How to Seal and Maintain Concrete Counter Tops

How to Seal and Maintain Concrete Counter Tops

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Recommended Sealers for Use on Concrete Counters
The following Glaze ‘N Seal sealers are popular choices for use on concrete counters. They will resist water stains, oil stains and enhance appearance. They are durable and re-coatable. Always perform a test patch, allow it to dry thoroughly and “test” likely contaminates.
Wet Look Lacquer

• A clear coating sealer (solvent base)
• Non-Yellowing
• Will not turn white
• Excellent oil resistance
• Resists acids
• Resists efflorescence (white residue)
• Imparts “wet look” appearance
• Additional coats add gloss
• Safe for food surfaces (after fully curing)
• Re-coatable
• Leaves a coating on top of surface

Multi-Purpose Sealer

• A clear coating sealer (water base)
• Leaves a coating on top of surface
• Non-Yellowing
• Resists acids
• Excellent oil resistance
• Safe for food surfaces (after fully curing)
• Re-coatable
• May be applied over Wet Look Lacquer
• Medium to high sheen (based on number of coats)

Stone Sealant Impregnator

• A below surface penetrating sealer (water base)
• Leaves no film or coating on top
• Natural look appearance
• Safe for all food surfaces
• Excellent oil resistance
• NOT acid resistant
• May be re-applied if needed
• Not recommended over coating-type sealer

New concrete counters should cure at least seven (7) days or more before sealing. Read package label carefully and perform a small test-patch before sealing entire surface. Concrete surface must be clean, dry and free of any contaminants including old wax and failing sealers. Wax or polish should be stripped with a quality item such as Glaze ‘N Seal Stone Stripper or Heavy Duty Cleaner. Old coating-type sealers (if peeling or damaged) should be removed with a quality item such as Glaze ‘N Seal Paint, Sealer and Coating Stripper.
Estimated coverage per gallon for the first coat – 150 to 200 square feet. Additional coats will add fifty-percent more coverage.
Coating-type sealers will build protection and gloss with multiple, thin and even coats. Use a lambs-wool applicator, brush or paint pad. Apply additional coats until the last coat does not darken the appearance.
Penetrating-type sealers will not add gloss but will protect. Apply two liberal coats with a brush or paint pad. Generally, additional coats will not affect appearance, but may leave a residue if over applied.
Routine Maintenance
Even AFTER sealing, the concrete counters are not indestructible.
Use coasters for glasses and hot pads for hot items. Minor scratches should be removed with non-abrasive “Scotch Brite” pad.
Do not place hot pans and dishes (above 300°) on sealed surface.
Stain resistance to water-based spills, oils, food items, etc., is excellent; however, spills should be removed as soon as possible.
Coating-type sealers will be etch-resistant to acidic items such as colas, citrus juices and wine because of the film barrier. Penetrating sealers do not protect against etching.
Clean the sealed surface regularly with a soft cloth using diluted Glaze ‘N Seal Neutral Cleaner or Stone Cleaner. Rinse with a minimum of water and dry promptly. Soaps and detergents can leave a film on the surface. NEVER use abrasive cleaners, bleach or ammonia.
The use of Glaze ‘N Seal’s Acrylic Floor Polish or a quality paste Carnauba food safe wax is optional as a sacrificial maintenance top coat…. Not a silicone type product.
Reapply polish as needed (remove any old polish or wax first) before reapplying sealer.
Note: Always test a small area of surface to be sealed to verify penetration and satisfaction of sealed appearance.
More information on how to clean Seal and maintenance your hard surface

Why to use a colored grout sealer

One of the most essential aspects of a tiling job is grouting the empty spaces between two tiles. Grouting would keep the tiled floor bonded together for a long duration of time. Grout between two tiles also prevents them from rubbing against each other and cracking. Although effective, grout is a porous substance that can easily absorb moisture and any liquid that is spilled on the floor. It is for this reason that the process of sealing the grout becomes highly essential.
Grout is generally available in two forms: sanded and un-sanded. The use of sanded or un-sanded grout would depend on the tile material as well as the size of tile joints. Irrespective of the type of grout being used, applying a layer of grout sealer is important for high durability of the floor.
A grout sealer prevents the percolation of moisture into the grout, thereby preventing problems such as mildew and mold. Along with this benefit, a grout sealer would also prevent discoloration and staining of the grouted area. Any liquid that is dropped on the tiled floor would stay on top of the grout due to the applied sealer. This would give you more time to clean the liquid before the grout absorbs it, thereby preventing staining.

