Resealing concrete....need advice...

[b7labelle]

Hey All...I am looking for some advice on what to do with my sidewalk. It is a newer walk, and it probably has only been sealed once. It appears to have some glossy/tinted sealant which is starting to break down and needs to be redone.

I've done some reading and I've found that to apply new sealant, I must "Remove all traces of the old sealant". I've been trying to etch the sidewalk with varying strength solutions of muriatic acid, and I've come to the point where the acid no longer reacts with the concrete (1:4 acid to water ratio) and I can still traces of the original sealant.

My question is how much etching is enough, or I am going way overkill? After spending most of the day on one stretch of concrete, I am convinced I will not be able to get all of the original sealant up. I would probably be fine with applying some sort of bright tinted sealant if anyone can suggest one that would work for my situation.

I've attached some pictures of the area that remains to complete, you can see where the rain has worn away a lot of the sealant....couldn't get a good photo of the area I've done already, too many shadows from the trees.

Edit:
I also recall that when I first moved here 3 years ago it looked like wet/glossy concrete...would the indicate a acrylic based sealant?

 

[Turning Point Innovations]

Is your concrete that light or does it have a solid color sealer? Acid really won't do anything to a decent sealer, but you need to remove sealer only if it is failing. Worn out is not failure, it's just worn out. Sounds like you are done removing anything that will come loose. Next test to see if what you have is water- or solvent-base. Place a paper towel on the concrete and soak it with Xylene/Xylol then wait about 5 minutes. If the sealer gets sticky then you have solvent, but if it just gets wet then you have water base. Hopefully it's solvent, since the acrylics are stronger, but if in doubt use water base. For clear sealer I recommend 20% solids, and see if one thin coat will be sufficient. Don't use cure and seal. The best colored sealers are from SureCrete Design Products since they are the only manufacturer using alkaline-resistant pigments that won't fade. Or you can do something in between with either a pre-packaged translucent highlighting or the old-school method of blending pigment in Xylene and mixing with sealer to get some color highlight.
Thin coats are always best, and the fewer the better to accommodate moisture migration. If traction is a concern you can add grip to the sealer or broadcast it over the wet surface.
Find a local distributor that knows their product and that can help you make a final decision. Best of luck!

 

[b7labelle]

The concrete is not that bright. Will a new sealer cover up inconsistencies in the colors? I am concerned about applying a clear sealant if it will highlight color variations caused by the older sealant.

 

[b7labelle]

Tried the xylol test...area only got dark, not sticky.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Get yourself a stripper and dispose of the old prior to applying the next.
Yes you will have color variation if you do not remove. Turning Point is correct all that acid is only etching your concrete more and more. It will not remove sealer.

Your pics don't show much sealer, maybe you can pressure wash off the balance.

Choose an MMA acrylic for your next sealer, much more resilient.

Here is shot from a customer who used our product:
https://instagram.com/p/3sNSwVljRg/?taken-by=legacyindustrial

 

[EOT 4 Life]

Hi, maybe my experience documented here can assist you in achieving what you want to do:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=289404

I also have some close up pics here:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=292771&page=2

Hope this helps in your decision, and Scotty was great as far as matching me up with a product that would allow me to achieve what I wanted to accomplish.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

It's like magic. Everytime I post that link EOT 4 Life appears!!
Glad you posted the full story for the OP.

 

[EOT 4 Life]

LOLOL, I have to hit you up for some royalties! I have this site set as my home page on my laptop. I love looking at all the different projects people have tackled here with great results. I want to do something with my garage floor next and the ideas I have gotten here are great.

 

[b7labelle]

Thank you all for the comments....been a busy week for me.

Could you recommend a sealant stripper? The ones at the local stores seems geared towards paint removal, and I am not sure how well they would work on sealant.

I am seeing progress with the pressure washer, it's just really slow. And I don't see the streaks that I missed until everything dries..

 

[BillK]

Is this an outdoors sidewalk ??? I have never heard of sealing them, at least not around here. If they get dirty looking just scrub them with some tsp and bleach and go for another ten years

 

[b7labelle]

This sidewalk does reside outside. Sealing concrete is pretty common, and mine used to have a nice glossy finish. It has since faded and turned white, like in my photos.

 

[BillK]

It has since faded and turned white, like in my photos.

I guess I am just not that picky about outdoor concrete. That looks beautiful to me !

 

[b7labelle]

Just wanted to follow up and see if anyone had a suggestion on sealant strippers.

 

[Garage Flooring]

If it's a solvent based acrylic sealer you should be able to
Go back over it with some products. If your not sure you'll want to test it. We also have some stripper that would do the trick for you. Send me a pm and square feet and I can get you info Monday.