Application Instructions & Tips
for LastiSeal Masonry Color Sealer Storage Keep unused sealer in a closed container in protected storage out of direct sunlight at 40–90°F. KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN. Avoid freezing, do not store outdoors in freezing weather. Shelf life – 1 year. Do not thin the sealer or dilute with water – it would negatively affect the resulting seal and color. Color Sealer pail labels (in PDF):  Ambient Conditions for Application The air and surface temperatures must be above 60 °F during the application. The surface temperature should remain above 50 °F for at least 24 hours. This presents no problem in basements during the winter – the ground temperature and heating keep the concrete surface warm enough. Tip: Store the sealer at room temperature before application. On outdoor applications, avoid hot surfaces in direct sunlight. It would dry out the sealer before it can penetrate. In hot weather, apply in the morning while the surface is still cool or apply to areas in shade. Or apply in the afternoon after gets cooler but not too late, in order to avoid the chance of dew falling on the wet surface. The surface must be dry. After a rain, let the concrete dry out for 2-3 days. Avoid rain for at least 12 hours after the application. Surface Preparation The surface must be clean. Remove all dirt, paint or sealers, adhesives, efflorescence ("white powder"), oil, grease, mildew, rust, and other contaminants. You can use our Lightning Strip Paint & Mastic Remover, Novion Universal Concrete Cleaner as a degreaser, or Efflorescence Cleaner (check out Concrete Cleaners). Then, remove any residue with a pressure washer or wash and scrub with a deck brush. Very hard-troweled or polished concrete with a high sheen would prevent proper penetration of the stain. (No paint or stain would adhere either.) Open up the surface by vacuum shot-blasting, light sand-blasting, grinding or sanding. Or etch with muriatic acid, neutralize with a solution of baking soda or ammonium, and thoroughly rinse off any residue. Typically, this is needed on floors in shopping malls or warehouses but not on most residential garage floors. Mask glass, metals, and surfaces that should not be stained. The sealer does not etch glass but once dry, it has to be scraped off. New Concrete Allow new concrete to cure for at least 28 days, which is needed for the concrete to develop capillaries (pores). "Green" concrete is very caustic (pH of 11-12) but its pH will usually drop to below pH 10 in 3 to 12 months. Thanks to acid rain, it drops faster in outdoor concrete. Highly alkaline or acidic surface will not allow the color pigments to penetrate and the stain would stay on the surface, where it can be washed or worn off. The concrete has to be be below pH 10 (and above pH 5) with the optimum range of pH 7-8. (Most paints require a pH below 9.) You can get pH test strips in a drugstore and on the Web. To reduce the pH value of concrete, use a mild acidic solution (e.g. muriatic acid diluted 1 : 10, a low-pH cleaner, citric acid, or a vinegar solution). Then, rinse it thoroughly with clean water to remove any residue. Sprinkle drops of water on the surface and using the pH test kits, confirm that the average pH is below 10 but above 5. Test samples We strongly recommend that you first test with a couple of samples to make sure it is the best color for your concrete and that the color has penetrated into the surface. (Note that the Color Sealer is non-returnable.) If you have to, the stain can be scrubbed off with a stiff brush and water a day or two after the test application or completely removed with Novion Universal Concrete Cleaner, which is also available in sample size. Has the Stain Penetrated? The "wet rag test": Let cure for 3 or 4 days and then, try to scrub it off with a wet rag. The stain should not come off. If it does, the stain has not penetrated well enough. It could wear off or wash off easily. Make sure to do the test after the application. in cases the color comes off, the stain can be "locked in" by covering it with a transparent coating. The "finger nail test": The color stain should be below or inside the surface. There should be no layer like a paint film sitting on the surface. Using a finger nail or similar, the color should not flake off. Personal Protection Masonry Color Sealer is water-based, non-toxic, nonflammable, non-carcinogenic, and non-hazardous. No hydrocarbon solvents and very low VOCs. None or a slight odor. Does not harm vegetation or grass. Using splash goggles is a good industrial hygiene practice. Gloves will keep the sealer from drying on hands. No other special precautionary measures are normally required. Good ventilation (ideally 10 air changes per hour) will remove the evaporating water. Keep Stirring! Very important – STIR WELL BEFORE AND DURING APPLICATION! The various color pigments settle unevenly, which would greatly affect the color. Stir particularly well off the bottom. Recommendation: Pour the sealer into another clean container, ensuring that no pigment is left at the bottom, and thoroughly stir. Keep stirring while applying the sealer. If using a sprayer, keep shaking it. Application Equipment Color Sealer is best applied with a pump-up