concrete sealing job

[Barry M 73]

I'm going to be washing a customers driveway, 2600 sq ft. I've done the drive before, normal tannin stains and irrigation rust stains, no problem. He is going to have me seal it this time after I wash it. After I surface clean it with a degreaser I will x-jet oxalic to get rid of the rust. My concern is after this I need to then etch the concrete with muriatic acid to prepare for the sealer, which will be applied the following day. Will muriatic react with the oxalic? I've never messed with muriatic and I don't know much about it. Does anyone have any tips or concerns I may need to be aware of? Where do I even get some? Thank you.

[steve r 14]

Why do ya want to etch the driveway to seal.Ya can use blockade to seal with and its clear and totally water run off.I use blockde when i seal crete.it;s been on my driveway for 2 yrs know and still look almost new.

[Jonathan Chiplock 14]

The only time you would etch the concrete is for a smooth surface, for example a basement or garage floor. For a driveway, it is already rough and will absorb the seal. I recommend vseal www.vseal.com a little pricey but a wonderful product. Call and talk to Jay, he knows his stuff. I wash, rinse, wait a day to dry then come back and apply by shurflo or pump sprayer. Then i take a broom and lightly drag over the surface, similar to backbrushing a deck. This sealant dries clear in minutes.

[Barry M 73]

The customer wants it in a color. So I'm using H&C acrylic sealer. It says to apply their brand of etching solution before sealing, which is basically phosphoric acid. I was told to use muriatic instead. Not that I don't believe you, when you say I don't need to etch it at all. I'm really in the dark about the whole thing.

[Jim Carroll 14]

if that is what you are using I would recommend etching it.

[SPW Clean 14]

I have found Muriatic Acid at Lowe's in the painting section for under $10 a gallon.

Keith

Sorry, I didn't see how old this post was.

[Tmrrptr 164]

I have found Muriatic Acid at Lowe's in the painting section for under $10 a gallon.

Keith

Sorry, I didn't see how old this post was.

There's a lot of good information if you sort through the old posts..

Wait 'til you find the awesome log cabin in Montana!

I put in a reply just in case someone answers back.

Great looking place. It would be really good to work up there.

....well, to have steady work up there!

r

[Lenny Schrec 14]

I have used H&C before on garage floors and had to etched so it is alittle rough like sand paper. Most driveways are rough enough.

[PressureMax 14]

Im sure you are through with the job already but here are my two cents for the forum....

You dont need to etch a driveway unless it is slick or shiny for some reason. . If you are using the zylene based sealer, you will need probably 3 good coats to get it to cover good because it is so thin. You will use double what you would use in paint. It bonds really well. H&C (zylene based) holds up good to the worst culprit. Hot tires... H&C also offers a water based concrete stain. I wouldnt suggest that for car traffic.

[sflasealcoatinginc 14]

#1 We wash EVERY driveway concrete/or pavers with A phosphoric solution....not so much for etching but to remove any lime deposits or secondary efflo...and YES on 98% of every driveway Definately pavers i can guarentee you there is some form of secondary efflo film cuasing a hazy look.

#2 When using a Xylene based clear sealer rolled on ONE coat is all that is necessary for saturation. Possibly two sprayed. Any more than this you are just asking for fogging/whitening of the sealer.

[Barry M 73]

Good info Cody. I'm going to be sealing another driveway as soon as the temps cool down a little, it's getting into the 90's everday. I'm going be using V-seal this time but there is some issues with what was previously used to seal the concrete. The HO isn't sure and neither I am. I emailed Keith at v-seal some pics and he wasn't sure either. So I'm in the dark about what to use to clean/strip the concrete with. He suggested I just clean it like normal and do a little test spot to see how it turns out. Water doesn't bead up on the concrete now but there is definitely some traces of old sealer. Here the pics what do you think? The concrete is wet in the second pic.

[dpaull 80]

When you find out what to use there, let me know...I have a customer with a back porch that looks like that and I have to get the old stuff off.

What do you normally use to get old failing sealer off concrete? I'm guessing sodium hydroxide?

[Barry M 73]

Don't know, never did it. That's why I contacted v-seal for some help. But not knowing what type of sealer was used I don't know where to start. I've only cleaned and sealed bare concrete. When I do figure it out, I will post it here and let you know.

[Scott Paul 164]

When you find out what to use there, let me know...I have a customer with a back porch that looks like that and I have to get the old stuff off.

What do you normally use to get old failing sealer off concrete? I'm guessing sodium hydroxide?

Sodium Hydroxide will not remove previous coatings of concrete sealers. If it is a film forming acrylic (wet look) type sealer you will need a methylene chloride type stripper to remove.

[dpaull 80]

Thanks...can you recommend a specific product that you like, or they are all pretty similar? Thanks again.

[sflasealcoatinginc 14]

Dads stripper...... ask for it at your local benjamin moore...sherwin williams store.... it runs 115-150.00 per 5 gall. Will take any sealer there is off. Whatever doesnt get taken off will be reabsorbed with another xylene based product. I would put a colored stain on that personally....I dont ever use a clear on standard grey slurry concrete. Mine as well use a color stain...they come in a variety of greys you could use to give them a uniform color. And it wont peel.

[Scott Paul 164]

Dads stripper...... ask for it at your local benjamin moore...sherwin williams store.... it runs 115-150.00 per 5 gall. Will take any sealer there is off. Whatever doesnt get taken off will be reabsorbed with another xylene based product. I would put a colored stain on that personally....I dont ever use a clear on standard grey slurry concrete. Mine as well use a color stain...they come in a variety of greys you could use to give them a uniform color. And it wont peel.

Dads will work but unfortunatley it is pretty expensive and sometimes hard to find in 5 gallon pails. A single gallon usually will run about $30+. It is also not enviromentally friendly and you should use a chemical respirator when appying. The use of a turbo tip will help alot.

[sflasealcoating 14]

Dads is in abundance down here and all we buy is 5 galls...... yes wear a resperator and do NOT let it touch your skin or you will be soprry...i have a few chemical burn scars from using it. However..... its the only way to remove clear seal the right way. Apply...scrub....let sit for a few minutes then wash off.... if you have an 8 gpm 3500 psi or higher you should be able to get all sealer off with surface cleaner... If you have a smaller machine it may take you much longer.

[V-SEAL 14]

What you use to strip a sealer depends on what technology the sealer was to begin with. Sodium Hydroxide or even the nasty stuff methylene chloride will not even touch some denisifer type sealers. However, if it was an old acrylic, you may start to touch it with those chemistries. Basically if its an acrylic just use whatever you'd use to strip an acrylic paint with. For environmentally friendly solutions go with a soy based stripper. (Yes, of course we have one call for more info.)

My suggestion to the caller, and to everyone here when dealing with old unknown strippers is to test, test, test.

Likely starting points. Sodium Hydroxide or soy based strippers. Then possibly methylene chloride if you can stand it. But before that, I might try -- get this -- muriatic acid. It will help re-open if a densifer was used.

Basically when its unknown - test your chemical before cleaning. Then TEST your sealer to be sure of the results you want. A little time now, can save you a big headache later.

Thanks,

Keith@Vseal.com

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