Interior concrete floors are becoming a hot choice for homeowners because a decorative concrete floor is long-lasting, easy to maintain and incredibly durable. What most people don’t know is that using a sealer on your concrete floor is a primitive step in order to get the best results.
In addition to your previously installed concrete floor, read on to find out how to seal your concrete floor correctly.
Why Seal Concrete Floors?
Before we delve into the process, let’s understand the reasons behind sealing.
- Durability: Sealing adds a protective layer on top of the concrete floor paint, reducing the chances of staining, scratches, and even water damage.
- Visual Appeal: Sealers can enhance the colour of stained or dyed concrete, making them look rich and vibrant.
- Easy Maintenance: A sealed concrete floor surface is easier to clean and can withstand heavy foot traffic and daily wear and tear without showing signs of damage or age.
- Longevity: Sealing the concrete reduces the chances of damage, increasing the lifespan of your concrete floor.
Selecting the Right Sealer for Interior Concrete Floors
Choosing the right concrete floor sealer for your concrete floor is an essential first step. Here are some types of sealers suitable for indoors:
- Acrylics: These are the most affordable and available in water-based and solvent forms.
- Epoxies: Epoxy concrete floor sealer creates a high-build protective film on the surface of the concrete. They offer excellent water repellence but may turn yellow with excessive sunlight.
- Urethanes: They are nearly twice as thick as acrylics. Urethane sealers offer greater longevity and resistance to heat, chemicals, and UV damage than epoxies and acrylics.
- Polyaspartics: They have superior abrasion and chemical resistance properties and are fast drying.
Remember, the choice heavily depends on the existing condition of your concrete flooring and its usage.
Steps to Seal Interior Concrete Floors
With the right sealer on hand, it’s time to get into the practical process. It’s a fairly simple, step-by-step process that you can perform over the weekend.tetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
Cleaning
- Once the concrete has been poured, it can take 4-6 weeks to cure. If you have existing concrete flooring, then luckily you don’t need to wait out the tedious time frame.
- Thoroughly wash the floor surface, and if you have not stained your floor already, you’ll need to do this first. It is recommended to use a degreaser before applying a sealer.
- Sweep/vacuum all dirt and debris so the concrete floor is spotless.
Materials That You Will Need for Sealing Interior Concrete Floors:
- Concrete floor cleaner
- Or soap and water
- Degreaser
- Mop/Vacuum/Broom/Dustpan
- Bucket With Stir-Stick
- Concrete Filler
- Putty Knife
- Concrete Sealer
- Sprayer or Power Washer (optional)
- Paint Roller
- Paint Brush
- Paint Tray
- Plastic Covering (optional)
- Boots for your feet
Filling In Cracks
Interior Concrete Floors
- If you have any cracking in your concrete floor, use concrete filler. Fast-drying concrete filler will help shorten the dry time.
- Using a putty knife, smooth the concrete filler into the cracks and let it dry for up to 5-7 hours, or as the package recommends.
Seal and Dry
- With your concrete sealer, pour it into a paint tray, and with a roller, apply the concrete sealer. Apply one coat evenly, and apply the second coat of sealer about 2 hours later. In about 4 hours from the last coat of sealer, it should be safe to walk on.
- If necessary, use a paintbrush to seal the edges of the room.
- Let dry overnight, and make sure to open windows so you can air the space and breathe easily as the liquid part of the sealer will evaporate.
Hint: To prevent scratches, scuffs and stains, you should use a high-grade sealer like polyurethane or epoxy type sealer.
So next time you have a spill, there is no need to worry about a stain! Sealing your interior concrete floors will ensure that the porous quality of your concrete is filled and smooth, which will make it longer lasting and much easier to clean.
Sealing interior concrete floors is not a hard task to complete; it just requires a lot of dry time. Interior decorative concrete floors are a great floor that, with care, can last for a very long time and provide a beautiful appearance throughout your home! So if you are a Do It Yourself enthusiast, you can add this to your list of exciting projects. And if you would prefer to have us take care of it for you, then we are happy too! Want some help with this project? Call us NOW at 416-494-9095 or by email at Brian@HomePaintersToronto.com. And don’t forget to follow us on all our social channels below!
