It’s tempting to think of concrete as a modern invention, but that’s far from the truth. The concrete we use today was first utilized by the Roman Republic around 2,300 years ago.
Some argue that concrete, in one form or another, goes further than that and cite that the Pyramids may have been made from a form of concrete.
Regardless of who invented it, concrete has become a staple of modern-day construction, with everything from sidewalks and driveways to apartment buildings utilizing it.
In the case of driveways, concrete is a durable material, but it needs to be coated to protect it from the elements. We’ll offer some advice on how to choose concrete driveway coating in this article.
1. Know the Different Types of Acrylic Resin-Based Concrete Driveway Coating
The most common type of driveway coating on the market is an acrylic resin-based sealer. These are the most affordable sealers out there and are very effective for their cost.
These sealants will protect your driveway from water, ice, oil, and other potential stains. Not all acrylic resin-based sealers are created equal, though. Many of these sealers are mixed with other types of sealers, such as epoxy driveway coating, to increase their durability.
Another type of acrylic resin sealer, known as styrene acrylic, is less powerful and is prone to yellowing when exposed to sunlight. This is because an element in the sealer, Bromine, reacts with the UV light given off by the sun. How this works is complicated, but it has to do with the fact that Bromine is in the halogen family, and halogens react to UV light.
2. Polyurethane Sealers
Polyurethane sealers are more costly than acrylic resin-based sealers, but they come with many benefits of their own. These sealers are just as durable and far more sleek than acrylic resin-based sealers.
They also come with a few downsides. While these concrete driveway coating systems aren’t prone to yellowing like styrene acrylics, they do have a problem with haze.
Polyurethane sealers seal so tightly that nothing can get in or out of the concrete layer. This includes any moisture that collects on the surface of the concrete.
3. How to Prevent Haze
While moisture collection can be a problem with polyurethane driveway coating, there are ways to combat the issue. The simplest method is to coat the driveway with a thin layer of polyurethane coating rather than a thicker one.
Cleaning the driveway before coating it will help get particles and moisture out, which will make a haze harder to form.
The third method is to apply a sealer with less than 25% solids. The less solid material there is, the easier it is for water to escape.
Concrete Driveway Coating
Applying concrete driveway coating may be a simple task, but that doesn’t mean it’s an easy one. You have to consider many different advantages and risks when choosing and applying the right coating.
We’ve discussed some of the best concrete driveway coatings in this article, but there’s more to the issue than we can discuss in one article.
If you want to know more about driveway coating systems, please visit our site. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.