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Benefits of Acrylic Concrete Sealers

acrylic

As most pharmaceutical industries know, acrylic sealers are one of the best ways to protect your concrete floor from chemical stains and damage. Acrylic concrete sealers are durable and stain-resistant, making them the optimal choice for not only laboratories and other pharmaceutical companies, but for those in the food and beverage industry as well. Here’s everything you need to know about the benefits of acrylic concrete sealers. 

Why Concrete Floors Need to Be Sealed

Concrete is a naturally porous material, meaning it can easily absorb dirt, grease, grime, water, and chemicals. When these other elements seep into the concrete, they damage it from the inside out, leading to cracks that require concrete repair. In addition to the risk of absorption, concrete floors are susceptible to damage caused by routine wear and tear, poor weather conditions, staining, and corrosion. 

Because of this risk, concrete floors need to be properly sealed. A sealant protects the concrete’s surface so it can’t absorb harmful chemicals and bacteria. Ultimately, a concrete sealant extends the life and look of your floor. In fact, many of these sealers last many years, so you won’t have to reapply them annually. 

What is an Acrylic Concrete Sealer? 

An acrylic concrete sealer can be either water-based or solvent-based and works by being spread out over the concrete and left to dry. The water or solvent dries up or evaporates, leaving a protective film on top of concrete to seal and protect your floor. Solvent-based acrylic concrete sealers tend to darken the color of the floor and are glossy. Water-based acrylic concrete sealers provide more of a matte finish with more subdued colors.

Types of Acrylic Sealers

There are six main types of acrylic concrete sealers: 

  • Acrylic Co-Polymer Sealers: These kinds of sealers are a combination of acrylic and styrene, a type of commercial plastic. This makes them more resistant to moisture during the curing process. 
  • Acrylic Latex Sealers: These kinds of sealers are not really great at being sealers. They don’t last long at all, and they’re very difficult to maintain and repair.
  • Solvent-Based Acrylic Sealers: These are sealers that are based with solvent. Due to the large amount of fumes they produce, it’s recommended that you use these in a well-ventilated area or use proper protection during installation.
  • Water-Based Acrylic Sealers: These sealers are based with water. They’re much safer to install compared to their solvent-based counterparts.
  • Enhanced Acrylic Sealers: This is a combination sealer that offers an excellent amount of water-repellent ability. It can also be used to seal both uncured and cured concrete.
  • Acrylic Lacquer Sealers: These are pure acrylic sealers that don’t contain any sort of additives like styrene.

Why Should You Use an Acrylic Concrete Sealer?

There are some great benefits to using an acrylic concrete sealer, especially in comparison to other kinds of sealants. These sealers are resistant to deterioration and damage as well as surface abrasions, peeling, cracking, chemical exposure, pitting, freeze-thaw cycles, and flaking. It’s also stain-resistant, making it a perfect option to make sure your floors stay in great condition.

Sealing your floors provides a great way to not only prevent damage and deterioration, but also to keep dirt and debris from making their way into the cracks and crevices of the concrete. This makes your floors dust-proof and resistant to molds and mildews that may come along after water exposure. 

Another good reason to consider using a concrete sealer is that it is UV-resistant. This means that, unlike some other kinds of sealers, you won’t have to worry about any sort of damage or discoloration occurring to your concrete floor due to prolonged exposure to UV light.

While there are several practical reasons you should use a concrete sealer, one reason that matters is how it looks. These sealers can provide a nice finish for your floor. As previously mentioned, a solvent-based sealer not only darkens the color of the floor but provides a nice, glossy finish to it, while a water-based sealer provides a matte finish with more subdued colors.

How Long Does the Process Take? 

Acrylic concrete sealers won’t eat up a lot of time. In fact, they can be installed over the weekend so your business won’t suffer any interruptions during operating hours. Better yet, they can be dry to the touch within an hour.