Surface coatings and sealers for concrete - How long do silanes last and why do they fail?

Surface coatings and sealers are a useful tool to help keep outside chemicals from penetrating into concrete. This video explains how impermeable, reactive, vapor permeable sealers work in concrete. Different categories and challenges for each type of sealer is discussed. There is an extended discussion on vapor permeable membranes and their performance. These membranes are especially beneficial for concrete because they are low cost, easy to apply, and show good performance in the field.
Field work is presented that shows the lifespan of silane coatings in Oklahoma bridges. Also, insights are given about how the coatings fail and what can be done after they stop performing.
Thanks to Hailey Goodale! She edited this video and is my Director of Awesome.
My website is: www.tylerley.com
If you would like to donate to my channel please visit www.tylerley.com/giving
References:
Ricky S.C.WooaHonggangZhubMichael M.K.ChowaChristopher K.Y.LeungbJang-KyoKim
Woo, R.S.C., Hongang, Z.M., Chow, M.K, Leung, C.K.Y., “Barrier Performance of Silane-Clay Nanocomposite Coatings on Concrete Structure”, Composites Science and Technology, V.68, I14, Nov 2008, pp. 2828-2836.
Khanzadeh Moradllo, M., Sudbrink, B., Ley, M.T., “Determining the Effective Service Life of Silane Treatments in Concrete Bridge Decks”, Construction Building Materials, May 2016, doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2016.04.132.
Khanzadeh Moradllo, M., “USE OF NON-DESTRUCTIVE X-RAY MICROSCOPIC TECHNIQUES TO STUDY FLUID TRANSPORT IN CEMENT-BASED MATERIALS”, Dissertation, Oklahoma State University, 2016.

[@willbee6785]

If this amount of all your videos info was available when I was a student 46 years ago. I would have been so happy. I grew to love concrete over my career & I still like watching these videos. I’ve student studied it, shuttered it, laid it, managed it & have been on civil engineering large & mega plus commercial sized jobs. Loved them all. Your info is invaluable to so many around the globe.

[@DCUPtoejuice]

10X better than the other 20 videos I just watched

[@MrOliverAC]

This is amazing information for the decorative concrete contractors.

[@dms4449]

Great video! Very informative.

[@AG-jt2wq]

Always love your clips.

[@colerobison6916]

Here is that same thing AS A GRAPH! Love your enthusiasm! 👍

[@Luminaring]

Great energy! Loved the curiosity to the problem..

[@TylerLey]

Thank you so much!

[@muskokagrind7396]

Definitely going to be using sealers moving forward. Starting to push it on clients because of the benefits

[@anwarkazi7779]

Thanks for wonderful information.

[@thisissyron9475]

Thank you so much have watched this video a lot to understand how to prevent moisture in my foundation! Can’t thank you enough!

[@joshuastephenkingsly]

Totally digging this concrete preacher! Him bringing both hands up and talking loud to stress his points is dramatic and fun 😂. Amazing explanation too 👍👍

[@ahlamddj]

you are a true gem sir

[@ponrajr]

Wonderful video

[@dragmeundermusic]

Such good information

[@perfectlyuncommon894]

this is amazing thanks so much

[@davidlarson2534]

Love the video. I’m buying a 50 yr-old house in the Carolinas. It has a problem with moisture from hurricanes, but not that often. I want to excavate the foundation to apply a sealer to the concrete, brick and mortar. I’m all ears. You did a great job with this presentation. 👍🏼

[@jrpeet]

Nice presentation

[@Philadelphia19147]

Cool video! Thanks

[@jasonbradley5168]

Love concrete tech info.

[@stonecreekmasonry9282]

Dr Ley, I have been watching your videos with great interest. I am a masonry contractor with 35+ years in the field. I have been touting the virtues of siloxan sealers for the last 15 years, but so appreciated your explanation on sealers, and vindication of the views I have held on sealing masonry and concrete products. Thanks for the through explanations in terms that even an old dog like me can understand. Val Brotherton

[@TylerLey]

Val, Thanks so much for the message. I really appreciate it! I love to hear from the old dogs as they can always teach me new tricks! I hope to run into you soon.

