[Greenbuilding] [BULK] Re: bad luck with green concrete sealers

[Lawrence Lile]

Glad to be of help.  I've also changed my Concrete Stain page 

 

http://members.socket.net/%7Ellile/ConcreteStain/Concrete_Stain.html

 

To reflect these sealer problems.  

 

 

 

Lawrence Lile, P.E., LEED AP

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Irina Golfman [mailto:irina at inera.com] 
Sent: Sunday, March 04, 2007 10:58 AM
To: Lawrence Lile
Subject: [BULK] Re: [Greenbuilding] bad luck with green concrete sealers
Importance: Low

 

Lawrence,

 

I did a sample patch of the colored sealer and was about to do the
entire 

slab...Your email is timely...may be I should change my process and the 

products...

 

Irina

 

At 04:09 PM 3/1/2007, you wrote:

>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

> 

> 

> 

> 

> 

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