Can Etched Floor Be Left Unsealed?

[brian.johnsonx]

Hi All,

I've been reading on here for a few weeks now. We just purchased a home and I've been working to fix up the garage. I gotten into the process as far as to wash/degrease and acid etch the floor. After some further consideration we've decided not to epoxy the floor at the current time. We may revisit the idea next spring or in a year but for now there's just too much on our plate.

My question, can the etched floor remain as is or does the process of etching now mandate that we seal the slab in some way?

 

[Shea]

You don't have to seal the concrete, but you do have a couple issues to consider. The first is that unsealed concrete that has been etched is easily susceptible to staining due to the porous nature of the surface that was created. Additionally, it makes it harder to keep clean.

The other issue is that if you do apply a sealer, you will need to grind the surface to remove it if you decide to apply a coating at a later date.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

As Shea mentioned... best to keep your prep tight to your install.