3 Things You Should Not Do When Resealing Stamped Concrete

Have you noticed that the stamped concrete on your floors is beginning to look faded or whitish? You may need to reapply a sealcoat on that concrete in order to restore its attractive appearance. This article discusses some of the things that you should not do as you perform that DIY resealing project.

Not Paying Attention to Coverage Guidelines

Manufacturers of concrete sealers usually stipulate how many square metres a given volume of the sealer should cover. Some homeowners may wish to apply a thicker layer because they may mistakenly think that they will achieve better results by doing so. However, applying a thicker layer may cause the stamped concrete to look worse very soon. This is because the thick sealcoat may not allow moisture to escape from the concrete. Consequently, the trapped moisture will cause the stamped concrete to look whitish or blotched. Adhere to coverage instructions in order to avoid this problem.

Rushing to Apply the Sealcoat

It is important to clean the concrete surface thoroughly as you prepare it for the new sealcoat that you wish to apply. You should never apply the sealcoat before the concrete has dried properly. This is because moisture may still be contained within the deeper layers of the concrete. Such moisture will eventually try to come to the surface, only to be trapped by the sealcoat that was applied before it could escape. It is therefore better to let the concrete dry for about two days before you apply the sealcoat.

Picking the Wrong Time of the Day

Be careful about the timing of the sealcoat application. Avoid applying the sealcoat early in the morning. This is because the low temperature at night usually causes some moisture to condense onto the concrete surface. That moisture can cause the sealcoat to look blistered if ample time isn't given to allow that moisture to escape from the concrete. The best time to apply the sealcoat is late in the afternoon when the concrete has started cooling at the end of the day. At this time, there won't be any trapped moisture within that concrete. Additionally, the temperature will not be so hot that the sealcoat will dry rapidly before you have a chance to pass a broom over it in order to even out the spots where a thick layer was accidentally applied.

The resealed concrete will look as good as new if you avoid making the mistakes pointed out in the discussion above. Talk to concrete service providers for assistance in case the stamped concrete has other defects, such as spalling, that may affect the quality of the sealcoat.


Share