The reason that concrete floor sealers were developed was to allow for protection to the floors from various hazards, environmental and otherwise.
What they do is make certain that liquids are sealed out, and other different substances are prevented from leaking into the floor from the top of it.
It is important to understand though that they will not prevent water that is underneath the floor from entering.
Epoxy versus Acrylic Those seeking a basement concrete floor sealant for an area that has slab flooring would be wise to look for either an acrylic or an epoxy based product to use.
Either would be an excellent choice for those floor areas with less traffic going over them, however, there are some additional features in the acrylic based product that one may wish to give some thought to.
For one thing, it is relatively a simple process to add color to the sealant that is acrylic based so that the floor might be tinted to better fit in with the area's decor.
Another positive is that acrylic will withstand direct sunlight without any breakdown, unlike many other sealants.
This might prove very valuable should the floor be in any sort of windowed area.
Still another positive is in the ease of application of the acrylic sealer.
This is not to say that the epoxy sealant doesn't also have a number of positives one should examine before any final decisions are arrived at.
One plus is that epoxy sealant has proven to nave great longevity.
In comparisons over some years, the epoxy sealant has proven greater longevity than the acrylic sealant, again though with the caveat being to make certain it doesn't be exposed to direct sunlight which could negate that longevity.
This is one of the reasons that many repair shops, factories and cafeterias opt for the epoxy sealant for their floors.
Some Considerations Of Safety No matter which of the sealants one chooses to use, an extremely important consideration must be safety.
Either of these products when they are wet will become slippery, creating the potential for a person to fall.
There are however, ways to deal with this.
Applying a material that is anti-skid to the coating well before it cures will greatly reduce the possibility of it being too slick.
Two common items used for this purpose are paint chips and industrial type sand.
Paint chips fill a dual role for the user, not only providing the no slip aspect, but also adding some extra color to the sealant.
One should always keep in mind also to immediately address the issue of any spills when they occur to help prevent any possible falls or slips.
Tips On Proper Application To achieve the best results possible, careful attention must be paid to the application.
At the start, the floor must be completely clean.
Also, one must be certain that there is no moisture at all evident.
It is wise to wash the flooring the night before any application is done, giving it a full night to properly dry.
What they do is make certain that liquids are sealed out, and other different substances are prevented from leaking into the floor from the top of it.
It is important to understand though that they will not prevent water that is underneath the floor from entering.
Epoxy versus Acrylic Those seeking a basement concrete floor sealant for an area that has slab flooring would be wise to look for either an acrylic or an epoxy based product to use.
Either would be an excellent choice for those floor areas with less traffic going over them, however, there are some additional features in the acrylic based product that one may wish to give some thought to.
For one thing, it is relatively a simple process to add color to the sealant that is acrylic based so that the floor might be tinted to better fit in with the area's decor.
Another positive is that acrylic will withstand direct sunlight without any breakdown, unlike many other sealants.
This might prove very valuable should the floor be in any sort of windowed area.
Still another positive is in the ease of application of the acrylic sealer.
This is not to say that the epoxy sealant doesn't also have a number of positives one should examine before any final decisions are arrived at.
One plus is that epoxy sealant has proven to nave great longevity.
In comparisons over some years, the epoxy sealant has proven greater longevity than the acrylic sealant, again though with the caveat being to make certain it doesn't be exposed to direct sunlight which could negate that longevity.
This is one of the reasons that many repair shops, factories and cafeterias opt for the epoxy sealant for their floors.
Some Considerations Of Safety No matter which of the sealants one chooses to use, an extremely important consideration must be safety.
Either of these products when they are wet will become slippery, creating the potential for a person to fall.
There are however, ways to deal with this.
Applying a material that is anti-skid to the coating well before it cures will greatly reduce the possibility of it being too slick.
Two common items used for this purpose are paint chips and industrial type sand.
Paint chips fill a dual role for the user, not only providing the no slip aspect, but also adding some extra color to the sealant.
One should always keep in mind also to immediately address the issue of any spills when they occur to help prevent any possible falls or slips.
Tips On Proper Application To achieve the best results possible, careful attention must be paid to the application.
At the start, the floor must be completely clean.
Also, one must be certain that there is no moisture at all evident.
It is wise to wash the flooring the night before any application is done, giving it a full night to properly dry.
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