The one word "concrete" covers very different situations. A garage floor takes oil and road salt off tyres, a concrete slab terrace takes water and frost, and an architectural concrete wall takes almost nothing, but shows every run.
So the first question is not "which sealer for concrete" but "what does this concrete have to put up with".
Three situations, three approaches
A working floor - garage, workshop, unit.
Grease and vehicle traffic - this is where oil-repellent and solvent-based products do well.
An outdoor surface - terrace, drive, slabs.
Water and frost. The choice of finish matters, because you see it.
A wall or architectural element.
Runs and appearance. Vapour permeability counts here, because a wall has to give up moisture.
Floors: what sets a garage apart
In a garage the adversary is grease, not water, so look for preparations that are oleophobic, meaning they repel oil - all of them are under a filter of their own. For concrete floors, an excellent choice is the solvent-based Eksil sealer EH-18.
The second condition is ventilation. A garage is an enclosed space, and solvent-based preparations need good airflow. Where ventilation is hard, a water-based product is often a more sensible choice than fighting the conditions.
What concrete needs in different places
| Place | What dominates | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Garage, workshop | Oil, grease, road salt | Oleophobicity, ventilation requirements |
| Concrete slab terrace | Water, frost, algae | Water repellency, finish, substrate curing |
| Driveway | Water, oil, traffic | Water and oil repellency together |
| Concrete wall, facade | Runs, appearance | Vapour permeability |
| Industrial floor | Traffic, chemical cleaning | Resistance to cleaning agents |
Slab terraces: the same as paving
Concrete terrace slabs behave like block paving and the decisions are identical: finish, base, state of the substrate. Two CTS Chemistry versions do the job superbly: HBP-1 invisible and HBP-2 wet look.
The guide to choosing a paving sealer takes you through them step by step.
Concrete and floors
42 preparations for concrete and floors - for garages, terraces, driveways and walls.
StandardSplit-face concrete block sealer VBe-1 CTS Chemistry
42,71 zł
30,00 zł/L≈ 3,75 zł/m²
StandardConcrete wall sealer, wet look VB-2 CTS Chemistry
45,01 zł
35,90 zł/L
StandardConcrete wall sealer, invisible finish VB-1 CTS Chemistry
31,89 zł
25,80 zł/L
StandardGrout and cement joint cleaner C-12F CTS Chemistry
38,99 zł
51,99 zł/L
PremiumSolvent-based block paving sealer, wet look SK-2 CTS Chemistry
60,27 zł
54,12 zł/L≈ 7,22 zł/m²
StandardAnti-slip treatment for ceramic and porcelain tiles R-9C CTS Chemistry
59,90 zł
59,90 zł/L≈ 11,98 zł/m²
-trim-01M35DD76FFBNSJGXF3H6BJB72.png&w=3840&q=75)
StandardOil stain remover for concrete and paving OL-1 CTS Chemistry
55,20 zł
55,20 zł/L
StandardBlock paving sealer, wet look HK-2 CTS Chemistry
43,70 zł
36,00 zł/L
Common questions
How does a sealer differ from a concrete hardener?
In what they do. A sealer limits water uptake, while a hardener affects the surface hardness of the floor.
Does a garage floor have to be washed first?
If it carries oil stains, absolutely - a sealer will shut them in underneath. You can read how to deal with them in the guide to oil stains.
How many coats on a floor?
It depends on the preparation and on how absorbent the floor is. An absorbent, worn floor will usually take more coats than a smooth, fresh one.
Will a sealer stop the floor dusting?
Not every sealer will. Dusting has its causes in the floor itself, and limiting it is a job for only some preparations. Choose a product whose scope of use says so explicitly, or write to us and we will point you to the right one.
