Why you need to seal your concrete and the best sealer for the job.

The most dangerous time for your concrete? Winter. Whether it's the freeze/thaw cycle or the threat of extra salt working it's way into your concrete to damage the surface, your concrete is especially susceptible to damage during the winter time. To avoid most of those seasonal perils and best protect your concrete surfaces, especially those located outside all year long, you should use a concrete sealer to make sure there is no long term damage suffered during the winter. A quick look at the most likely threats, salt and the huge amount of damage caused by the freeze/thaw cycle. The freeze/thaw cycle is far more dangerous for your concrete than over exposure to salt. Large amounts of salt seeping into your pool deck, driveway or sidewalk are no good for your concrete, and will likely lead to future damage but the biggest danger is the freeze/thaw cycle. This happens when water gets into the concrete slab during the warmer months in the Spring, Summer, and Fall. The water enters the concrete through the surface (pores, natural to all concrete whether it's a patio, sidewalk or driveway), before passing through the entire slab through the deeper pores and hairline channels that extend throughout. Once inside the concrete, the water will not evaporate quickly. It will likely sit within the concrete until the winter, when it will freeze. When it freezes outside the water trapped inside the concrete expands, and the odds the concrete will crack to accommodate the larger amount of space taken up by the ice goes up greatly. When the ice thaws after the winter is over, the water will seep out of the concrete, leading to a contraction that will cause more cracking and crumbling. After a few hard winters, concrete plagued by the freeze/thaw cycle will be cracked, crumbling, and degraded past the point of an easy repair, its structural soundness and strength are now compromised. In order to best protect your concrete from the freeze/thaw assault, you need to choose the best concrete sealer available.

Deco Guard from Surface Koatings Inc. is the best sealer available.