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Green Building Supply, Penetrating Concrete Sealer
Item #3554
Green Building Supply, Penetrating Concrete Sealer
Safe, permanent waterproofing sealer for concrete, masonry, stucco or brick
GBS Penetrating Sealer is a waterborne polyester polymer and polyurethane that works best on concrete, brick, stucco and masonry. It waterproofs and preserves in just one application, plus it comes with a 15-year waterproofing warranty. Unlike topical sealers that sit on the surface and rub off with wear and tear, GBS Penetrating Sealer protects from inside the material where it can't wear away. In other words, this sealer actually becomes part of the substrate.
This sealer penetrates two to four inches deep, filling molecular voids to completely solidify the surface. When it dries, it becomes part of the structure. This means there's no room left for water to infiltrate and leak through. In addition, the substrate becomes stronger and lasts longer.
GBS Penetrating Sealer is solvent-free, odorless, non-flammable, non-caustic and almost no VOC (5.9 g/l). Use it on basement walls and floors, retaining walls, pool surrounds, brick veneer walls, chimneys, fireplaces, concrete or limestone pavers, driveways, sidewalks, patios, warehouse floors and historical renovations. Allow 48 hours before walking on. Avoid using before rain.
NOTE 1: GBS Penetrating Sealer should not be used in areas constantly under water such as cisterns. Also any areas that have been power troweled, especially in basements, need to be acid etched before application. NOTE2: Do not use this product in working fireplaces as it is not suited to that kind of heat (may bubble and melt). NOTE3: This product will only perform well if applied correctly. Be sure to read and follow the application instructions. For proper adhesion, the surface to be sealed must be:
Porous
Clean
Free of any other sealers, coatings, stamped concrete release agents
Neutral pH — between seven and nine
Dry
Please see the application instructions for details on each of the above steps.
This item description was written by Joel Hirshberg
Why We Like It
Whether you want to stop your basement walls or floors from leaking, or just want to prevent deterioration of your mortar in a brick wall, this is the right product for the job. It's a smart, inexpensive way to prevent problems before they arise.
Features & benefits
Permanent waterproofing — becomes part of your material; 15-year warranty
Superior durable finish — penetrates in; can't rub off; protects against freeze-thaw
Fast-drying — light foot traffic allowed after a few hours
Strengthens substrate — extends material life; reduces efflorescence and concrete dusting
Easy-to-use — sprays on; no mixing required; water cleanup; pH strips provided
Non-toxic — no formaldehyde, ammonia, crystalline silica, ethylene glycol, mildewcides, fungicides, exempt solvents or aromatic hydrocarbons commonly used in sealers
Alert: This product will only perform well if applied correctly. Be sure to read and follow the application instructions. Please note that it may slightly darken the color of your material. Test first to see how it affects your specific application.
State Nexus Fee may apply A state nexus fee will be applied to this item if drop shipped to the following states: . We're sorry for the inconvenience. Click here to read more about the state nexus fee.
Surface should be Clean, Dry, Neutral pH, Absorbant. Test BEFORE applying. Power-troweled surfaces may not absorb well and should be etched with Micro-Etch.
1. Use a low pressure sprayer (Hudson type) or any sprayer operated at no more than 20 psi. Spray on with low pressure sprayer and back roll any puddles into a dry area with a low nap paint roller. The goal is to saturate the surface with ONE COAT. Note: If concrete was power troweled, then penetration could be much slower.
GBS Penetrating Sealer covers approximately 200 square feet per gallon depending upon porosity.
2. Ideally you will work with two people. One spraying and one using paint roller to spread out excess (do not allow excess puddles to dry as results could be slippery). Clean roller or brush with soap and water.
3. Area may be opened to reasonable foot traffic after a few hours of dry time or when new concrete has hardened sufficiently.
