Concrete Sealer Options
Digitizedstone wants to offer you the best option to protect your benchtops but it requires a little bit of understanding and history. We have used many types of sealers over the years and repaired many benchtops of our own and others. We know what works and doesn’t work long term. Most of the food safe sealers used in our industry simply perform poorly against stains and scratches, and its given concrete benchtops a repetition of staining.
A little about concrete and sealers, this is the reality. There is no perfect concrete sealer, they all have different issues with different applications. Some sealers will stain easily, some scratch easily, they can go yellow, delaminate or they are not food safe. We are limited to food safe sealers, which is part of the issue for concrete benchtops.
For the past two years we have been experimenting with sealers and learning processes that work for us and you. By far the most beautiful sealer and best against stains and scratches, is a Linear Polyurethane that we call A Sealer. This is the most stain and scratch resistant sealer I know. It really does the job and looks beautiful. But it can delaminate. Its not common but we need to educate you and set your expectations honestly. It simply doesn’t bond to the surface 100% of the time under different conditions, but I believe the benefits out weigh this issue. Especially if I inform the you enough about the delamination issue and give you a maintenance procedure. This kitchen has this sealer and has been installed for over 12 months.
Option 1 - Polyurethane sealer, micro coating
This sealer is widely used in my industry. I have used it for years. It’s a safe bet and always bonds to the surface. But it’s not great for stain and scratch resistance. After several years oils will have got into the concrete permanently. This is how they look after several years. These stains will never go away.
Option 2 - Linear Polyurethane sealer, medium coating
This is the most stain and scratch resistant sealer I know. It really does the job and looks beautiful. But it can delaminate. I have been trying to make this sealer work for me for the past year. It simply doesn’t bond to the surface 100% of the time under different conditions, but I believe the benefits out weigh this issue. Especially if I inform the client enough about the delamination issue and give them a maintenance procedure. This kitchen has this sealer and has been installed for over 12 months.
Option 3 - Acrylic sealer
This is what is on your benches. It’s good on stains, soft on scratches and it normally doesn’t delaminate.
I have been reconsidering my approach to sealers and how to sell my benchtops to clients, and I would like to offer this to you now.
Here is part of a document I am putting together to inform clients - “The sealer coating needs to be seen as a sacrificial layer protecting the concrete from permanent stains for as long as you can maintain the coating. This could be up to 10 years. The applied sealer will be the best performing sealer for your concrete for stain and scratches. Once it is gone, it’s very hard to reapply in people’s homes and a lesser performing sealer will be used”.
We use option 2 sealer. It will look amazing, it will be difficult to stain and good against scratches. Light scratches can be buffed out. If the sealer delaminates in a major way within 6mths, I will remove the sealer and apply option 1 sealer at no cost to you. The agreement will require you to help keep the sealer down by gluing it when small issues first show. They may never happen. I will supply a maintenance kit. The sealer won’t just delaminate for no reason, it may happen when the bench is chipped or gets a heavy knock. A very small amount of translucent glue is applied. Overall this gluing will be hardly noticeable, especially compared to large dark staining from other sealers.
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