Pros and Cons of Sealing Concrete Driveway (The Ultimate Guide!)
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Is It Worth It to Seal the Concrete Driveway?
When you have a Concrete Driveway you know that you have got to seal it. But is it worth it to seal the concrete driveway? What are the Pros and Cons of Sealing Concrete Driveway? Which of those are really important and why?
As a homeowner, you need answers to these questions.
Increase in Durability, Maintenance of Concrete Strength, Prevention of Crack Growth & Propagation and Improved Aesthetic Appeal are Benefits that really matter, when it comes to Pros and Cons of Sealing Concrete Driveway.
The cost and effort involved may be classed as cons but then there is no gain without some pain.
Pros and Cons of Sealing Concrete Driveway
| PROS | CONS | ||
| BENEFITS (That Really Matter) | THE PAIN POINTS | ||
| 1 | Can Double the Life | 1 | May Need to Reseal Every Year |
| 2 | Maintains Concrete Strength | 2 | There is a Cost Involved |
| 3 | Prevents Crack Growth & Propagation | ||
| 4 | Improves Aesthetic Appeal | ||
| BENEFITS (That are Nice to Have) | CONS (Where there is a Workaround) | ||
| 5 | Stains are Easier to Clean | 3 | Makes Driveway Slippery |
| 6 | Protects from UV Radiation | 4 | May Have High VOC |
| 7 | Protects from Deicers | ||
| 8 | Prevents Moss, Mold & Mildew Growth | ||
| 9 | A Fun DIY Project |
The BENEFITS (That Really Matter)
1. Can Double the Life
Among the several driveway material options, concrete is certainly the most long lasting. A well built concrete driveway will last 25 – 30 years. However, you can double this to around 50 years with some tender love & care (TLC).
Sealing the concrete driveway is probably the best thing you can do as part of the TLC. A concrete driveway sealer does exactly what it says. It seals the concrete slab and prevents ingress of moisture and water.
Moisture & water ingress is extremely damaging to the structural strength and durability of a concrete driveway.
“The most destructive agent of concrete structures and components is probably water”.
Quote from Wikipedia
For best results you must use both, a penetrating sealer and a topical sealer. They have different ingredients and functions but work as a team.
For more information on how these two types of sealers work check out my blog post How Long Does Concrete Driveway Sealer Last? (Comprehensive Explanation!)
2. Maintains Concrete Strength
Concrete slabs have very high compression strength but relatively low tensile strength. Typically a residential concrete driveway may use concrete with compressive strength of 3500 – 4000 psi. But the tensile strength may be only 300 – 400 psi.
To bolster the overall strength, the concrete slab is reinforced with welded wire mesh or rebar.
Moisture & water penetration will corrode both the concrete and the steel reinforcement. The overall structural strength of the concrete driveway will be compromised.
A weakened concrete driveway is more likely to crack, spall and sink or heave in spots. Both penetrating and topical concrete sealers will protect your concrete driveway from water penetration and resulting corrosion.
3. Prevents Crack Growth & Propagation
Concrete driveway sealers also prevent the growth & propagation of cracks. Concrete driveway crack growth & propagation can be a serious problem in cold regions that experience freeze thaw cycles.
Water that enters the concrete pores, through the small shrinkage cracks, will freeze into ice, when temperatures drop below freezing. As ice has a higher volume than water, it exerts pressure on concrete from within.
When temperatures go up to above freezing, ice melts and the pressure is released. During winter, the freeze thaw cycle occurs repeatedly. It is a known engineering fact that even a small stress, that is cyclical, can lead to failure
Freeze thaw cycles cause existing cracks to grow & propagate. Concrete sealers prevent this by protecting the cracks from moisture & water ingress.
4. Improves Aesthetic Appeal
Penetrating concrete sealers are absorbed by the top layer of the driveway. They block the pores from within, but do not form a film. Topical sealers, on the other hand, adhere to the surface and form a clear, water repellant film.
Depending on the product the film can have different degrees of gloss levels. You may choose a dull matte finish, high gloss wet look finish or something in between.
Wet look finish can be stunning when applied on concrete pavers or certain stamped concrete designs.
You could also add a touch of color to your boring concrete driveway by adding a stain to the topical sealer.
So a sealer not only protects but can also accentuate the looks of your concrete driveway.
These four benefits are, in my opinion, enough to justify the use of concrete driveway sealers. But they have some additional benefits too, which are nice to have.