[@hadleymanmusic]

My souls thrilled everything I learn here. Im not academically educated but Im a McIntyre an its in my blood.

[@michaelwas8549]

Protectosil BHN Plus was recommended for my new Polebarn floor. Just have to strip the acrylic cure and seal off that the contractor applied.

[@jbhix2691]

Great video.

[@TylerLey]

Thanks

[@4schitzangiggles]

Love the information, but for the love of Pete, please get rid of the background music, super distracting and I had a hard time getting through the videos because of it. Other than that, loved the videos

[@larrykent196]

Yes, I find that background music during a discussion is absurd. Not everyone has great hearing, it's a struggle and a big turn off. Great information even for a home owner. Thanks I say for the video anyway. Cheers!

[@darthvader5300]

I remember an old method of using water glass being mixed with water and applied on concrete surfaces and reacting with the lime of the concrete RESULTING IN THE CREATION OF A WATER TIGHT AND WATER PROOF SURFACE WHICH IS AS NON-POROUS AS GLASS. This was once used in wet areas but one tinkering engineer said why not mix an equal volume of water glass powder with cement but pre-mixing/dissolving the water glass first with water before adding it to the pre-mixed mixture of cement, sand, and gravel and add more water to create a semi-plastic/semi-liquid mixture which can either be placed or poured. So he did it and he got it right! The resulting concrete is as water tight and non-porous like glass and still has the same characteristics and properties of the original conventional concrete mixture and so far so good the rebars remains unaffected by the new concrete formulation. May I remind everybody that there are many different kinds of water glass, the water glass used in this new concrete formulation is a type of water glass of a different grade used in the 1960s.

[@hadleymanmusic]

Ive used a clear grout sealer and didnt rush a thing put many coats till it started to float instead of soakup.

[@Ariccio123]

Somghing to follow on with as updates: I've been reading that there are machine shops who have had great success preventing oil & grease stains with a combination of sealers *and* densifiers!

[@sybmundy6223]

You come up with all the answers to my questions So I assume you rate the silanes well ?

[@Rikard_Nilsson]

Funny this would show up in my feed. My father (construction worker for 40 years who had his own small business) built a pond with a waterfall out of concrete in his and moms backyard, he died 1½ years ago and I've been trying to keep the pond in good condition unfortunately last summer I noticed the waterfall was leaking and figured it was going through the concrete so I was going to seal it next summer when it's dry, this information should be very helpful, was not aware of the vapor-permeable type but it sounds perfect for this. Edit: Ok so maybe not if it's toxic, there are koi in the pond.

[@sarangsolhdoost3645]

Dr. Ley, Thank you for the ongoing information you provide. As you mentioned the topic of moisture in concrete for application of Silane/Siloxane Sealant. Would you recomond the typical 30-day period for fresh concrete to cure so a Silane/Siloxane Sealant can be applied? and would you recomond step grinding for improved adhesion?

[@stateofwander6963]

Hey Tyler, thanks for all the in depth info! Amateur concrete enthusiast here. Have been soaking up info quicker than silane into a brand new bridge though (bad joke). Anyways, curious what your thoughts are on "sealing" with boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits. I know there has been some research carried out in this and am wondering if there's any merit to it, and if so, what category of sealer you would put this combo into? My application in this case is a concrete sink and I would also be applying a wax coating over top. Wondering if this could be beneficial and if not, what your suggestion would be, if any. Other options are Diamond Sheen, which is an acrylic/urethane combo, aswell as Cheng and Trinic products which I'm just starting to investigate. Not sure what your knowledge of the more decorative concrete arena is, but any tips would be greatly appreciated. I look forward to soaking up your videos. Thanks again!

