The best way to determine if you like a silane siloxane sealer, or if that silane siloxane sealer is best for your application, is to apply the product to a test area, and allow it to perform. Many contractors will apply 2-3 products and allow them to sit for a few weeks, to a few months, and sometimes as long as a year, to determine which product performs best overtime. There are a few things you can determine when you purchase a sample:
- You can determine how fast the company processes orders and ships product.
- You can determine the level of care the company has with their products. Is the box presentable? Is the product packaged well? Does it include a packing slip?
- You can apply the product directly to your surface to see how it will perform in your application.
Another great way to look into a product or company is to call them. Are you on hold for hours? Do you have to leave a message? Are they friendly? Helpful? For me, the customer support is the make it or break it because a company that stands behind their product believes in their product.
What To Look for When Reviewing Siloxane Sealers
When reviewing a Siloxane sealer there are a few things to consider:
- Raw Materials: Some manufacturers use imported recycled resins and some use U.S. Manufactured non-recycled resins. Aside from percent solids, this is a second major factor that determines quality and performance. Products that use recycled resins break down faster, and their stability is unpredictable. During the process of recycling the resins, many of the chemicals used in the process are left in the sealer. These chemicals dilute the active materials and cause the sealer to break down faster. One batch may last 6 months when another batch from the same manufacturer may last 2 years. Imported recycled resins aren’t pure. U.S. manufactured non-recycled resins don’t have this problem because they start in a pure form and remain pure during the manufacturing process. U.S. Manufactured not only means jobs are created in the U.S., but it means you get a better performing, longer lasting product.
- Price: Price isn’t always a good indication of quality, but in many cases it is. Higher quality materials cost more than lower quality materials. In additional to the initial price, you want to consider the reapplication price. If a sealer is 2X the price, but lasts 5X as long, it may be a better investment.
- Reviews: Reviews are always great to consider because they show customer experiences with the product.
- Customer Service: You work with the product for one day, and usually only for a few hours. After that, it is the company you will work with. The company answers products questions, provides product support, and is there to help with any issues that may arise. The best way to see what type of support you will receive is to call the company before purchasing.
- Warranties: Warranties aren’t always a good thing, in fact, reviewing warranty information can often show you the type of company you are working with. Silane Siloxane sealers last for 1-10 years depending on the condition of the surface you applied the sealer to, the porosity of the surface you applied the sealer to, the amount of sealer you applied, and the quality of sealer you applied. Most manufacturers don’t offer a warranty because the life expectancy of a Silane Siloxane sealer is standard across the industry. If a product has a warranty longer than 10 years, that should raise a red flag. It is important to always review the fine print and not trust the label. Most warranties are impossible to cash in on and require the applicator to hire an approved contractor, take a moisture test, film the application process, reseal every year, and other very detailed steps. Missing even one of the steps, which can be edited at anytime, will instantly void the warranty. Always read the fine print so you know that you are truly paying more for a warranty that will be honored.
Silane Siloxane Sealers
Here are a few silane siloxane sealers we found from around the web:
