Important Factors For Choosing Driveway Concrete Sealer
Using a concrete sealer on your driveway is a matter of performance and aesthetics depending upon what you are willing to pay to get the right one. Although concrete is already a very strong material itself and does not require much maintenance. But using a water-based concrete sealer will make it stronger and long-lasting. Also, your concrete driveway is not something that will get your attention. But driveway concrete sealer enhances the looks and with that, you can also get some good benefits.
Applying a concrete sealer for driveways is not a difficult task; a bit of research can definitely help you in this regard. Yet if you are still not sure about it you can hire a local contractor which will not cost you much. Also, it is a task which can be done in a day’s time as it just takes few hours if done properly at the first time. But keep in mind that choosing the right driveway concrete sealer and applying it properly will extend the life of your concrete driveway and keep it looking great for years to come.
Colored Concrete Sealer |
- Safety - The most important consideration when sealing a driveway is safety. You want the surface of your driveway to be non-slippery once the sealer is dry. Almost all the sealers which are used on driveways will meet the federal standards for slip resistance when the surface is dry. The amount of slipperiness depends upon the amount of texture in the concrete used for a driveway in combination with the thickness of the sealer. Normally, the more sealer resin that's on the surface and the shinier the surface is there are high chances for a slippery surface. So, if you want your safety to the best of standards you should consider using a penetrating waterproofing sealer rather than a film-forming product.
- Appearance - How would you want your driveway to look once it’s coated with the sealer? The driveway concrete sealer also enhances the looks of the driveway. So when you are choosing the sealer you will need to make sure that you are buying the one with right color and gloss-level to ensure that once dried the driveways look good. Most of the sealer manufactures provide the gloss levels on the product packaging in the technical description. If you do have the right knowledge about what levels are right, then it is good to do a bit of research or if you are hiring a contractor he can help you to select the right one.
- Performance - All the concrete sealers are not same, and no sealer will last forever. Most of the sealers last for a year or two depending on the quality of concrete driveway sealer used and the exposure conditions. Also, the type of quality and resin will make a huge difference in how long the sealer will last and how well it will perform. Lower-cost sealers bought from the local hardware store will not be able to match the performance of professional-grade sealers.
The driveway concrete sealer which is penetrating produces no gloss and will not contribute to the slipperiness of the surface. So, it is recommended that you go ahead and test the sealer you are going to use in a small area on your driveway first in both dry and wet conditions to make sure that it meets your requirements.
These are some important factors you will have to consider when you are buying the driveway concrete sealer.
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