[@dkeith45]

Interesting channel OP, second video of yours I've watched. Suggestion for another video, talk about unscrupulous Ready-Mix plants reselling 'old' aka 'hot' concrete. I drove for one such plant for three years in the Chicago area. It's an evil practice. Another video suggestion, would be the importance of properly curing concrete, VS just letting it dry.

[@thinkpadBentnoseTheBlind]

The company that i drove for only used the old stuff to make highway barriers and patio blocks. On a long haul though,if we got stuck in traffic we had a big bottle of pepsi in the truck.That would give us another 30-45 minutes when added to the load. As a rule we used 2 liters per 4 yards of mix . . Right or wrong, i can not say.Did it work, yeppers,it sure did. cheers

[@dkeith45]

@Wesley Blood I doubt they all do it. I know while I was driving for that company, the other drivers would talk about it, and the consensus was some of the others in the area had done it in the past, such as Prairie, Ozinga, and Smith, but that they no longer did (as of 2004 anyway) Yeah, sometimes we would dump what was left into the 'boxes' which resulted in large blocks used for barriers, sort of like the highway type, and some we dumped and washed out completely, but a lot of times, the hot stuff would just be passed from load to load till the end of the day, the last load was so hot, I'd have to dump my whole water tank into the barrel and it still would not be enough. One poor homeowner, last load of the day, I had to dump the rest of his two yard load on his front lawn, as my load was hardening up in my chute, and I HAD to get it all out. He was pissed, and my boss still wanted the poor sap to pay for the load. 0_o. When I delivered to contractors, they'd always ask 'how much old is on?' and I'd tell them honestly, and since when. That gave them an idea how fast they'd have to work. Homeowners didn't ask, and I didn't volunteer the info. Only a very few contractors who bought from the CO I worked for, NEVER got a hot load. From what I heard at the time, they had told my boss if he EVER sold them old concrete, they'd kick his ass, lol. I finally had to stop even telling contractors how much old I had on, the day I delivered 6 yards to a basement floor pour, and was asked how much old, and I told them 4 yards, that had been on over an hour. That set the contractor to screaming at me, and it got back to my boss, and he told me I had to lie from then on, or be fired. He had never told me not to tell anyone prior, nor did the other drivers, though to my knowledge, most of them lied every day. I didn't lie after this, instead my solution when asked was to say 'I don't know'. I no longer worked for them the following year though.

[@dkeith45]

@@thinkpadBentnoseTheBlind Interesting. In the three years I drove for that company, I never heard of any sort of retarder being used. But then I only worked there from like, 2001 to 2003.

[@kalvarez307]

Which company? By any chance was it Welchs?

[@dkeith45]

@@kalvarez307 No, and I'd never heard of Welches either. This company I drove for was in the south side Chicagoland area.

[@ashorts52]

Amazingly informative, especially for a civil engineering graduate. Subscribed! I wondering what you thought was a better value engineering approach, galvanized rebar or a vapor permeable sealer. I'm building a home in a wet climate and am thinking about increasing the longevity of a long concrete driveway and building foundation. Cheers.

[@TylerLey]

I would go with the sealer. It is very inexpensive and works very well if applied correctly. Remember that you will have to apply it again after about 10 years.

[@scottbennett7676]

Hi Dr. Ley, Great video! Have you tested any of the Ghostshield Siloxa-Tek proprietary blend of silane/siloxane products? They promote that their nano technology penetrates into the concrete deeper than other sealers. I am curious if any academic research on their products have verified this claim? Thanks!

[@lovenottheworld5723]

You could oil the surface just like exterior wood.

[@russoft]

I bought what I believed to be a silane or siloxane sealer. Turns out it was a water based acrylic. Doesn't help that they don't clearly label products in the store. I can find anything online, but in the hardware store it's a lot harder to make an educated decision. I guess I'll roll with this stuff and see how it goes but I really liked the idea of a silane/siloxane sealer. Oh well.

[@user-zm4oy6mf5z]

It would be interesting to see if the silicates also goe away with time. I used Lithium silicate on a garage floor. It actually drove oil out of the floor.

