When it comes to silane siloxane sealers, there is little to no difference between life and performance when it comes to comparing water based silane siloxane sealers and solvent based silane siloxane sealers.

While water based and solvent based silane siloxanes are very similar when it comes to life and performance, there are a few differences to consider:

Odor: Water based sealers will have little to no odor during the time of application, while solvent based sealers will have a strong odor during the time of application. If you are applying the silane siloxane sealer indoors, or if you are sensitive to strong odors, a water based silane siloxane, like the Armor SX5000 WB or Eagle sealer is best.

Application Tools: Solvent based silane siloxanes require special application equipment, such as a solvent/acetone resistant pump sprayer. You may also need to consider additional safety equipment simply because solvent based materials have strong fumes, and require more aggressive cleaning materials. Water based silane siloxane sealers can be applied with a traditional pump sprayer and does not need to be acetone resistant.

Clean-Up: Water based silane siloxanes can be cleaned up with soap and water, but solvent based silane siloxane sealers need to be cleaned up with something strong, like acetone. For this reason, you need to be more careful when applying solvent based silane siloxanes so that you don’t damage any areas or materials not intended to be sprayed.

At the end of the day, most people will choose water based because they prefer to work with water based materials, or solvent based because they prefer to work with solvent based materials. The best way to determine if a sealer is best for your application is to apply the sealer to a test area first to verify look and performance.