Pro tip: Don't trust that cheap non-stick concrete sealer from the hardware chain

I bought a gallon of that store brand acrylic sealer for $28 last month to do a small patio job in Austin. Applied it exactly like the label said, let it cure 48 hours, and after the first rain it all peeled up in sheets. Ended up having to grind it all off with a diamond cup wheel, which cost me about 6 hours of labor and another $40 in dust bags. Any of you guys had luck with a budget sealer that actually holds up, or is it always worth springing for the pro grade stuff?

2 comments

2 Comments

anthonyhunt26d ago

Man that sucks, I tried to seal my driveway with some cheap stuff once and it turned white and chalky in two weeks.

logan63226d ago

Heard from a concrete guy in Dallas that most store brand sealers use a cheap acrylic that just can't handle the Texas heat and humidity cycle. He said if you can swing $50-$60 for something like a solvent based siloxane sealer, it bonds way better and you don't have to redo it every year. Might be worth checking readymix suppliers instead of hardware stores for the good stuff.