[Greenbuilding] bad luck with green concrete sealers

[Lawrence Lile]

Well here is the verdict so far on Green Building Supply Gloss Penetrating Concrete sealer, A.K.A. envirosafe trojan ultra sealer

 

 

http://www.envirosafemfg.com/trojan_ultra.htm  <http://www.envirosafemfg.com/trojan_ultra.htm > 

 

http://www.greenbuildingsupply.com/utility/showArticle/?objectID=413

 

This was used on stained concrete, or the colored sealer version was used directly on bare concrete. 

 

 

On the plus side, it is definitely low odor and fast drying.  I could walk on it with socks on after ten minutes.  But the minuses are not too attractive:

 

1.  The sealer, despite being applied properly after thorough cleaing and measuring PH of the floor, is not adhering well and chips off easily if an object is dropped on the floor.  It scratches easily.  It seems to be a very fragile finish.  

 

2. The sealer doesn't seal.  Water does not bead up on it, but soaks in.  Stains soak in as well. 

 

3. It is matte finish, not glossy at all.  

 

4. After some discussions with the manufacturer, he recommended topcoating it with a water-based acrylic sealer.  This extra coat actually achieved the things a gloss sealer was supposed to do -  adds gloss and water does bead up, stains can be washed off.   This leaves me wondering why I didn't just go buy a jug of water based acrylic from the local hardware store in the first place.  

 

5.  Stains cannot be cleaned off of it.  A drop or two of latex paint soaks in, and the entire layer of sealer has to be removed to remove the paint. Same luck with any other spill - food, etc.  Recoating it makes another mess.  There are several spots where latex paint was spilled, and I have a choice of either living with a glaring white spot or scrubbing up the finish.  The manufacturer recommended carefully brushing the latex with a cue-tip, which didn't really accomplish anything.  

 

6. The finish continues to be water soluble, although it was applied two months ago.  Alcohol will dissolve it as well.  There isn't anything you can clean it with, that I can see, that doesn't dissolve the finish.   

 

7. The colored versions were very hard to apply evenly - if they pool, they color the floor much more intensely.  Even using a roller, I found it very difficult to apply an even layer.  Backrolling would sometimes turn it cloudy.  

 

All in all, I am quite unhappy that I used this product and would not recommend it at all.  

 

 

 

Lawrence Lile, P.E., LEED AP