Will Using A Sealer On Air Entrained Concrete Reduce The Benefit?

jgray152

I pour walkways and patios in the north east in freeze/thaw conditions and I was wondering if adding a sealer, either acrylic type or penetrating sealers such as silane sealers will reduce the benefits of air-entrained concrete since the sealer would fill the pores of the concrete internally to a degree?

jgray152

Thanks for the reply. The surface level is basically what im worried about. Afterall the sealer should prevent any water getting into the concrete from the salts melting the ice but if water did pass through the sealer I wonder if it could still pop the concrete.

I hear sealers such as the Silane sealers can strengthen the concrete by filling the voids with calcium thus reducing the water absorbtion?

I usually add an acrylic sealer to give the acid stained concrete a wet look to bring out the colors a bit better but the acrylic sealers wear off which would allow moisture and water to soak in the create and freeze during salt use.

It would be expensive but would it be possible to use an acrylic sealer on top of a Silane sealer?