[@johnd9649]

Dr. Ley, Great videos. What are your thoughts on products that make a watertight crystalline structure into the concrete like Xypex?

[@xophaser]

I worked on a project and the waterproofing specialist recommended it in underground area with high water level. Best if it is mixed in with the concrete. I think their are sealer version too.

[@honeytubs]

I am curious about products like xypex as well. What is the active ingredient in xypex?

[@theyuha]

Excellent video, I have been looking for something like this Silane for Necedah Tower ( See it on Facebook) Will this protect wood any or can I get it on wood? the wood is pressure treated. Will 2 coats give more protection? I have a 17 ft by 17 ft slab at the 40 feet level on the top- it is somewhat rough. I have to strop off the old paint that failed.

[@gustavoespinoza5765]

Very big fan . Waiting for the 60 days for concrete entrance pad and walk way to cure . Used the wet burlap for the 1st two weeks . Can you please recommend a silane sealer to use . A brand name . Also small cracks should I seal them with hydraulic cement . Or what do recommend to use.

[@davidlixenberg5999]

From David Lixenberg Thank you for this informative and beautiful lecture. You report that it may be more difficult to get the polymer to protect the concrete when refreshing it. Do we know why it is more difficult to achieve a successful protective layer on repeated application ?

[@mohanvvip]

My first guess is that the remnants of hydrophobic layer don't allow the silane solution (?) to penetrate as easily.

[@johanedduque]

Dear Professor Tyler, as always great video. You sir being a teacher I'd like to tell you about the new tech we are developing in China, concretes made without sand and gravel, concretes that are impermeable without the help of additives or sealers, concretes that are 100% recyclable and when the concretes are recycled they use 70% less Portland cement because the material is highly pozzolan, Can you believe this? Ashcrete is a new type of composite material made with Waste to Energy Ash, No sand and gravel are used in the mix design the concrete is made 100% with ash, what is interesting about ash is that ash is similar physically to sand and gravel but chemically is similar to Portland cement, Yes, all the chemicals are in oxide form but being a waste there are more other oxides in the ash (TiO2, Fe2O3,etc) which give concretes made with ash special properties that concrete can't even dream of such as being impermeable to the inside of the structure and outside as well, how is this possible? Well ALL the Oxides present in the ash when enter in contact with water release ions that form crystals and needles, just imagine making a concrete only with Portland cement, the final result an impermeable and sealed concrete and when you recycle it keeps it pozzolan properties so the second time around these new materials use up to 70% less Portland cement, great for the environment less CO2 less sand mining and making waste 100% sustainable.

[@timmy3h]

Can u do one on Xypex concrete waterproofing mix?

[@mattklein5498]

2nd time you pressure wash first wait to dry 3 days and then reapply (siloxane)

[@amya3018]

Thanks! great info. I heard siliconate based sealer, but it seems hard to get in Canada. what's the difference between Silane and siliconate based sealer?

[@jimtseng9679]

Thanks for the information. I have a question. You said that silane is flammable so is it suitable for a kitchen environment? Does it become less flammable after it dries?

[@integr8nfp423]

G'day, Am curious about what products of pour methods IE lower PH with the silane vapour product for the purpose of constructing a tall Concrete water tank that runs along the side of my building. You hit the concerns I have, AND my water tank nerds to be safe for food and drinking. Would you use any of the products you listed? Thank you in advance

[@robertmccall7073]

I have a recently poured slab, lovely light grey colour. I was an idiot and did some landscaping next to it and all over it before it was 100% cured (7days later) and now it is stained with dirt colour over a large part. I want to seal it, but before I do I wondered what can lift the stain? If there is nothing, do you recommend an acid stain to blend the dirt stains?

[@FactorzGT1]

Do you have any content about Silane in brick masonry over time?

[@simclardy1]

question, would limewash do anything to protect the concrete?

