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Silane – Siloxane blend sealers are penetrating water repellent sealers designed to stop the surface absorption of water and other liquids. The repellency benefits offered by Silane – Siloxane blend sealers help to protect concrete and brick from salt damage, freeze-thaw damage and water damage. Silane – siloxane blend are the best type of penetrating sealer to use on driveways.

Silane Sealers and Siloxane Sealers

Silane – Siloxane blend sealers differ from a Silane sealer or  a Siloxane sealer. Both types of sealers when used individually offer strengths along with weaknesses. One performs better below the surface and the other performs better on the surface. A Silane – Siloxane blend sealer takes the strengths of each type of sealer without the weaknesses. The combination offers protection above and below the surface.

Water or Solvent Based

Solvent based sealers tend to be available in high solids solutions and water based tend to be available in low solids solutions. It is more difficult to make a high solids water based solution because the solids actually separate when carried in a water based solution.

Water based sealers tend to have lower VOCs but there are low VOC solvent based solutions. If the job allows for a solvent based to be used, go with a 40% solids solvent based silane -siloxane. If the job is by water and solvent based sealers are not allowed, go for a 10% solids water based solution.

Low or High Solids Solution

With many sealers and coatings, the % solids is irrelevant but with silane -siloxane blend sealers, % solids is a direct indication of performance, especially when being applied to porous concrete and brick surfaces.

When you go into a Home Depot, Lowe’s or Menards you can quickly and easily be tempted by the $19.95/gallon price of the silane-siloxane blend. What isn’t so obvious is that what you find in Home Depot, Lowe’s or Menards is that the $19.95/gallon solution is a 2% to 8% solids solution. These products have given the industry a bad name because a 2-8% solids solution, and even a 12% solids solution, will easily get lost in a large pore. They don’t last long and don’t bead water well.

If you are looking into a silane – siloane blend sealer, you want to make sure there is at least 20% solids but a 40% solids solution would be ideal. The most popular manufacturer of 40% solids silane – siloxane blend is Foundation Armor, made famous by their Armor SX5000. Foundation Armor also manufactures a 10% solids water based version for jobs sensitive to the use of solvents.