The three most common types of concrete sealers are silicate sealers, silane siloxane sealers, and acrylic sealers. While they all fall under the category of being penetrating concrete sealer, they could not differ more when it comes to life expectancy and performance.

When choosing a concrete sealer, you want to look beyond just how long it lasts. Just because a sealer will never break down, doesn’t mean it is the best sealer for your application. When choosing a concrete sealer you want to consider the list of benefits and not just the expected life.

• Silicate Sealer: Silicate sealers penetrate into the surface of the concrete where they chemically react below the surface to form a hardened crystalline barrier within the pores. This barrier, once formed, can never be broken down or removed unless the concrete itself is removed. It is the longest lasting type of concrete sealer. Silicate sealers have a very specific function. They are designed to reduce the size of the concrete pores and increase the surface strength of the concrete. They don’t repel surface water, and they don’t protect against mold, mildew, or efflorescence growth. Silicate sealers should only be used on weak and deteriorating concrete, concrete being polished, or concrete that is in need of an increase in surface strength. Often times a silicate sealer will be applied and then a week or two later, a silane-siloxane sealer will be applied to help provide more protection on the surface. Two of the top rated silicate sealers are the S2000 concrete sealer and the L3000 concrete sealer.
• Silane Siloxane Sealer: Silane siloxane sealers penetrate into the surface where they chemically react to form a hydrophobic (water repellent) barrier within the pores. The barrier, once formed, will last for up to 7-10 years. Silane siloxane sealers are the second longest lasting concrete sealers and the most popular type of concrete sealer. They reduce damage and deterioration caused by the absorption of surface water such as cracking, spalling, pitting, mold and mildew, and efflorescence. Two of the top rated silane siloxane sealers are the SX5000 concrete sealer and the SX5000 WB concrete sealer.
• Acrylic Sealer: Acrylic sealers are called sealers, but they classify more as a coating because they leave behind a visible surface film. Acrylic sealers are designed to not only protect concrete surfaces, but enhance them as well with a low to high gloss finish. Acrylic sealers need to be re-coated every 1-4 years to maintain a consistent gloss level. Two of the top acrylic sealers are the AR350 concrete sealer and the AR500 concrete sealers.

While each category of concrete sealer has an expected life, the actual life of a sealer will depend on several factors:

• The quality of the material being applied.
• How the product was applied and to what.
• How many coats of the product was applied and with what.
• The use of the concrete.
• The amount of foot and vehicle traffic that goes over the surface.
• The condition of the concrete.
• The amount of exposure to water, snow and ice, and surface abrasion.

When looking for a long lasting concrete sealer, there are a few things to consider:

Silicate Sealers: All silicate sealers essentially offer the same benefits. They spark a chemical reaction. Once the chemical reaction has taken place, there is no more sealer in the pores. All that is left is the crystalline barrier formed. Consider a concentrated silicate so you save on material costs and aren’t paying to ship water. Concentrated silicates like the S2000 and L3000 can only be purchased online.

Silane Siloxane Sealers: Silane Siloxane sealers will vary greatly from one manufacturer to the next. Everything from the percent solids (active materials) to the quality of the resins (US manufactured vs imported) will will different. These factors will ultimately impact life and performance. Here are a few things to look for:

• Resins: U.S. manufactured non-recycled resins will last up to 7 years longer than imported recycled resins. Imported recycled resins contain chemicals from the recycling process that cause the sealer to break down faster.
• Chemical Formula: A silane sealer, siloxane sealer, and silane siloxane hybrid sealer are actually very different. Silane sealers and siloxane sealers when used alone, have a very specific set of strengths and weakenesses. When used together, they eliminate the weaknesses and offer only the benefits of each.

Acrylic Sealers: Like with silane siloxane sealers, acrylic sealers will vary greatly from one manufacturer to the next. Everything from the percent solids (active materials) to the quality of the resins (US manufactured vs imported) will will different. These factors will ultimately impact life and performance. Here are a few things to look for:

• Resins: U.S. manufactured non-recycled resins will last up to 3 years longer than imported recycled resins. Imported recycled resins contain chemicals from the recycling process that cause the sealer to break down faster.
• Chemical Formula: Under the category of acrylic sealers there are pure acrylic lacquers, acrylic co-polymer and acrylic latex sealers. Acrylic lacquer sealers are the most common for cured concrete, acrylic co-polymers come in at a close second, and acrylic latex sealers should never be used at all. Acrylic latex sealers aren’t sealers, they are paint. They are hard to repair and maintain, and don’t last long.
• Base: Acrylics are available in both water and solvent based solutions. While this factor doesn’t impact life or performance with other sealers, it does with acrylics. Water based acrylic sealers are harder to repair and maintain. They usually require screen sanding, and in many cases, removal. Solvent based acrylics are very easy to repair with Xylene, and can easily be re-coated by applying a fresh coat to a clean and dry surface. Solvent based acrylic sealers will provide a better bond to the surface as well.