Is there a good sealant for concrete?


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Old 07-15-18, 09:47 AM
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Question Is there a good sealant for concrete?

Now that I've done my repair job on my concrete step (with mortar), what is a good sealant to cover the entire step so the elements don't get in and wear away at it over time?
 
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Old 07-25-18, 11:42 AM
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what do you want to achieve ? just protection from elements ? silicone siloxane is a good penetrant
 
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Old 07-25-18, 12:02 PM
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Yes, protection from elements. What specific brands and products should I look at for sealing concrete at a reasonable price (small quantities of sealant)?
 
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Old 07-29-18, 11:32 AM
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prosoco is 1 brand,,, another is w r meadows
 
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Old 07-29-18, 03:39 PM
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What about Thomsons water seal?

What about Thomsons water seal?
 
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Old 07-29-18, 04:44 PM
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Although Thompson's is a decent sealer, I don't believe it's in the same call as the others mentioned. Regardless of which you use, repeated application will be needed almost yearly.
 
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Old 08-02-18, 01:34 PM
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sil siloxane's advantage is that annual resealing isn't necessary,,, being an industrial material, its also more expensive but has great shelf life,,, we have some stuff 3yrs old which still performs well
 
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Old 08-02-18, 01:43 PM
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What about Thomsons water seal?
TWS does a good job of sealing most substrates it's applied over BUT it generally has a very short life when exposed to the elements.
 
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Old 08-11-18, 04:37 AM
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IF i thought thompson's were better, we'd use it,,, have never seen it spec'd on any fed/state/municipal work yet & i did that work for 30yrs,,, true we do lose some jobs today due to higher mtl costs but that's rare,,, 1/2 of the 1's we do lose have come back shortly,,, i think the other 1/2's too embarrassed to call us,,, i don't think any of our competitors have the breadth of mtl knowledge/methods/equip so that gives us a leg up
 
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Old 08-11-18, 09:54 AM
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Stadry, let's look at who you're talking to.

What you say is absolutely true but does the average DIY want to spend the money on a professional grade material that will also sooner or later need to be redone at some point in time.

Thompson's' and others similar to it are meant for the consumer level. Do a cost comparison. A 5 gal bucket of PS110 Siloxane Water Repellent WB-10 Penetrating Sealer goes for $150.00. Thompson's is $65.00 for a 5 gal bucket. And Thompson's does do a decent job for homeowner use.
 
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Old 08-11-18, 11:36 AM
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Talking $17 can at Walmart

The $17 can of water seal by Thompsons from the walmart is more my speed.
 
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Old 08-11-18, 12:03 PM
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Old 08-11-18, 01:51 PM
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XSPLR,

Very interesting. Not sure if it's cost effective after buying the linseed and mineral spirits and then the time to mix it. But I learned something new today.
 
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Old 08-11-18, 11:45 PM
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How about around foundation is it necessary
 
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Old 08-12-18, 02:38 AM
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What type of foundation? above or below grade?
Thompson's does do a decent job for homeowner use.
IMO TWS has too short of a life to be a viable option on the exterior.
 
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Old 08-15-18, 05:31 AM
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I found this fascinating. Here is a scientific study on linseed oil v siloxane. I find the linseed oil an attractive option to consider for a retaining wall because I have it easily available (jugs already in the garage) and application is so easy...paint brush! I'm already saturating wood surfaces with linseed oil, so why not just slap some on concrete too? I haven't yet done this, but after reading this post it gave me the idea: it seem so intriguing.

Link to study:
https://www.ccee.ncsu.edu/srizkal/wp...ight_Feb93.pdf
 
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Old 08-15-18, 06:54 AM
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I suspect a lot depends on what climate you live in. Here in the southeast we don't use much linseed oil because it's prone to mildew.
 
 

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