different choice. However, the water-based nature of the concrete will help conform with various environmental laws and regulations dealing with VOC contents in states like California, New York, and New Jersey.
That being said, it isn’t as safe for personal application as some other acrylic water-based sealers. The Glaze-N-Seal product contains ammonia, which will result in a hazardous odor. It is also not really acceptable for indoor applications, as the fumes can be potentially harmful with prolonged exposure. Aside from these concerns, the Glaze-N-Seal Multipurpose Sealer is a perfect acceptable choice for a water-based concrete surface sealer, though we have certainly reviewed stronger, more cost-effective products.
In the market of concrete sealers, there are a number of different options available to you. There are offerings such as surface-level sealers, such as acrylic sealers, epoxies, or polyaspartics and urethanes. Then, there are the penetrating variety of sealer, such as silicates, whose carriers can range from sodium to lithium. While it may be confusing to determine the difference between a silicate and a silane/siloxane, for example, the differences are not all that esoteric.
For instance, we shall consider a silicate versus a silane/siloxane. A silicate is a penetrating sealer made up of small particles of sealant. These small silicate particles are suspended in a sodium or lithium carrier that helps transport the particles past the surface pores of the concrete. The water or solvent which the silicate sealer is based in will simply allow the particles of silicate and sodium/lithium to be spread on the surface – from there, the water will evaporate and the solvent will become part of the concrete.
Once within the concrete, the silicate particles will pass through the vast network of miniscule hairline cracks and microscopic pores natural to every piece of concrete. Part of what makes concrete such a strong material is the build-up of calcium silicate hydrate. Silicate sealers react chemically with minerals present within the concrete to create more CSH, which makes the concrete stronger while simultaneously blocking out the passage of water, salts, and gases through the concrete.
Silane/siloxanes, while also a comprehensive type of concrete sealer, work a little differently. While the silane particles penetrate within the concrete, they do not react chemically to densify the concrete. Instead, the silane and siloxane particles will work in concert to create a hydrophobic barrier that will block out water and moisture. The larger particles of siloxane will remain on the surface of the concrete to provide the brunt of this barrier, while the silane particles will complement the barrier, reinforcing it to make it stronger.
As the silane/siloxane sealers feature larger particles, they are better suited for such concrete surfaces as cinderblocks, concrete blocks, and bricks – the more porous materials to which you cannot apply silicates. Both sealers are excellent choices for projects that require their particular strengths, but just make sure to do the requisite research to determine which your project needs.
Our Take: Silane/siloxane sealers readily available are Siloxa-Tek 8500 and Okon S40 while a silicate densifier that has stood the test of time is The Ashford Formula.