garden sprayer or any low-pressure sprayer with 20–30 psi pressure and a fan-tip nozzle. Spray it on in a continuous, thick, glistening film and roll out any puddles to avoid leaving darker or shinier areas. Spraying is best for outdoor concrete because it will avoid overlapping roller marks caused by faster drying. Indoors, you can use a roller (1/4" mohair or foam roller). Instead of just smudging the sealer on the surface, deposit a continuous glistening film like with a sprayer. Application During the application, maintain a “wet edge” to avoid darker overlap areas. If you must stop during the application, end at a joint or some other architectural feature. If none is available, use blue painters’ tape to create a clean edge. When resuming application, re-mask with the tape on the already colored side. When sealing a floor, plan ahead to leave a way out without stepping on the wet surface. Let dry out before applying the second application next day – 12 to 24 hours later. Staining walls is definitely more difficult than staining floors because the sealer runs down, making the color more uneven. Spraying should be followed with a roller but that is difficult on "bumpy" surfaces like stucco. Repeated applications make the color more even. Regardless of the color, the sealer still waterproofs the substrate. Number of Applications Two applications are standard and are required to waterproof concrete or masonry. Two applications also provide a more intense color. If you prefer a lighter color, use only one application and to waterproof the concrete, apply as the second application LastiSeal Concrete & Brick Sealer -Satin. (Not in reverse – the color stain would not penetrate into a previously sealed surface.) Good-quality poured concrete will normally not absorb a third application. But three applications may be needed when waterproofing very porous materials:
- Older poured concrete over 30-50 years old
- Standard concrete blocks
- Cinder blocks
- Splitface blocks
- Pavers, colored pavers.
There are materials with pores so large that they are practically impossible to waterproof – lightweight CMUs, splitface blocks, or cinder blocks, and masonry that has already badly deteriorated due to extensive water seepage. Coverage Depends on the porosity of the surface. Approximately 200 sq.ft./gallon (1,000 sq. ft. per pail) for the first application. A lighter second applications next day at approx. 300–400 sq.ft./gallon. When waterproofing standard poured concrete in 2 applications, we estimate 600–700 sq.ft. per 5-gallon pail (120–140 sq.ft. per gallon). Combination with RadonSeal For the tightest seal against liquid water, water vapor, and radon gas, seal the concrete first with RadonSeal Deep-Penetrating Concrete Sealer. Let cure for at least five days and sweep off any purged minerals. Then, apply one lighter application (at 300–400 sq.ft./gallon) of LastiSeal Color Sealer. Since the concrete is already deep-sealed, it will not absorb so much of the color and the resulting color will be less intense. Cleanup Wash all tools and equipment with soap and water as soon as possible. Any spills may be cleaned with soap and water before they dry. Flush all spray equipment with soapy solution. Removing the stain or any over-spray: Scrub off using a stiff bristle brush and plenty of water. If already cured for several days, remove the stain with Novion Universal Concrete Cleaner. How Come the Stain Has Not Penetrated? Common pitfalls:
- New concrete – too caustic with pH above 10. It has "burned off" the color.
- Very hard, machine-troweled surface – the stain could not penetrate.
- Hot surface or very windy, dry conditions – water has flashed off before the sealer could penetrate.
- Wet concrete – the sealer could not penetrate into the pores.
Note that the sealer component may have penetrated and waterproofed the concrete even though the color stain pigments have stayed on the surface. Curing and Maintenance Ready for foot traffic in 2 to 5 hours. Allow at least 3 days before vehicular traffic and 5–7 days for heavy vehicles. The sealer fully cures in 1 to 2 weeks. Since the sealer is largely below the surface, there is little impact on surface friction. Depending on the surface and application, a smooth surface will bead. Most floor adhesives and water-based paints adhere very well to the Color Sealer. But do not use latex paints (they do not bond chemically) or solvent-based paints (could smudge the stain). On outdoor surfaces, avoid deicers. They are strong enough to "eat away" plain concrete and can gradually remove the LastiSeal color from the concrete. Maintenance – none required. If you wish to clean the surface occasionally, we recommend a weak solution of Dove soap. Deep, visible scratches can be easily touched up with the sealer. Refreshing the color: If the color fades or the surface gets worn after say 5 or 10 years, wash it off with water and soap and when completely dry, re-spray it lightly with the Color Sealer. It will not absorb fast, because the pores still remain filled and sealed.
Any questions? Please
contact us by e-mail,
telephone (203) 225-0366 or toll-free 1-800-472-0603
Novion Inc., 18 L'Hermitage Drive, Shelton, CT 06484 USA
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