Driveway concrete sealer recommendations?

Head_Unit

Just had a new driveway put in here in Los Angeles. The foreman suggested applying sealer after a month to preserve it. Also it would be nice to give a wet look to the brick border around the driveway-when wet with water the color comes out a lot more.

I'm wondering what brands/types anyone recommends (or NOT, as the case may be).

He also said it was better to apply with a roller-er, is that like a paint roller?

Thanks!

Canarywood1

[QUOTE=Head_Unit;1086999]Just had a new driveway put in here in Los Angeles. The foreman suggested applying sealer after a month to preserve it. Also it would be nice to give a wet look to the brick border around the driveway-when wet with water the color comes out a lot more.

I'm wondering what brands/types anyone recommends (or NOT, as the case may be).

He also said it was better to apply with a roller-er, is that like a paint roller?



Since you don't have freeze/thaw cycles,the only reason to seal the driveway in your area is to keep it relatively clean,and the best way to do it is apply a penetrating sealer,you can expect it to last about 10 years as opposed to 2-3 years for a film forming sealer, either one can be applied by roller or spraying.

itsreallyconc

we o'lay many driveways as part of our dec conc work,,, when you seal a d/w you also create a maintenance item/issue,,, whether or not you have freeze/thaw, there's still movement & UV - hot vs not-so-hot here in atl,,, remember hi skool physics ? temp does affect liquid AND solids.

having said that, IT you want the brick border to ' pop out ', use a solvent-based sealer for best appearance,,, wtr-bas'd sealers are cheaper & you get what you pay for

here's ours w/'CSS' methyl-methacrylate enhanced sealer only on the decorative acid-stain'd entry throat,,, we use 3/4" nap x 18" rollers & ALWAYS work a wet edge,,, ps - NEVER apply any sealer to hot conc OR in the hot sun

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Canarywood1

[QUOTE=Head_Unit;1086999]Just had a new driveway put in here in Los Angeles. The foreman suggested applying sealer after a month to preserve it. Also it would be nice to give a wet look to the brick border around the driveway-when wet with water the color comes out a lot more.

I'm wondering what brands/types anyone recommends (or NOT, as the case may be).

He also said it was better to apply with a roller-er, is that like a paint roller?

One other thing i forgot to add is the type of finish your looking for,this might help.


Appearance. One key difference between water-based and solvent-based sealers is their appearance after application and cure. Solvent-based sealers tend to wet-out and penetrate concrete surfaces very well. This results in a glossier finish that enhances the color of the underlying concrete. Water-based sealers appear milky white as they are applied because the polymer particles in the sealer scatter visible light differently than the water in which they are dispersed. After curing, water-based sealers tend to provide a lower-gloss, matte finish

itsreallyconc

what birdwood didn't say is solvent-bas'd sealers're better altho more costly we cut our css 1:1 1/2 w/xylene for best penetration & apply 2 coats

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jomama45

I'm always astonished that contractor's would do 95% of a decorative concrete job, and then skip one of the most important parts, sealing their work.......

What you're looking for is a solvent-based acrylic "enhancing" sealer IMO. Simple to use, will last several years, relatively inexpensive, and offers great enhancing. Not sure you'll find it anywhere other than a ready-mix concrete supplier though, and you may be hard pressed to find it in less than a 5 gallon pail, which could run as much as $200 retail.

As for brands, Euco (Everclear, Super Diamond Clear are 2) is the most common I've used, but it has to with what my supplier pushes. I've used other with good results as well. You'll just need to see what's offered locally.

ANd yes, you just use a short napped roller, and cut the edges in with a brush.

jomama45

Looks nice Pal..............

itsreallyconc

thanks, jo the only trouble's resealing which needs to be done every year - the maint item mention'd above,,, ' CSS ' is eliteCrete's proprietary 50% solids sealer but you don't have to be licensed by eC to buy or use it ( $ 165/5gal pail ),,, we've used other sealers & CSS is the bomb compared to all the rest

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jomama45

We're not resealing every year, probably because we don't get near he UV you guys do down there. Most concrete will make it 3-5 years before it becomes noticeable that it's in need of sealer. And, notice I said "retail" price, I don't pay anywhere near that, but I will give a look at the CSS you're talking about.......

itsreallyconc

jo, IF nagzilla hadn't wanted it ' prettified ', we wouldn't seal the conc at all notice the rest of the d/w isn't sealed,,, IF i wanted another maint item, we'd have pav'd w/asphalt,,, nevertheless, all color fades even thru uv-resistant sealer,,, maybe its only 2 or 3% annually but it does fade,,, tire traffic also causes the sealer to wear,,, resealing is primarily to make the color POP again

we wouldn't pay that much for euco or other sealers, either,,, the $ i mentioned are what we licensed installers pay - its all list pricing - think the distributor m/u's about 25% - not bad for a sealer this good,,, IF you're just sealing pln conc, stay w/the other stuff

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