[@mattjjacob]

Another hypothesis might be that the road layer got grinded off the top so the differential line appeared higher/thinner when the core was drilled to the same depth.

[@donaldduck830]

Surface erosion was my first guess, too. But if the shoulders (where there is less mechanical erosion) are affected exactly the same as the driveway, it is probably like he said.

[@dkeith45]

@Matt Jacob: Minor critique of your text. The word 'grinded' should be rarely used. The more proper form is GROUND, as in 'the road layer got GROUND off'. D : )

[@Dicofol1]

Can you compare Silane vs Siloxane ? Thank you.

[@imsidetracted]

interesting, have you tried acetone as a carrier?

[@tadartaruh6979]

Love from india

[@jonow4528]

So do you recommend epoxy coatings for a residential garage that does not have a vapor barrier underneath it?

[@laqueenawilliams4762]

My outdoor concrete stairs are messup. Any brand I should get?

[@aymannassar6988]

👍

[@Justinofalltrades1]

What about topical treatment with sodium silicate? Does that act as an impermeable sealer?

[@marekhlavackovi3677]

What about decrease the concrete pH Whit strong base

[@anupamshil]

In your video, are you referring to only solvent based silanes? How effective are water soluble silanes?

[@karooboermeyer1115]

What would happen if you drill holes when applying the silane to get deeper layer?

[@honeytubs]

So there are impermeable, reactive and vapor permeable dealers for concrete. Can these be used in combination? Or can a hardener be used prior to a silane sealer for added benefit?

[@gustavoespinoza5765]

Where can I post to get an answer . Gustavo Espinoza 1 day ago Very big fan . Waiting for the 60 days for concrete entrance pad and walk way to cure . Used the wet burlap for the 1st two weeks . Can you please recommend a silane sealer to use . A brand name . Also small cracks should I seal them with hydraulic cement . Or what do recommend to use.

[@mlrable]

Can you take a sample after setting to test concrete. When you do slab or driveway how do you deal with moisture loss to the soil where you cannot use wax. Can you give names of sealers resin and wax

[@samuelspade889]

If you apply silane should you clean the surface and then wait 2-3 weeks of drought before you apply the silane. I am thinking a layer of dirt, grease, mold, algae would interfere with the absorption of silane to the desired depth. What’s your suggestion Dr. Concrete? Where I live, every year after Father’s Day we get a mini-drought until September.

[@rickw4160]

Not sure, but the general rule of concrete and mason patching is to use a gas power washer to clean things up. Apparently electric power washers just arent powerful enough!!!

[@hadleymanmusic]

What about additives? Like quartz .friend used to work pouring crypts. They got steel but the high dollar has fiberglass" AngelHair" also.

[@98dizzard]

I believe the fiberglass hairs reduce surface cracking, but aren't classed as having any structural strength.

[@mattklein5498]

What about Xypex-best crystalline waterproofing productsilanes/siloxane can leave a very slippery surface on a smooth concrete surfacemethyl methacrylate properly applied eches onto the concrete substrate PMMA from Tremco

[@dubyamiyami]

Hi Tyler, what would be the best concrete coating for a concrete dock on a brackish water canal?

[@TylerLey]

w, From my experience I would use an alcohol based silane (aka high VOCs) and plan on recoating it every 10 years. I know there are many other good coatings out there but that is the one that I have had the best luck with and it has shown good performance in practice. I talk about this here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d4nZiJ-Dm7aelZY

[@mattklein5498]

TYLER!!! Why dont you talk about the advantages of Crystalline waterproofing or admixtures. XYPEX

[@charlesviner1565]

👍✌

[@dderbo]

I have a new driveway that is dusting according to the concrete company and there solution was to apply a densifier with a garden sprayer, which didn’t work waiting to see what their next solution will be….

[@normablack9.1.54]

The science of concrete.

