The world's foremost resource on decorative concrete
Sealers are applied to concrete surfaces to protect them from the elements and extend their useful lifespans. There are two main types of sealers: film-forming varieties that enhance the surface with color and sheen, and penetrating sealers that go into the concrete’s pores and seemingly disappear.
Concrete countertops need protection from everyday abuses. The acids in vinegar and lemon juice can etch the surface, and the strong colors in tea, red wine and mustard can cause stains. While sealers are not a total guarantee, they can go a long way in ensuring a concrete countertop retains its “like new” appearance for a good long while.
If you think clear sealers won’t affect the color of concrete, you’re right in some instances and wrong in others.
Indiana-based C2 Products Inc. offers an environmentally friendly, durable way to seal and stain concrete with its flagship products, The Bean and The Jelly Bean.
Think about what happens to a kitchen counter every day. People splash acids on it. They spill things that stain it. They chop and slice on it. They set hot pots and dishes down on it. And they clean and clean and clean it with water and chemicals and green scrub-pads
Technology advances expand the range of options for concrete projects Whether the objective is keeping water in — like a pond, tank, pool or reservoir — or keeping it out — such as a foundation or entire building — waterproofing looms large in concrete installations.
Advances in chemistry go beyond polymer-modified concrete to auxiliary products such as improved sealing and coating systems. One of the exciting new types of materials is polyaspartics.
Southwestern Paint and Supply’s Hydro Guard, a sealer designed 22 years ago for secondary containment of chemicals and for sealing exterior stucco, has been discovered in recent years by decorative concrete fabricators who appreciate its thinness and praise its stain resistance and durability.
Every manufacturer hopes they will develop a product that is truly versatile. Citadel Polyurea Coatings may have come close to that goal with their new Polyurea-1 HD coating.
This incredibly simple staining application lends a distinct reflective sparkle to any floor.
From "food-safe" to "sacrificial coating," kitchen concrete countertop maintenance will have you upgrading your vocabulary along with your tool kit. Here’s how to speak the language.
