WARNING: This stuff can be deadly! Wear goggles, rubber gloves (the heavy plastic kitchen gloves are good, but NOT latex exam gloves!) and a respirator specifically designed for these fumes! Also, you will want to wear a PVC rain suit so none gets on your skin. Any in your eyes, you’re blind; if you breath the fumes, you sizzle your lungs and gurgle when you breath for the rest of your life, if you get really unlucky, you may only need to carry an oxygen bottle. On the skin, you’ll get one heck of a burn! There is a good reason I charge loads when I play with this stuff!

I am not trying to scare you into not using it, but if you do decide to, I hope I have scared you into treating it with the respect it deserves.

Oh, you said it was aggregate concrete? Is it an exposed aggregate, where the rocks are showing at the surface? If so, and they are stained, then the stained rocks may need to come out. This is next to impossible without ripping out the concrete and pouring fresh. If it isn’t an exposed aggregate, it may well turn into one with the application of the muriatic acid.

It may well be easier (and a darn sight safer!) to call a concrete polishing company to smooth it down and coat it…

http://www.castlewholesalers.com/ZEP-ZUIMAGE128-Wet-Look-Floor-Finish-Gal-.html

Traditionally, concrete has never been a popular choice if a homeowner wants something with designs on it. Mostly, the surface of concrete just looks gray and dull, with nothing fanciful on it. However, with the invention of stamped concrete, homeowners can look forward to having beautiful concrete structures. The texture of stamped concrete can be modeled after any natural stone. For example, the texture can look like bricks, but it’s actually concrete underneath.

As with all concrete, stamped concrete also needs to be protected with sealers. There are many benefits for using sealers, and they should be applied on a regular basis. The frequency of application depends on the rate of wear and tear of the concrete surface. The more exposed the concrete surface to contaminants, the higher the sealing frequency.

The internal structure of concrete can be weakened by external contaminants, change of temperature, or a combination of both. For instance, due to an increase in temperature, the concrete starts to expand and crack. Oil or water then seep into these cracks, causing further damage. To make things worse, water that is trapped in concrete can freeze and become ice when the temperature drops. As we all know, ice expands as it freezes. This will cause the structure of the concrete to be further weakened.

Of all the damages that oil, water, dirt and grime may cause, the most difficult to solve are damages that occur within the internal structure of concrete. It is very difficult to get rid of contaminants that is already trapped inside large concrete blocks. For this reason, it is always wise to prevent contaminants from getting into the concrete in the first place.

The solution to is, is to apply sealers on a regular basis. This helps in two ways. The first way is that the sealer actually helps to prevent cracks. When temperature changes occur, the sealer acts as an insulator to the rise or drop in temperature, thus helping to protect the concrete. Without cracks, contaminants cannot get into the insides of the concrete easily.

Even when there are already cracks or holes when the sealer is applied, the sealer will help cover up such cracks and prevent oil or water from seeping in. As the concrete is exposed to more and more contaminants, the initial coat of sealer will eventually wear out. Still, even with a thin coat of sealer, contaminants tend to stay on the surface, and can be cleaned off easily.

To prevent a host of problems that may occur in the future, sealers are commonly applied to stamped concrete to protect the designs and the internal structure of the concrete. When the sealer starts to wear off, the surface actually becomes less shiny and starts to look dull. This is the signal for the homeowner to give the stamped concrete a new coat of sealer.

When applied on a regular basis, sealed stamped concrete can last for many years.

Gen Wright
http://www.articlesbase.com/diy-articles/sealers-for-stamped-and-decorative-concrete-675963.html

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On the surface, concrete looks like an indestructible material. For this reason, many people choose to ignore the protection of concrete. But despite it’s tough exterior, concrete actually degenerate over time. The degeneration can be caused by oil spills, rust from water, dirt and grime, etc.

The solution to this problem, is to seal the concrete surface with sealers. While the sealer cannot offer full protection against malicious contaminants, it helps to lengthen the life span of the concrete surface. Here are some benefits of protecting concrete with sealers.

Preserve outer appearance.

The physical appearance of the concrete can be stained by oil or other substances. When a coating of sealer is applied to the surface, it actually helps to prevent the harmful substance from penetrating too deeply into the concrete. When concrete comes into contact with such substances, cleaning should be carried out as soon as possible. This will help prevent the substances from eroding the coating of sealer, and ultimately damage the concrete.

Enhance outer appearance.

In addition to preserving the concrete, a coating certain sealers can also help to enhance the overall appearance of the concrete. When applied onto concrete, the sealer gives the surface a “wet” or “shiny” look. It looks almost as if somebody had polished the surface.
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In the same way, sealers can also be used to restore old concrete surfaces. Concrete surfaces that look dull due to weathering can now be restored to look like new.

Protection from spalling.

When concrete is exposed to changing temperatures, it may expand or contract accordingly. This causes damage to the internal structure of the concrete. In other words, chunks of concrete may be separated because of temperature changes. A coat of sealer will help prevent this from happening. This is because sealer has an elastic quality to it. When exposed to higher temperature, it can actually stretch a little, thus absorbing the potential damage that may be inflicted on the concrete.

Protection from water damage.

Perhaps the most common liquid that concrete is exposed to is water. Concrete is exposed to water when it rains, or when someone gives it a washing. That means concrete can be exposed to water almost every day. Although water seems like a harmless liquid, constant exposure to water can actually cause the concrete to weaken. Water can seep in between cracks, and loosen sand within the concrete. The process is almost like cancer. It destroys the concrete slowly, until someone discovers that huge damage has already been done.

Therefore, concrete should be protected with a coating of sealer. The sealer helps prevent water from penetrating concrete blocks and weakening its structure.

Protection from winter salts.

Winter salts resting on concrete surface will cause damage to the surface. The surface will start to erode when left untreated. A coat of sealer can help prevent this from happening.

Gen Wright
http://www.articlesbase.com/diy-articles/why-seal-concrete-675964.html