[@cmm170526]

Lazy question (sorry): What would you (or I) use on your garage floor? Thank you for the great video

[@NomenNescio99]

Given you have proper drainage and no problems with moisture go for a quality epoxy coating and do all the preparations meticulously, rent a "real" concrete floor grinder with diamond wheels over a day/weekend. It will last many decades, stands up to all everyday chemicals used in a garage, easy to clean and looks nice in garage. That what was where I ended up when I tried to optimize cost/effort/looks/durability in my use-case. A friend of mine put some heavy ceramic floor tiles in his garage. It costs more and takes more effort to install - but the floor is excellent, it looks great and it's very durable. I've actually seen a metal workshop with end grain wood flooring and that must be the ultimate, no compromises solution - if you win the lottery.

[@samualwhittemore228]

@@NomenNescio99 YOu can make your own end grain flooring out of treated pine. Have Six by Six posts planed and jointed, thin slice 1" thick. Epoxy in place. Then sand flat and seal.

[@combobulated100]

Is silane siloxane same as methyl silconate sealer? If not what is the difference?

[@fcrick]

Are outside chemicals primarily a threat to steel reinforcement, or the concrete itself? How would concrete with non-steel reinforcement be affected?

[@nickblacksoul4318]

Hey can you use silicone to paint concrete ? Using the runny silicone Technick ?

[@TylerLey]

I have used silicone paint on concrete but not had a lot of luck. I think the surface preparation is very important.

[@cascaderetriever7618]

Have you completed studies comparing Techcrete vs. Silanes?

[@thinkpadBentnoseTheBlind]

I once used Thompson's water seal on concrete as asked by the client.Was that a good idea or a bad idea?

[@briangc1972]

Ask your client how it lasted.

[@Boerje69]

What could be very hard surface that is also magnetic? We have that kind of floor in my workplace and been wondering what it could be...

[@ChrisRasch]

My guess is that the floor contains a lot of magnetite. It's used when you need a very heavy, dense concrete. It's used when you need ballast (to counterweight a cantilevered structure), radiation shielding (such as a medical facility or nuclear plant), or you need to reduce the heat of hydration (to reduce the risk of cracking). www.ohamind.com/projects/magnetite/

[@grncrtr]

Dr. ley, When the silanes or siloxanes degrade inside the concrete due to high pH, what are the resulting materials formed? Do these materials affect the concrete quality or durability?

[@TylerLey]

Good question! From what we can tell it doesn't impact the durability of the concrete. The hydrophobic material is just gone. Think about grease when you clean it up. What is left?

[@davidbemis2499]

A good place to look is in glass solubility studies. Chemists have been looking into this for some time and have good papers on surface degradation and morphological changes.

[@troyjohnson3508]

I had my driveway poured last summer. How long can I wait to seal it?

[@kiwibonsai2355]

Hope it's dry by now 😉

[@richardpalusaar3364]

How about simply waiting 17-20 years for the sealer to disappear completely and first then reapply a new layer? Should save on cost and labor of having to remove the existing layer or worrying about lack of penetration. A leap period between coating and no coating.

[@alejandrotejeda3695]

He has a permanent "i'm about to sneeze" look

[@lawfulldick4158]

Dr. Ley, are you telling us that you found concrete on the travel portion of the bridge (where you cored) saw NO surface wear after 12 to 17 years of traffic ?

[@TylerLey]

Yes! We did not core in the wheel path and studded tires are not allowed in Oklahoma.

[@kkonvicka25]

Cathodic protection of rebar? I've heard concrete is electrically conductive.

[@karim1968]

Are you sure of the 70% Siloxane or silicone. it can get so acidic and will eat away the stones or concrete. Also you can use water as a carrier. You only need solvent as a carrier if you are sealing granite or hard penetrating surface

[@mikejohnson9118]

older concrete +5 yrs. Can you apply a silane/siloxane? Has anyone tried Stainless steel rebar. Or Aluminum rebar? What's your take on "mesh" in the concrete? Or mesh and rebar? thx MJ

[@TylerLey]

MJ- You can apply silane to older concrete but it is harder to get it to penetrate. Stainless steel is great! Aluminum is not! It will react with the concrete and cause hydrogen bubbles. I like mesh if it is deformed and welded together.

