How To Seal Concrete: Natural-Finish Penetrating Sealer

[@jimmcginley89]

Hi, I want to treat/seal my covered concrete patio. although the patio is covered it does get wet from rain and snow on occasion. My primary goal is to seal the concrete for stain protection against dirt, grime, red wine spills, dog foot track, etc. Will I be better off getting the 8505 than the 8500? They look similar but I saw that the 8505 mentions stain protection. Thanks in advance!

[@GhostshieldConcreteSealers]

The 8505 is the same sealer as the 8500 with the exception that it contains an oleophobic fluorocarbon that resists stains - particularly oils. Remember that you'll still need to clean up spills, but the resistance will give you the time to do so.

[@seths8034]

Which product would you suggest for sealing a stamped concrete patio? We are in New York so freeze/thaw is a concern. Will 8500 be the correct choice?

[@GhostshieldConcreteSealers]

The 8500 will offer the best and longest protection against the elements. Many customers will opt for the 5505 acrylic sealer to bring out the color in stamped concrete and give it a shine -- but if it is very exposed you'd end up having to re-apply every couple years. If you want to have a dialogue about your patio call us at 855-573-8383.

[@soltup1]

Whatever happened to testing a sample before applying fully?

[@GhostshieldConcreteSealers]

Very important! Always test the sealer on a sample or small patch before applying fully. Different concrete has different levels of porosity that will change the effective coverage of the sealer. We should have demonstrated this in the video, and will keep it mind for future videos. Thanks for the feedback!

[@soltup1]

Yes, I know some people skip this step and regret. I tested it on my concrete porch, then used it, and it has worked fine -- so far. Let's wait a couple of years. ;o)

[@GhostshieldConcreteSealers]

Please keep us updated! And upload some pictures of your patio to the Ghostshield web site, we love seeing pictures from our customers!

[@johnblack8036]

I have a question. To cover roughly 1300 sq. feet of concrete including the sidewalk. I know, it's a lot of concrete. Would I have to purchase two bottles of concentrated version of the 8500. That bottle is for one coat right. It's just on different site, the coverage is different.
I guess any of the siloxone sealers are going to more expensive, but it's almost triple the cost of most other brands. Is this product that much better. Actually, the concentrated version can be purchased for $219, so that's not terrible.
I mean I've seen other sealers do the same thing, but I'm wondering about the longevity. Some people that use Eagle swear by it and I've heard others say the complete opposite. I'm not dealing with snow or anything crazy like that. It's just the rain in the summer. I live in Miami so it can rain every day in the late summer. Anyway, let me know if you can.

[@GhostshieldConcreteSealers]

To cover 1,300 square feet with two coats (recommended) you could get 1 concentrated gallon and 3 ready-to-use (total of 8 gallons when diluted) of Siloxa-Tek 8500. Applying two coats ensures the maximum service life.
The 8500 is a high-active sealer - which means that it contains 40% active "ingredients", a benchmark that earned it DOT approval. You can use this metric to compare it to other sealers, but given the chance we also like to brag about our amazing customer service and how we turn our phones off at the movie theater.

[@johnblack8036]

@@GhostshieldConcreteSealers That's what I'm confused about. On one site ConcreteSealerSupply, it says the ready to use gallon covers 125 sq. ft. that includes both coats. Amazon says it's 250. I'm assuming by what you're telling me, it's 250. Then your numbers would make sense. Then it says the concentrate covers up 625 with both coats. That doesn't make sense, but I guess you would know more than them. Maybe it's just worded incorrectly.
concretesealersupply.com/product/siloxa-tek-8500/
I don't know. You tell me.

[@johnblack8036]

@@GhostshieldConcreteSealers Actually never mind. I just spoke to someone. You're right. The representative was extremely helpful. I just ordered it. Still expensive though. Geez!

[@bwilson3344]

What the differance between 9500 and 8500? I just had a 24x40 slab poured and I want to seal it. I will be putting a enclosed metal building on it.

[@GhostshieldConcreteSealers]

Sorry for the late reply, your comment had been flagged and we weren't notified. If you're still wondering, the 9500 is a densifier and hydrophobic sealer hybrid product designed for an economical, easy application. The 8500 product is a sealer that is usually applied on top of the 4500 densifier product for longer-lasting, deeper penetrating, more durable protection.

[@dodyh657]

@@GhostshieldConcreteSealers Is the 4500 suitable too with the 8505 for advanced protection to oils as in garage/parking area application? How long does the protection will last? How the combination of these two components applied (the steps and ratio)? Can we do polishing to give extra glossy finish and impermeable (to water/stain/oil) concrete treated with this combination chemicals (4500+8505)?

[@GhostshieldConcreteSealers]

The 4500 works to reduce the porosity and the 8505 seals the pores while the oleophobic fluorocarbon in the 8505 helps to resist oil ingress. You can apply the 4500 then polish the floors to close the surface pores and reduce surface absorption however if you plan to do that, after polishing I would recommend sealing the pores with the Siloxa-Tek 8510. This is solvent-based and able to impregnate the surface after its been polished whereas the 8505 is water-based and would have to be applied around the 2nd or 3rd polishing step (between a surface profile of 200-400).

[@dodyh657]

@@GhostshieldConcreteSealers After application of 8505 on step 200-400 can we do further steps to 1500 or 3000 to get more sheen concrete?
Do we need to apply the 8505 periodically or one application for lifetime of the concrete?
After all applications of the 4500 and 8505, is the concrete able to be painted (eg. For line marks)? Any maintenance needed?

[@GhostshieldConcreteSealers]

If you are polishing, we recommend the Siloxa-Tek 8510 (not the 8505). Silanes have been able to last *up to* 20 years on vertical applications depending heavily on the substrate and exposure. For horizontal applications service varies depending upon climate and surface activity.
If you are intending to paint over the sealer, you need to consider the Iso-Tek 8540VOC or the 8100. The oil-stain-mitigating teflon fluorocarbons in the formulas for the 8505 and 8510 will have the similar effect on the paint, lessening it's adhesion properties.