Concrete is a sturdy material that’s great for basement floors because it’s high-quality and hard to damage. It also can’t be penetrated by insects or critters, so you don’t have to worry about them damaging the floor. Broadly speaking, people may want to paint or carpet the floor if they intend on using the basement as a living area.
However, painting or carpeting can cause mold to accumulate due to how moist concrete is. A liquid sealant could help with this problem for people who want to change the floor’s appearance or color. A basement is one of the most common places for mold to grow, so you’ll want to make sure it stays dry. You can take help from experts like Quintic Inc. to seal the basement concrete floor. If you’re unsure of how to seal it, here are some helpful tips.
Steps For Sealing the Concrete Basement Floor
The use of basement sealant is helpful in preventing moisture and gasses from coming up from the ground and into your home. Moisture can cause mildew, mold, and rot to form on your floor. These can be hazardous to your health and the health of those living within it. To stop this, please follow these easy steps to seal your concrete floor:
1. Clean and Prepare Floor
To prepare your floor for sealing, you need to make sure that it doesn’t already have a sealer and are ready to apply sealer. Clear the area of any obstacles like boxes or furniture, and then sweep or vacuum it to clear out any debris.
Remove stubborn dirt from cement using a scrub brush or paint scraper. Put dish soap on oily stains and scrub them with a brush to dissolve and remove the substance. Rinse the surface well & make sure it dries before recoat.
If you have any residual dust on the floor, make sure to mop it before it dries. The best time to seal floors is when the surface is completely dry.
2. Fix and Seal the Cracks
In order to apply sealer, it’s important to clean and level the surface first. Use a concrete patch, crack filler or leveling if there are cracks that need to be fixed. To fix very large cracks in your concrete or cement walkways use either a regular concrete mix or durable mesh. Let the new material dry completely before sealing off the area and make sure it is leveled with the existing floor.
To prevent damage by hydrostatic pressure, cracks at the cove joint where the foundation walls and floor meet should be left open to allow groundwater and run-off to flow freely. More importantly, if you have floor joints that don’t reach up to the top of the floor, other practices recommend filling these with doormat strips and caulking them with silicone in order to keep them clean and ready for sealing, before finally coating the entire surface.
3. Applying Sealer
As with any floor preparation, once the floor is cleaned and dried, the cracks have been filled, and in some cases newly installed, the sealer can be applied. Apply it using a large paintbrush to hard-to-reach areas of the wall or corners.
After you’ve applied the sealer, you can now cover the rest of the floor with it. Chances are your instructions will mention things like ventilation and temperature make sure to follow these instructions and avoid any problems!
When using a sprayer, give time to try and use an old brush around the edges and corners. Remember to focus on any areas with bad circulation or ventilation for best results. Make sure you read the instructions on the sealer before you start spraying, especially regarding nozzle height and distance from the floor.
Be sure to apply the sealer in a back-and-forth motion, making sure to coat the same area multiple times and avoid missed spots. You may want to protect the walls (with plastic) or other surfaces from getting covered with sealer. As soon as you’re done, make an ‘exit point’ by pushing a clean rag over that part, so your feet don’t get all dusty. The floor should be wet and at least still looking wet for a day or two after you seal it.
Sealing your concrete will help it dry darker and seal cracks & holes. It’ll let it settle better too. Unlike unsealed surfaces though, you won’t have to wait a whole week for the final coat. Apply it at a right angle to make sure you cover everything properly.
Final Words
As you seal a concrete floor, do a water test first to see if the surface is sealed. If not, remove dust and dirt, clean stains, and apply a penetrating or surface-level sealer with a paintbrush and lint-free roller. If your floor has a high gloss sheen, choose a penetrating sealer. If the surface is dull, choose a surface-level sealer. Be sure to follow product directions for application.
