Why use a concrete sealant?

Concrete producers in this area utilize local sand and rock deposits to make concrete as economical as possible for the end user. Coupling this with the environmental extremes that exist here, you’ll notice many concrete distresses such as cracks, pop-outs, scaling and freeze/thaw damage.

SKS highly recommends protecting your concrete with Baracade Silane water repellent sealant.

Over the past decade, we have not experienced the typical concrete distress problems when a sealant protectant has been applied.

How does it work?

Concrete is porous by nature. As concrete cures, the surplus water escapes to its surface where it evaporates. This escaping water leaves a network of tiny capillaries (pores). Damage occurs when moisture saturates the surface of concrete and then freezes. (When water freezes, it will typically expand 9% of its liquid volume.) This problem is often compounded when water saturates soft aggregates which are common in the Red River Valley. These particles will expand and break up, usually leaving a pop-out.

Sealing, by definition, is the process in which compounds are applied to the surface of hardened concrete to reduce the penetration of contaminants into the concrete placement. A properly-applied penetrating sealant (applied after a minimum of 28 days of cure time) will infiltrate and coat these pores, actually repelling water.

What does it cost?

At a cost of $0.27 per square foot, it’s a relatively small investment, knowing the value of your concrete placement far exceeds the cost of sealing.

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