Grout sealer is available in two variants: clear sealer and color sealer. Application of a clear grout sealer would not alter the color of the grout and would ensure that the grout retains its natural color. On the other hand, a color grout matches with the color and design of the tiles, thereby allowing for a uniform look to the tiled floor.
A colored grout is either used to match with the tile composition or allow for a contrast in the look of the floor. Colored grout can even be used in case the earlier grouting has stained due to some reason. A colored grout sealer is generally available in a wide range of colors, thereby allowing you to easily select one as per your specific requirements.
Along with enhancing the visuals of your tiled floor, color grout offers a number of other advantages as well. Color grout is generally odorless, thereby creating a clean environment in the room. These sealers reduce the ongoing maintenance expenses significantly and enable the use of natural cleaners.

You can apply color grout in two ways; by the “brush-on method” or the “spray-on method”. In the brush-on method the sealer is applied directly to the grout using a brush. In a spray-on method, the sealer is sprayed over the entire floor. The sealer over the grout gets absorbed while the sealer over the tiles gets evaporated.
The method used by you to seal the grout would depend on various factors such as your budget and type of sealing material. Due to its numerous advantages, the “color grout sealer” is being widely used by homeowners. Not only does a color sealer enable you to change the visuals of the floor as per your requirements, it enhances the durability of the floor as well.
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Dont slip use anti-slip additive

In case, you have kids at home, who play inside the house, keep running here and there, may fall down while playing and injure themselves. Sometimes these injuries can be serious; hence it is advisable that one must take adequate measures to avoid such unpleasant situations. An effective way of eliminating risk of slipping and falling is to improve the safety of the floor surface to avoid it. Using anti slip additive is an excellent choice, as it not only maintains the aesthetic appeal of the place but is also highly durable, which will last for years. Hence, one can safely walk or run on the floor, without any risk of slipping and getting injured.
These are increasingly being used in offices and commercial buildings as well. The ‘American with Disabilities Act’ requires that floors, in all public, municipal and commercial buildings, have 0.60 co-efficient of friction to considered safe to walk on. In case the floors are slippery and someone gets injured on your premises then you will be held liable for his injuries caused due to your negligence. This can incur heavy expenses for not abiding by the law, especially if you do not have adequate insurance coverage. However one simple step, using anti slip additive, can help you avoid all these inconvenience and make your place safe for everyone.
Depending upon your requirements and budget you can choose amongst several anti slip additives that are available in the market, however one must wisely select the product which is effective and durable. There are environment friendly anti slip additive solutions as well, which increases the coefficient of friction by creating microscopic tread on different types of natural flooring, such as marble, smooth concrete, travertine as well as ceramic and quarry tile, among others.
Applying anti slip additive may seem to be a daunting task, but it isn’t. A do-it-yourself enthusiast can easily accomplish this task without much trouble or any professional guidance. A word of caution, before you apply the anti slip additive on any surface, apply it to a small portion and see for any side-effects, after treatment. Generally, these additives are not used on metals, wood, fiberglass and any resin type products.
First clean the surface, remove any sealers or waxes on the floor and then apply the additive to the clean surface. After applying, agitate until foaming with the help of sponge or brush and then leave it for five to ten minutes. Repeat this process and in between agitations, check for resistance by pressing and pushing forward with your finger tips and in case there is no resistance repeat the process again. The processing time differs from one floor type to another, for marble the process time is less as compared to porcelain which has a longer processing time. Once there is optimum resistance, immediately rinse the surface with clean water and you can walk freely on the surface without slipping or falling.
Hence, these additives are easy, safe, environment-friendly and affordable way of making the floor anti slip, along with maintaining the aesthetic look of the place.
Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com