Before: Concrete Floor Lacks Cleanability and is a Maintenance Issue
Industrial and commercial concrete floors are a constant battle for property managers and owners. With their porosity, they are prone to staining, dusting, and overall wear and tear. Concrete floor sealant can prevent these common concrete issues from occurring, but there so many different ways (and products) to seal concrete with…how do you know which is right for you?
What are the options for restoring concrete floors with concrete floor sealant?
1. Topical Sealers: There are a variety of price ranges when it comes to topical concrete floor sealant options. Any paint, epoxy, or other coating is technically sealing the floor. The steps involved in that process include: prepping the floor by shotblasting or other scarification, testing the floor for moisture emission, and coating the floor with the concrete floor sealant of choice. Coatings can come in very thin applications to 3/8″ or 1/2″ thicknesses depending on their purpose. Obviously, when coatings are thin, they do not last very long, especially under forklift traffic. If moisture emissions are present, the concrete will have to be treated for this first, adding on a significant cost to the project. For a topical sealer $0.50 – $12 / SF can be expected.
2. Penetrating Sealers: The price range for penetrating sealers is a much tighter range. The difference in these sealers, is that replacement cost is not a factor. Because they will not wear away under forklift traffic, they are much longer lasting and often harden the concrete as well as seal it from dust. When applied, the concrete is sometimes scarified slightly to open up the pores to allow for deeper penetration, but some contractors skip this step and only get minimum penetration. Unlike many topical coatings, just applying a penetrating sealer will not aid in cleanablity, however, moisture is not a concern with this concrete floor sealant as the concrete remains breathable in most cases.
After: Concrete Floor is Sealed and Polished; Making it Cleanable and Maintenance Friendly
3. Polished Concrete with Penetrating Sealers: The third option is in the middle of the price range. After the pores of the concrete are opened up to flood the concrete with the penetrating sealer, the process doesn’t stop there. Then concrete is then honed up to a polish (medium or high sheen). This refinement process further seals the pores of the concrete making this the ultimate cleanable flooring option. While cost-effective, long lasting, and maintenance friendly, this is a happy medium to options 1 and 2. More polished concrete information can be obtained here.
Titus Restoration is a nationwide, self-performing concrete restoration contractor. Polished concrete with a penetrating concrete floor sealant is one of our many specialties. Speak to an estimator today regarding your concrete floor refurbishment project!