[@mikejohnson9118]

@@TylerLey Sorry should have been more specific. But that's a good answer too. MESH: IE fiberglass or plastic mesh? Has anyone come up with a semi rigid polymer/aramid fiber to replace the rebar? Have you heard of using hemp fibers for concrete? Thx for your time MJ

[@Conservator.]

mike johnson There’s ‘hempcrete’ but that has no structural strength. It is made of hemp fibers and lime and used as an insulation material. Because of its ability to absorb and release water vapor and its mass it should create a comfortable indoor environment. (Stable moister and temperature level)

[@salamamer702]

What is the best method for the roof made from concrete and colum what about sika powder if we add it to the concrete track to stop concrete from moisture some people use Berlite please give me your opinion thank you

[@TylerLey]

If I was making a concrete roof then I may use an impermeable epoxy sealer. I would also make it on a slope so that it would drain. I don't know what "sika powder" is. Do you mean silica fume or silica powder? This is similar to amorphous silica which is a reactive sealer. This is the second one that I talked about. I think it can do some great things if used correctly and in the right application. I am not sure what Berlite is. Can you tell me more?

[@salamamer702]

Pratliperl - Thermally insulating

[@salamamer702]

The products in your video can be found in sika comp. Or foursc com. Or BASF COMPANY WHICH COMPANY IS THE BEST FROM YOUR OPINION THANKS

[@TylerLey]

Salam Amer I have no idea which is best. I have not tested them. Maybe their technical literature has some information.

[@TylerLey]

I think you mean pearlite. It is a porous material. I am not sure it acts as a sealer.

[@JeanMarcAyotte]

Best solution is to use crystalline water in the concrete mixture at the plan it add around 60$ m3 but it's the best solution

[@Vir9il]

What's "crystalline water"? Do you mean water glass, i.e. sodium silicate?

[@bpccmath251calculusiihitch4]

i am probably incorrect about this, but the "greasy sealer" problem sounds like it is simply washing away; to wit: grease + alkali (high pH) = saponification (making of soap).

[@katiedotson704]

Just found your channel so I may be asking a question you have already addressed. This is mixing latex paint with concrete. I can no longer find the original study done by the state of Florida, I did find this summation of that study done in 1995 -96. Is there more current data on this? "Paintcrete Concrete made with left over latex paint admixture Final Report Feb 20, 1996 Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection Agreement #HW275 Unique or Innovative Household Hazardous Waste Grant In Partnership with Okaloosa County, FL - a way to divert the household hazardous waste stream - by incorporating these materials into concrete) The question is can this be done while maintaining the structural integrity of the concrete, ie, design strength? - descriptions of several test samples and slabs poured using old latex paint during 1994. - the most controlled test consisted of 250 gallons of paint mixed into 17 cubic yards in the form of a slab 25 ft by 37 ft. - All tests resulted in a hard, functional slab, but failed compressive strength tests. - However, in every instance, the masons had added so much extra water that it practically liquified the mix, which probably resulted in sub-standard strength. In late 1995 they performed the most controlled batch design where the amount of water was very carefully rationed. They made a mix consisting of 1.5 cubic yards of concrete (containing 5 gallons of water) to which they added 10 gallons of paint and then 1 gallon of water. Normally, 1.5 cubic yards of concrete would contain 15 gallons of water to get 3000 PSI strength. Instead, their modified concrete contained 6 gallons of water and 10 gallons of paint. The concrete had a slump of 1.25 inches and compression strength (at 7 days) of 3909 PSI (130% of design strength). They added 1 gallon of water to get a slump of 3.25 inches and that sample had strength of 3472 psi at 7 days. Finally they added 1 more gallon of water to get a slump of 5.75 inches and it had a strength of 2996 psi at 7 days. "

[@rowgler1]

Great topic, seems like paint is very similar to acrylic admixtures. Modifying the composition of the concrete seems more practical than a surface coating.

