Choosing the right sealer coating is a crucial decision when you’re finishing a patio, walkway, or driveway. And though it seems like one of the most insignificant decisions you’ll make (after all, what could be more important than the kind of stone or the way the design is put together?), it’s actually one of the most important. After all, the sealer coating that you use will protect all that material and its design into the coming years.
If you don’t have the proper sealer coating, your stone will be much more likely to deteriorate – and in a much shorter amount of time than they otherwise would.
“But,” you may be thinking, “I’ve just got pavers. What’s the best sealer coating for my pavers? Surely it’s not that complicated.”
If only that were the case. Unfortunately, it’s not normally as simple as saying that you need a sealer coating for ‘pavers’ because pavers come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, designs, and materials. All of these things can have a huge impact on the kind of coating you need. And that’s on top of the question of location. Are your pavers indoors or outdoors? Will they receive high or low traffic?
So many questions to consider. Fortunately, we’ve broken things down for you – and provided a handful of simple things to remember as you embark on your sealer-buying journey.
A Few Things to Remember When Buying Sealer Coating
1. What kind of material do I need to seal?
The kind of sealer coating you’re going to want to choose largely depends on the kind of material you’ll be using it on. For example, water-based sealers are much better for indoor applications while solvent-based sealers are better for outside. And there are sealers that are best for concrete, wetcast pavers, flagstone, and more. When you go to purchase your sealer coating, make sure to check the label so you can be sure that the sealer coating you choose will work for the material you plan on using it on.
2. Do I want my stones/concrete to look wet or dry?
You can find sealer coatings in just about every variety you can imagine. If you merely want something that will protect your newly laid walkway but you don’t want it to change the color or finish of it, then you’ll likely want a matte finish, penetrating sealer. This kind of sealer moves down into the stone or concrete, leaving the surface of it essentially unchanged. On the other hand, you can find topical sealers that will darken the color of the underlying material and give it a gloss. And you can get sealer coatings that are semi-gloss as well as high-gloss.
So, go out and take a look at the area you’re going to seal.
Do you want it to look unchanged – or do you want it to be darkened, perhaps even with a sheen?
Keep in mind that polyurethane sealers last longer than water-based and acrylic sealers – though they’re also more expensive.
Keep these things in mind as you look for your sealer and you’ll be well on your way to choosing the perfect sealer for your project!
Click here for more information about our paver sealer products.
