Densifier for garage/basement concrete

[kickstart26]

I am looking to help prevent dusting on the concrete in a garage and basement floor. The concrete is only about 1 year old. When I pour water on it, the water does not immediately soak in.

I was looking at using LITHI-TEK 4500 as it is easily available. Do I need to etch the floor at all before application? What dilution would you use? Is there a better product to use?

I don't plan on doing anything else to this concrete. I just want to do something to prevent dusting.

 

[Treeman]

You only have one chance to do this correct. Myself, I would place "best product" as priority over ease of availability.

Someone will address your water absorption issue.

My opinion if intent on choosing penetrating concrete products is that I would prefer one that also claims some resistance to oil staining. My understanding is that no penetrating products will prevent oil staining, but today there are some that provide a bit of oil stain resistance.

Here's a start from one of our premier members/contributors: https://allgaragefloors.com/category/concrete-sealers/oil-repelling/

 

[kickstart26]

You only have one chance to do this correct. Myself, I would place "best product" as priority over ease of availability.

Someone will address your water absorption issue.

My opinion if intent on choosing penetrating concrete products is that I would prefer one that also claims some resistance to oil staining. My understanding is that no penetrating products will prevent oil staining, but today there are some that provide a bit of oil stain resistance.

Here's a start from one of our premier members/contributors: https://allgaragefloors.com/category/concrete-sealers/oil-repelling/

I may skip the garage and do polyurea/polyaspartic there. So this is more for the basement where oil staining isn't an issue

 

[DaChev]

I have used a few densifiers and as a general statement, the lower concentration and longer time to rejection densifiers are way easier to use and will end up soaking deeper into the concrete.

For best application, you want to apply to complete rejection. This means that you want to keep the surface wet with densifier for the time specified by the manufacturer that it takes to absorb completely. This will likely cause a white residue on the concrete that can be removed with elbow grease or some light grinding.

I recently used Ameripolish 3D HSL and it is my new go to densifier. It is cheap $160/ 5 gal and it is available at my local concrete supply house, so shipping is free. It has a 15 minute to rejection requirement and I found that can be applied deeper because it takes so long to react that it does not seal itself from the next application.

You really do not want to use a sealer/densifier because it will seal itself from the densifier and your application will be much less deep in the concrete.

That said, if you have sealer on your concrete, you will have to physically remove it before you can densify it. Make sure that you do not.

 

[kickstart26]

I have used a few densifiers and as a general statement, the lower concentration and longer time to rejection densifiers are way easier to use and will end up soaking deeper into the concrete.

For best application, you want to apply to complete rejection. This means that you want to keep the surface wet with densifier for the time specified by the manufacturer that it takes to absorb completely. This will likely cause a white residue on the concrete that can be removed with elbow grease or some light grinding.

I recently used Ameripolish 3D HSL and it is my new go to densifier. It is cheap $160/ 5 gal and it is available at my local concrete supply house, so shipping is free. It has a 15 minute to rejection requirement and I found that can be applied deeper because it takes so long to react that it does not seal itself from the next application.

You really do not want to use a sealer/densifier because it will seal itself from the densifier and your application will be much less deep in the concrete.

That said, if you have sealer on your concrete, you will have to physically remove it before you can densify it. Make sure that you do not.

Thanks. Is a densifier the best product type to use to prevent dusting?

 

[DaChev]

Thanks. Is a densifier the best product type to use to prevent dusting?

That is the main purpose of densifier.

It will also give a base strength, so that wear is reduced and appears as polish.