Concrete floors and countertops have always earned a bad reputation for being stain prone. This was probably because of the quality of sealants used. Sealants in the past were acrylic and wax based; these were not as resistant to stains as the ones that are available today. Before you choose a sealant, make sure that you ask your contractor if;
a) The sealant would not affect the look of the floor negatively, but would only enhance it.
b) It is non-porous
c) The sealant would prevent all stains, irrespective of the fact that they’re from food, oil or other acidic substances like vinegar and lemon, or household cleaners.
d) It is scratch proof.
Basically, there are two types of sealants; penetrating and topical. Penetrating sealants are applied almost immediately to the bare concrete. When dried and wiped, these sealants are almost invisible. As for topical sealants, they can be found in a wide variety of appearances and quality. Common among them include wax, acrylic, epoxies, urethanes, etc.
When looking for a reputed company to undertake concrete coating and sealing, Kansas City based Concrete Solutions are the ideal choice. They have more than 10 years of experience in the industry and can help you undertake your project with complete satisfaction.
It is common for contractors to complete concrete flooring jobs by sealing and coating the floor with sealants. Concrete absorbs moisture quickly, thus exposing it to the vagaries of the weather during extreme climatic conditions. The climate in most of the US forces people to experience the freeze-thaw cycle. To protect the floor from contracting during winter and expanding during summer, a process of coating and sealing is applied on the floor. Even in places where the climatic conditions aren’t harsh, it is important to apply sealants to prevent stains and dust particles from making the floor look unattractive. Dust particles and sand cause abrasions, thereby giving them a dull appearance. Cleaning the floor with common household chemicals can also steal away the look of the floor.
Contractors usually advise people to apply sealers after the concrete is fully settled. This could be anywhere around 15 days to a month. Acrylic-resin sealers should be applied as soon as the concrete floor is laid so as to allow the floor to withstand the weight of the installer. It is best to allow the contractor to decide on the right time to apply the sealer as this largely depends on the type of sealant applied.
Generally, the type of sealant to be used depends on the material that the floor should repel. For instance, to repel oil based stains, siliconate should be used, and to repel water acrylic-resin based sealants should be used. Epoxy is a good sealant used to repel harsh chemicals and petroleum based products.
When looking for concrete coating and sealing contractors is Kansas City, Concrete Solutions are an ideal choice. They have more than 10 years of experience in concrete polishing and sealing.