4. Allow 6 to 7 days for completion of penetration/curing process.
5. If you are using GBS Penetraing Sealer before painting, allow-dry a minimum of three days prior to the application of paint. GBS Penetrating Sealer will waterproof the surface so well that non-moisture resistant paints (such as but not limited to latex) should NOT be used. Use only good quality moisture-resistant paint such as 100% acrylic or oil based paint.
Note: GBS Penetrating Sealer will not harm glass, aluminum, metal, plants or aquatic life. If GBS Penetrating Sealer gets on glass, rinse off so it doesnt dry. Not recommended for painted stucco (unpainted is fine) and submerged areas in pools or ponds. Not for use in working fireplaces.
Surface or Product Preperation
Always test GBS Penetrating Sealer in a small inconspicuous location first. When in doubt, call us at 800-405-0222.
FOUR Surface Requirements BEFORE Applying:
1) Porous
2) Clean
3) Dry
4) Neutral pH
I POROUS
Porous means it should be able to soak in. If there are sealers or adhesives on the surface they will disallow absorption. If the surface has been highly power-troweled it will also make the surface so dense that water will not soak in easily.
How to Test? Place a few drops of water onto the surface and see if it beads up or soaks in. If it soaks in, then the surface is porous and GBS Penetrating Sealer will also soak in. Nothing need be done except to make sure it is clean, dry and have a neutral pH. See #2 and #3 below.
If, however it beads up and does not soak in for about an hour, then there is either something on the surface or it has been power-troweled.
If powertroweled, use our GBS MicroEtch product to open the pores without toxic chemicals. Do NOT acid etch. Or you can grind with a surface grinder that can be rented from most rental stores.
If there is latex paint, adhesives, or other acrylic sealers on the surface we recommend our GBS Industrial Strength Cleaner (If it is unknown what type of sealer was used, we recommend purchasing a test sample of the cleaner as some sealers cannot be chemically removed).
If efflorescence (white powder), rust stains, red clay stains appear on the surface, use a non-toxic acidic cleaner (Outdoor use only).
If mold, mildew or algae, then we recommend our GBS Mold, Mildew and Algae Cleaner. (For outdoor use only).
II CLEAN
Clean means washed with a neutral pH detergent and then dried thoroughly. Ideally use a 3000 psi pressure washer. If you are indoors, this may be difficult so use a damp mop instead. If you have used a cleaner mentioned above or any other strong cleaner you should wash at least twice and rinse at least three times. Then dry well.
III DRY
Use fans, heat, open windows or a shop vac to remove all water. If there is any water, it will prevent the sealer from soaking in. If it is humid,cold or damp, this could take longer. Be patient. Even if it appears dry on the surface, moisture may still be inside the concrete. There are moisture meters you could use to test but if you wait at least two days during warm weather or three days during cool weather it should be fine.
NOTE: New concrete, even though appearing dry, is still very wet inside. Therefore, you should wait a minimum of 21-24 days until it has dried inside. This can be accelerated with heat, fans and good ventilation.
IV NEUTRAL pH
New concrete has a high pH. It needs to be in the 7-9 range to work well with our sealers. No higher, no lower.
We provide litmus paper so you can test in several areas. Be sure to use distilled water with the litmus test.
What to do if the pH is still high after testing? Concrete less than one year old is often still high in pH. If so, you can use our GBS pH Reducer. This will bring the pH down to acceptable levels with a few hours. Then it should be washed off as explained in #2 above. Note: If you need to open the pores due to power troweled surface then our GBS Micro Etch product is sufficient. You don't need both products.
Recommended # of Coats
1 saturating coat
Re-coat After
none
Drying Time
1 hour to dry and 1 month to fully cure inside the concrete
Appearance When Dry
clear matte
Cleans Up With
neutral cleaners
Storage
Store in cool dry place out of sunlight
Recycling or Disposal
Dispose of excess product in accordance with all local state and federal regulations, Do not throw out container unless completely empty. Pour contents onto dry cardboard and let thoroughly dry outdoors. May also be absorbed with cat litter sand or other dry materials
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