Are Concrete Sealer Fumes Toxic?
Absolutely, The Wrong Sealer Will Be Very Toxic
Choosing a concrete sealer has many variables, and one of the biggest ones for both professional or DIY installers of any sealer is "will this be toxic for me, my family, or my pets?" and many many big box store sealers are extremely toxic with their xylene or acetone solvent based technologies which are very primitive.
Are All Concrete Sealers Toxic from Fumes?
No, they aren't all toxic, it's mostly the traditional and inexpensive sealers that you will find at the big box hardware store, the landscape supply, or our direct competitors that you'll find solvent based acrylic sealers that are very toxic fumes.
Water based urethane sealers like Trident Hurricane CAT 5, Trident Cyclone, or Stain-Proof WaterBorne Sealer will be completely VOC free and non toxic for use even indoors without a respirator.
What Makes Some Concrete Sealers Toxic and Fumes?
Old school traditional high gloss or semi gloss acrylic concrete sealers are full of fumes and environmentally dangerous VOC compounds as they use petroleum solvents like Xylene to dissolve the acrylic resin that forms the sealer. Not only do these fumes evaporate and create a very dangerous environment for the installer, if they are accidentally used inside the fumes can remain for weeks at a time and be dangerous for the home owners and their pets.
Can I Protect Myself from Dangerous Concrete Sealer Fumes?
You can, but the protection will not cover 100% of the risk and most people do not use this personal protective equipment correctly. You should have a minimum of a fitted silicone half mask respirator with acetone cartridges (black with olive stickers if using the Honeywell mask system) Sometimes these cartridges only work properly for 30 minutes or less depending how much sealer you are using, and then need replacement. You'll also need safety goggles, high wristed solvent proof gloves, shoe covers, long sleeves and pants, and whatever else the manufacturer recommends in their SDS sheets.
Are There any Safe Fume-less Concrete Sealers?
Yes absolutely, StoneSealer Canada sells the largest selection of high quality 0 VOC protection products on the market. There are great options like matte finish Trident Cyclone, Semi gloss or High gloss Trident Hurricane CAT 5, made in Canada AquaBlocka, or Impregnating Stain-Proof WaterBorne Premium Sealer. All of these options have no dangerous fumes, are safe for use around your family or pets, and last longer than any traditional xylene based solvent acrylic sealer.