Why Should I Seal My Stone In Canada?

Is Sealer Necessary for All Stone and Concrete?

With very few exceptions, every porous mineral building material, including stone, tile, masonry, concrete and grout, will benefit from being well sealed. To maximize these benfits the selection of the most suitable sealer is critical.

There are two main types of sealers, namely, surface topical sealers and impregnating sealers.

A surface topical sealer will provide a physical film or barrier over the surface. The result is a darkening of the surface. These coatings are less hard than the original surface and will wear and weather relatively quickly, often make the surface more slippery when wet and must be completely stripped off when re-coating. Salts and water may also build-up under the surface, causing the coating to appear cloudy and peel.

Impregnating sealers can be classified as those that repel water, and those that repel both water and oil based stains (the ones germs cling to). Impregnating sealers usually have little effect on the friction properties and appearance of the surface, but will not completely stop dirt and rubber getting into the open pores of the surface.

When comparing similar sounding impregnating sealers the two most important questions are:

(a) is it permanent? and

(b) how deep does it penetrate below the surface?

A good depth of penetration is critical to provide protection against traffic wear and weathering.

When we talk about Canada in specific however there is a very key note, freeze thaw spawling.

When stone, concrete, pavers, or any other masonry type surface absorbs water as a liquid then the temperature drops below 0 the water becomes ice and expands almost twice in size while also becoming a very hard solid. In case you didn't know, water cannot be compressed, meaning what happens when the water freezes? Well it becomes solid and blows a big chunk out of your lovely natural stone.

Sealer, especially a high quality impregnating sealer like StainProof's 40SK Consolidating (densifying) sealer will prevent these huge blowouts called spalls, keeping your natural stone of any kind looking newer longer through even the toughest Canadian winter, by preventing water absorption in the first place.

Ready to Protect Your Stone or Concrete Surface Before Winter?

Head back to the home page and find all the high quality cleaners and sealers we carry, or click here to get in touch with a human for help!