Cement Floor Seals Are Not All Equal
Many cement floor seals are saturates that soak into the pores of the floor. These saturant-type floor seals may work fine in some, but not all, situations. Looking through a microscope can reveal just how porous a cement floor can be. Saturant-type seals soak into the pores and then harden, bringing the pores level with the surrounding cement. This type of seal helps to reduce dusting and wear on the floor by providing more surface area for wheels and foot traffic to rest on. Problems, however, can arise later when the floor gets wet, causing the saturants to wash out of the cement and allowing liquids to penetrate and dissolve the cement.
In contrast to saturant-type seals, laminate floor seals create a barrier between the floor and the liquids, wheels, and foot traffic that impact it. The use of laminate floor seals is critical in environments where chemicals, diesel, or oils are likely to contact the floor. Laminates also create a wear-barrier that prevents friction being applied to the underlying cement. Epoxy or urethane laminates create a particularly durable, seamless membrane, or plate, which isolates the cement surface from contact with machinery and liquids. The coatings can be re-applied as needed, a process that is considerable less expensive than repairing a worn or damaged concrete floor.






