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Water Repellents and Sealers for Exterior Concrete Surfaces

Posted by | Business | Tuesday 16 December 2008 6:29 am

In the current market, there are concrete sealers for interior and exterior surfaces. But as exterior concrete surfaces are exposed to the outdoors, they are more likely to be damaged by external elements. Sometimes, these may seem like the most unlikely of elements to cause damage to something as tough as concrete, but it happens. One example is water.

Water is like a silent assassin for concrete. People know that exterior concrete is exposed to rain and condensation, and they think that concrete is way too tough for water to be causing any damage. This may be true for the short term. However, over time, water can actually cause severe damage to the surface, and eventually the insides of the concrete. How can this happen?

New blocks of concrete with perfect surfaces will not be easily damaged when exposed to water alone. The water just slides off the concrete surface. However, when you put concrete in the outdoors, the concrete now has to weather the elements of the environment. And the environment changes constantly. Air becomes water, and water becomes ice. This, of course, depends on temperature changes. Temperature is affect by day or night, and the season.

As the temperature changes, concrete tends to expand or contract. But as concrete is not elastic, such changes can cause concrete to crack as it tries to expand or contract. These can be tiny hair line cracks that easily go unnoticed. But here is where the problem starts.

When you have cracks on the surface of the concrete, air and water can get in easily. These also react to temperature changes, and they expand or contract within the contract. Their reactions to temperature can widen cracks or loosen the internal structures of the concrete. This happens over and over again until there is severe damage. Then people start noticing but it’s usually too late. It will probably cost a lot of money to repair the damages.

The best way to prevent this problem from arising is to apply a concrete water repellent right from the very beginning - when the concrete is still new and intact. The layer protects the surface from temperature changes, since it has an elastic quality to it. Cracks are prevented. On top of that, in the event that concrete comes into contact with water, the sealer protects the concrete by preventing water from entering the concrete.

You can also use a concrete coating on older substrates that are slightly damaged. Clean off excess dirt and grime, and eliminate all the weeds on the concrete. Spray it lightly with water to wash off the loose sand, and leave the concrete surface to dry. Don’t get it too wet as water may seep into the exposed cracks. It’s best to carry this out on a sunny day. Once the surface is dry, start applying the sealer. The sealer will fill up the cracks, and form a protective layer over the concrete. That way, you know that your concrete will last for many more years.

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