Choosing a Treatment
The most efficient way of protecting concrete is to prevent water absorption. Water repellents such as silane sealers with long alkyl chains are ideal for this. This is because of their outstanding water repellency and durability. Silanes outperform rival product classes in their resistance to physical, chemical and microbiological attack. Providing the right product is chosen, impregnation with a silane-based product will preserve a structure for a long time. Silanes feature excellent water repellency without significantly impairing the breathability, and long durability.
Silanes
Today’s scientific findings confirm silanes’ excellent and long-lasting effectiveness as concrete water repellents:
- They block salt: forms a barrier to chlorides from road salts and airborne salts
- They block corrosion: reinforced steel does not rust since the passivation layer remains intact
- They block freeze-thaw damage: freeze-thaw damage is minimized thanks to highly effective water repellency
When looking for a silane concrete sealer look for a high actives formulation. A high actives concentration means you are getting a high amount of active ingredient into the concrete without any filler or byproduct. Silanes are available in actives concentrations as high as 100% and as low as 5%. Silanes are available with water based carriers or solvent based carriers with the solvent based carriers penetrating deeper and performing better over time. Silanes can also be mixed with siloxanes, known as silane/siloxane sealers.
Silane/Siloxanes
A product that is a blend of silane/siloxanes will make for a great penetrating sealer. This formula works by creating a hydrophobic barrier which doesn’t allow water to penetrate the concrete. The water ends up sitting on the surface, resulting in a water beading effect. The silane/siloxanes protect from the inside out, capable of impregnating the concrete from the surface and internally lining the concrete with the sealer. It lines the concrete but doesn’t fill it, making the surface breathable.
Ghostshield's silane, silane/siloxane and siliconate based water repellent sealers will help protect concrete against water intrusion.
The damage that water can cause to concrete is undeniable. Using a water repellent to safeguard the life of your concrete is ideal to get the most out of any concrete surface or structure.
