[One Tough Pressure]

Seal concrete: For opportunity, efficiency, ease of maintenance


Sealing concrete offers opportunities for the contract cleaner; helps reduce maintenance for the in-house cleaner and can also improve indoor air quality — for everybody's benefit.

New construction

Finishing services (which can also include tile grout sealing) are part of a total floor care business.

There are a variety of problems that can arise on unsealed concrete:

Efflorescence, (which, according to the Aggregate and Ready Mix Association of Minnesota, occurs when soluble calcium hydroxides leach from concrete and react to carbon dioxide in the air to form insoluble calcium carbonates) — can mar the appearance of concrete building walls and floors quickly

Stains can be very difficult or impossible to remove from concrete — again, the problem is porosity

Unsealed concrete wears under traffic, yielding a fine dust which can become airborne.

Sealing is best done after construction cleanup. However, it may be possible to do quality work later — the price may be extraordinary cleaning efforts on unsealed concrete.

Even so, sealing will likely prove worthwhile. The surface will be much easier to clean. Additionally, a gloss finish on concrete can make a room, garage, etc., considerably brighter — creating lasting benefits in the form of energy savings and heightened visibility.

Attack discoloration with specialized cleaning formula. Use a heavy duty degreaser with a coarse scrub brush for agitation and then flush with water.

Use an acid etch on all unsealed concrete to assure and good bond between the seal and concrete.

If acid is used, the surface must be rinsed thoroughly with water.

Pressure washing can be used in helping prep a surface.

Tougher stains, tougher solutions: Among them: Application of ammonium citrate (up to 30 percent) formula; allow dwell time until gel forms; rinse and repeat.

Some cleaning professionals use absorbent materials to lift deep grease/oil stains; if using diatomaceous pool filter media, wear respirator; the material may contain known carcinogens.

If a stain is truly hopeless, a colored seal may be used to cover it up after acid etching has been done to prepare the surface.

That's why sealing the floor immediately after construction cleanup is advisable.

For best results, the surface must be clean, dry and powder free.

The sealer itself

Choices in urethane/acrylic sealers pertain to issues such as physical wear (traffic); ability to resist staining (especially vehicle tire marks) and ease of maintenance.

Certain epoxy sealers especially for industrial settings, the ability to withstand solvents (spills, etc.).

Some durable acrylic/urethane sealers block moisture, but allow gases to escape, helping maintain the integrity of the finish.



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