Concrete sealing

[WickerBill]

Anyone have any experience? My house has a basketball court, which naturally has very little grade (camber!) to it and therefore is prone to standing water, water staining, etc.

I'd like to pressure wash it and then seal it, but there are 450 different types of sealant and they all seem to have drawbacks.

Any suggestions?

[chop456]

I'd like to offer some advice, but I pay to have both my basketball courts and our tennis court professionally sealed.


But seriously, folks...when I etched, stained and sealed our new patio, the professionally-sourced sealant seemed to wear off fairly quickly. I've seen concrete treated with Thompson's last longer. I applied it with a garden sprayer, as per the instructions. I'd give Brickform products a non-recommendation, if that helps. :\

[dando]

I used Thompson's on our new build almost immediately upon moving in in August, mild winter, following spring, chipping galore.If anything, I over applied. :irked:

[Insomniac]

It's clear the only solution is to turn your outdoor court into an indoor one.

[TravelGal]

Feeling quite helpful this morning, I thought I'd reply to this thread about which I know nothing at all. I can't ever remember seeing this done but I'm wondering if municipalities do it which leads me to wonder if your Dept of Public Works (or similar) might have some recommendations. You're welcome. :laugh:

[SteveH]

New concrete driveway 4.5 years ago. The contractor applied a water based sealer. It did a great job of protecting the concrete from stains and the like. But it only lasts about 3 years. I should have reapplied something last summer but due to other projects that was pretty far down the list. I need to rent/buy a power washer and 'deep clean' it before I apply anything. So I am watching this thread with interest. The only downside I noticed with sealing is that the concrete initially was less grippy when wet for the first couple of years. Since the driveway is on an incline (camber!), on more than one occasion I slipped while shoveling snow.

[Napoleon]

I used Thompson's on our new build almost immediately upon moving in in August, mild winter, following spring, chipping galore.If anything, I over applied. :irked:

I thought you were suppose to let concrete age for a year, or something like that, before applying sealant.

[cameraman]

I thought you were suppose to let concrete age for a year, or something like that, before applying sealant.

You have to let it cure at least a month if not two before sealing it.

Lastiseal seems to be pretty good but like any of them you have to pay close attention to temperature & moisture when applying it. It isn't shiny, it soaks in and sets up filling the pores in the concrete.

[G.]

I would recommend using ABT - Anything But Thompsons.

I would use water instead of Thompsons. Just apply it every day. Same application rate that you need for Thompsons, just cheaper.



I'll have to look later at what I used, when I can get to it.

[SteveH]

http://www.concretenetwork.com/products-sealer/comparison.html

Didn't know there were four types. Have ruled out the last two, don't want a sheen and epoxy is not suited for a driveway.

[datachicane]

Epoxy.

[SteveH]

Epoxy.


Explain why, please

[G.]

http://www.concretenetwork.com/products-sealer/comparison.html

Didn't know there were four types. Have ruled out the last two, don't want a sheen and epoxy is not suited for a driveway.

Your builder most likely used polyurethane, and 3 years seems about right, unfortunately. Are you sure he used water-based? You could always scatter a LIGHT dusting of sand on it when it's still wet, to avoid the slipperiness. Less sand than you might think.

I don't like to be the guy to advise against buying a tool, but do you really need a pressure-washer? They don't really do what you might hope that they do. A good nozzle on regular water hose does a better job, IMO. The water volume makes the difference.
A pressure-washer can remove some stains very well on the driveway - in a thin 1/4" stripe at-a-time. It can remove old sealer, but on a stamped patio, it's just as likely to take a chunk of concrete with it as well. It can remove moss from a deck, but then you WILL need to re-stain it, and you probably will have to sand it down. Unless it's your parents house, and you are trying to put it on the market really quickly, for example.

Anything a pressure-washer can do, a garden hose and some earth-friendly solvents can do better. Except "light saber" battles with your neighbors.

[SteveH]

The contractor told me it was water based. I'm pretty sure it was, there was an unexpected cloud burst shortly after he completed it and he had to re do a portion.

I need a pressure washer because the water pressure here is rather low. It needs a boost in order to clean anything. I would also use it for periodic deck cleaning which is Azek, a PVC based synthetic deck board. Too much tree sap falls on it and holds dirt. Over time it becomes difficult to scrub off. Power washing would be much easier. I really don't want to purchase another machine but it appears that is where I am headed.

[chop456]

Can't you buy one of those Billy Mays nozzles that turns ordinary, substandard water pressure into a water jet plasma cutter? :D

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