The Eagle Seal Satin Seal concrete sealer is a non-yellowing acrylic sealer that offers to provide an appropriate level of protection for all types of concrete. However, the Satin Seal is only an acrylic sealer, according to information found on its SDS sheets. Therefore, it is not an appropriate choice for any and every type of concrete; rather, it is appropriate for certain projects that require a surface-level sealer.
The Satin Seal will bond to the concrete’s surface, featuring large particles of acrylic sealant that will not penetrate past the tiny surface pores natural to all concrete. While a penetrating sealer will, of course, penetrate to chemically react within the concrete to provide protection, a surface-level sealer, like the Satin Seal, remains on the surface of the concrete to function like a raincoat. It will repel up to a certain level of water and salts, though it will not provide long-lasting protection. Similarly, the Satin Seal is really only appropriate for delicate types of concrete, such as pavers and brick, whose more porous nature render penetrating sealers ineffective.
Therefore, despite the claims of the Satin Seal concrete sealer, it is not an appropriate choice for all types of concrete. Instead of following the claims of manufacturers and distributors, make sure you do your own research online to find out the best type of concrete sealer for your particular project.
The Enviroseal 40, manufactured by the BASF chemical company, is a clear, water-based silane sealer. Silane sealers are a type of penetrating sealer that features small particles of sealant that penetrate past the surface of the concrete to lock out water and salts. However, silane sealers are not as well as silicates, siliconates, or even silane/siloxanes. In fact, silane sealers are increasingly being relegated to a lower-tier status in favor of silane/siloxanes whose coverage and protection is significantly better.
However, the Enviroseal 40 is one of the best silanes on the market, even with its unavoidable shortcomings. The Enviroseal 40 is an excellent source of protection for chlorides, freeze/thaw cycles, and other such potential threats. Because of this and other characteristics of its chemical formula, the Enviroseal 40 is a preferred sealer for certain environments that need protection from high traffic, whether from machinery or from humans.
The Enviroseal 40 is also a great choice because of its international appeal. As it is manufactured by BASF, you can be assured that it will perform up to the high standard required of that company. Similarly, it is marketed across the world, as facilitated by the resources of a company as large as BASF. In short, while a silane sealer is not the ideal type of concrete sealer, the Enviroseal 40 is the best type of silane sealer on the market, if you’re convinced to go that route.
The 2500 Medium Gloss sealer manufactured by SS Specialties is a medium-grade acrylic sealer that offers such benefits as UV resistance, water resistance, and non-yellowing properties. The sealer itself functions much like all other acrylic sealers: its larger particles of acrylic sealant will not pass through the surface pores of the concrete, rather pooling on top of the concrete to be spread out during the application process. Once properly applied, the sealer will bond to the surface of the concrete substrate to prevent the incursion of water, salts, and other potential harms.
The SS Specialties offering itself is not a high-quality acrylic sealer. If you want a more high quality product, you are better off either choosing another manufacturer, or spending extra money to purchase the SS Specialties 2500 PLUS Medium Gloss, which is the higher quality version of the regular SS Specialties 2500 Medium Gloss sealer. The biggest potential drawback to the SS Specialties line of sealers is that they are solvent-based sealers, meaning they may not be legal in your state due to their high volatile organic contents. Similarly, care must be taken during the application process as the fumes released by solvent-based sealers during application can be harmful to your health.
The Solid Color Concrete Stain manufactured by Valspar is marketed as a concrete staining product that will also seal your concrete, offering an increased level of protection. However, this is not entirely true. The Solid Color Concrete Stain is more of a paint than a concrete sealer; as such, it will not truly protect your concrete from potential sources of damage ranging from water damage to cracking and general degradation.
The Solid Color Concrete Stain is an acrylic resin, which means it would be, at best, a surface level sealer that would bond to the concrete substrate. Through bonding, it would, ideally, offer a level of protection from water and UV rays from the sun. However, its chemical composition reveals that it is a weak product that will not really protect your concrete for any significant duration of time.
It will, however, give color to your concrete. The Solid Color Concrete Stain is a product very similar to paint than a true concrete stain. Instead of seeping into the concrete to change the color of the concrete in a lasting manner, it will be applied over the concrete. This may lead to a stronger level of color, but it is also vulnerable to chipping and other types of aesthetic damage over time. If you want a true concrete stain for your project, the Solid Color Concrete Stain will work, though it is not the best choice. And if you want a sealer to protect your newly stained concrete, the Solid Color Concrete Sealer will not work in the way you want it to.
The Polyseal Plus is a concrete sealing product manufactured by ChemMasters. The product itself is an aliphatic urethane product featuring a high solids content. This means the product performs very well, though it also dangerous and potentially harmful, for both you and the environment. Be sure to check with your state’s environmental regulations, as the Polyseal Plus features a high VOC content, which is regulated by at least sixteen different states.
The Polyseal Plus is an aliphatic urethane. Aliphatic urethanes are high quality products that are surface level sealers. The Polyseal Plus will, once applied, adhere to the surface of the concrete substrate given proper application techniques. Urethanes are extremely durable, and the Polyseal Plus offers extreme weathering and abrasion resistance, like all other urethanes, all while guaranteeing color stability and non-yellow UV protection from the sun’s potentially harmful rays. Furthermore, the Polyseal Plus can be appled to decorative concrete, as well as the stronger stuff, making it a versatile product – however, if you have a product specifically calling for a sealer that works primarily with decorative concrete, you’re better off choosing a more specified concrete sealer.
The final consideration with the Polyseal Plus is its strong odor and fumes upon application. Make sure you are in a well ventilated area when applying the Polyseal Plus, as the urethane’s fumes can be potentially hazardous to your lungs. That being said, the Polyseal Plus is no more dangerous than most other solvent-based sealers, so these are just natural and necessary precautions.