[@TylerLey]

I think that starting with really good concrete is always the first step.

[@chrismemphis8062]

@kcotte59 Pottery Barn

[@silentwatcher1455]

Katie Dotson more water more slump and less compressive strength.

[@imsidetracted]

I do that all the time. especially if i need it to stick to painted stucco. sure i grind it a bit but jeez, who wants to do that. I also do it on those prefab high density foam faux column covers and window dressings, i usually use white thinset with a smidgen of latex , maybe a tad more.

[@HergerTheJoyous]

Can you add, say latex paint in at the point of mixing the concrete to diffuse it throughout?

[@TylerLey]

You can add latex that is suspended in a water solution. The water is absorbed during the hydration and it leaves the latex in the pores. I have never tried using paints but I think they are suspended in a petroleum product. I think the latex would end up in large globules and not be dispersed throughout the mix.

[@HergerTheJoyous]

@@TylerLey oh I thought I read an article awhile back about some company trying to do this as a way to repurpose old latex paint.

[@TylerLey]

Try it and let me know how it goes!

[@HergerTheJoyous]

@@TylerLey Will do I'm doing experiments with Aircrete. Trying to increase it's strength and durability.

[@TylerLey]

Sounds good!

[@lukethmpsn]

You said silane can help with carbonation. Carbonation is gas exchange, how would a silane help?

[@TylerLey]

It plugs the pores at the surface. Look at the images of concrete with and without silane.

[@davidbemis2499]

Love me some silanes and silicates. Tetraethylorthosilicate is my favorite. Why are silicates not added to the concrete mix? Is it because they are too reactive?

[@TylerLey]

They can be but they can mess with your admixtures.

[@Skyborn-]

When is the last time you had to take a hammer drill to your mixer? Cleaning up afterwards must be considered, adderall you don't what to buy a new mixer every day.

[@16v15]

In all seriousness, how much closer are we to (ancient) Roman cement/concrete? Last I read, there was finally an identification of the process, I haven't heard anything about the synthesis though...

[@TylerLey]

We know more about it but I think we have developed our own version of it by using fly ash aka synthetic volcanic ash. I talk about it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZqiydKFtqNKgf9U

[@TylerLey]

We know more about it but I think we have developed our own version of it by using fly ash aka synthetic volcanic ash. I talk about it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZqiydKFtqNKgf9U

[@rollling7523]

When you dilute epoxy with acetone it gets very thin and will go deeper into the concrete.

[@TylerLey]

I agree. That can be really useful to get deeper penetration but the acetone will also attack the concrete and damage it. You have to be careful when you choose a carrying agent.

[@rollling7523]

@@TylerLey Ok, thanks, I didn't know that. I used it for rotten wooden beams and it made them strong again. I know nothing about concrete, but learned already a lot from your videos.

[@JoeZyzyx]

Why not add "water glass" at the time the concrete is being mixed just before pouring and shaping?

[@mikereddy18]

The silicates in the concrete need water to react and form a strong matrix. Silanes or similar chemicals would likely interfere with that and cause issues with the concrete curing. 👍🏻

[@sealpiercing8476]

Hmm. It's not clear to me that one couldn't cook up a similar hydrophobic coating that didn't degrade by that particular mechanism, or not quickly enough to matter.

[@malcolmjames7096]

Love the information but it would be far nicer without the background music. Thanks anyway for your extensive knowledge 🙂

[@dminter1234]

what about pool construction? When the rebar rust comes to the surface, the only solution is to cut out the stained section of concrete down to the rebar, cut out the section of rebar and patch the pool with new concrete. This turns out to be a never ending problem until finally you have to tear out the whole pool and replace it.

[@TylerLey]

Do you mean a salt water pool? I wouldn't use metal reinforcing in a salt water pool. I think FRP would be a good choice.

[@jacqueshanekom4454]

@TylerLey 'FRP' fibre reinforced pool?