BENEFITS (That are Nice to Have)
5. Stains are Easy to Clean
Topical sealers form an impervious water repellent coating on the concrete driveway surface. The sealer not only protects the surface from precipitation and snowmelt but also from spills & stains.
Seal your concrete driveway and you won’t have to worry that much about grease marks & oil spills, food & beverage stains, organic secretions from leaves & twigs, pet urine and squashed bugs.
Stains will be superficial and will not get absorbed by the concrete. Such stains are easy to clean. Usually a mop dipped in soap solution will do the trick. For more stubborn grease or oil stains use a degreaser and then pressure wash.
6. Protects from UV Radiation
Polymer and other bond chains within the cured concrete slab make the driveway strong. Unfortunately, UV radiation breaks down these bonds over time.
Long exposure to harsh sunlight will weaken the concrete and turn the top layer into fine dust. Cracking and spalling may also occur.
Colors tend to fade when exposed to UV radiation. A stained or stamped concrete driveway will look dull and lifeless, in just a few years, if it is not sealed and protected from UV radiation.
Most topical sealers have UV resistant additives incorporated in the formulation to minimize damage to concrete.
7. Protects from Deicers
If you live in a cold region, then removing snow & ice from your driveway must be on the top of your most hated chores list. Like most homeowners, you will likely use deicers to make the job of removal somewhat easier.
Most deicers are salt-based. The snowmelt is naturally rich in salt and corrosive chemicals. Water impregnation into the concrete slab is bad enough. When the water has a high salt and chemical content, its corrosive powers go up exponentially.
Concrete driveway sealers prevent penetration of water that is high in salt and corrosive chemicals.
8. Prevents Moss, Mold & Mildew Growth
Unsealed concrete cracks with dirt and water are a breeding ground for moss, mold & mildew. Food from the dirt, water supply and abundant sunlight are the only 3 things moss, mold & mildew need to flourish.
Prevent mold & mildew growth by sealing your concrete driveway.
9. A Fun DIY Project
Unless the driveway is a really long one, sealing a concrete driveway can be a fun DIY project for the weekend. Use safe water-based concrete sealers and you can involve your kids in the fun too!
Have fun while you save money.
RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS
The Best Sealers for Your Concrete Driveway or Patio
A topical sealer is essential for protecting concrete surfaces from water permeation that can damage the concrete from within and compromise its lifespan.
I highly recommend Foundation Armor Concrete Sealers. Pick the one that best meets your aesthetic and application preference.
OK there are a couple of pain points and a couple of cons (for which there is a workaround) when you consider sealing your concrete driveway. Here they are:
THE PAIN POINTS
1. May Need to Reseal Every Year
Penetrating sealers last 7 – 10 years but acrylic topical sealers do not last more than 1 – 3 years. I recommend testing the sealer effectiveness in fall. If it is good, skip the resealing. But you must reseal if the existing sealer is depleted and is no longer effective.
Winter is certainly the most trying period for your concrete driveway. Fortify it with a reseal.
You can treat resealing your concrete driveway as a pain point. Or you can treat it as a fun DIY project. It’s up to you!
2. There is a Cost Involved
You can save the labor cost of resealing your driveway, but you’ve still got to buy the sealer. Good quality sealers do not come cheap.
It is best to go for a reputed brand such as CONCRETESEALERSUSA or Foundation Armor. You can rest assured you are getting your money’s worth!
Now for the cons that have a workaround
CONS (Where there is a Workaround)
3. Makes Driveway Slippery
It is true that the application of a topical sealer will make a concrete driveway slippery. Concrete surfaces, even fairly smooth ones, have some traction. Tropical sealer fills in the small valleys and ridges and removes the traction.
The workaround to this problem is to use a non-slip additive. It can either be mixed into the sealer or broadcast over the still wet sealer coat.
A non-slip additive will make the concrete driveway less slippery. But it will not make it slip-free, especially when the surface is wet.
4. May Have High VOC
Some sealers, especially those that are solvent based, may have high VOC and chemicals that are harmful to people, pets and the surrounding landscape. You must wear protective gear during their application.
The workaround to this problem is to opt for safer water based formulations even though they may be costlier.
Bottom Line
The bottom line is that there are a ton of benefits of sealing a concrete driveway. The pros and cons of sealing concrete driveway are summarized below:
Thank you very much for reading this post. I do hope you found it informative and helpful.
