Silane sealers and siloxane sealers are the two most common types of penetrating sealers. They are both derived from the silicone family, but there are significant differences between them when it comes to performance.
| Silane Sealer | Siloxane Sealer |
| Requires high PH to catalize | Doesn’t require a high PH to catalize |
| Small molecule size | Large molecule size |
| Penetrates deep for below surface protection | Works on the surface for better water repellency |
- Silane sealers require a high PH to catalyze, where as Siloxane sealers do not.
- Silanes sealers have a very small molecule size. For this reason, they are able to penetrate deeper and perform well under abrasion and weathering. Siloxane sealers have a very large molecule size. For this reason, they offer better water repellency.
- Silane sealers are very volatile because of their small molecule size. A higher solids formula is required to compensate for the small size. Further, if a silane sealer are sensitive to application temperature. It it is too hot, the sealer could evaporate before having a chance to fully react.
Both silane sealers and siloxane sealers have their own set of strengths and weaknesses which is why a Silane-Siloxane hybrid sealer is actually the best type of penetrating sealer to use. Silane-Siloxane hybrid sealers take the strengths of each type of sealer without any of the weaknesses. They are easy to apply and provide equal protection both above and below the surface.
| Silane-Siloxane Hybrid Sealer |
| Doesn’t require a high PH to catalize |
| Mixture of small AND large molecules |
| Penetrates deep AND works on the surface |
