Applying Sealers to Every Part of Your Home

In the world of home building, you often have to protect your primary construction and finishing materials after having set them in their final form. Concrete, gravel, bricks, masonry, granite, marble and wood, just to mention the most common construction materials, in their bare conditions can be subject to wear and erosion when exposed to the elements over time.

In addition, materials that have been mined or quarried like marble and granite can exhibit the marks of stress in the form of natural cracks which, if not treated, can weaken them. That’s where after-construction treatment and finishing chemicals like paints and sealers come in.

Use Sealants for All Types of Surfaces

You have plenty of choices depending on the construction material used. There are sealers for concrete which work to protect its porous character from absorbing moisture that cause cracks to appear in the masonry work, tiles and paints on its surface. You can have either water-based or epoxy-based sealers depending on the location of your house. Water-based sealers are more eco-friendly and suited in suburban or rural settings, while epoxy sealers are better used in industrial and urban centers.

Sealers for wood used for both indoor and outdoor wood panels, ceiling and floors essentially protect them from warping, fungal and termite infestation that are sure to compromise their material strength. You also have sealers for granite and marble often used for indoor finishes in bathrooms and kitchen tops and floors that essentially water-proofs them and fill in minute cracks. Granite and marble sealers should be applied before using them to prevent greases, oils and acidic juices that can seep into these tiny cracks and fissures to discolor them.

If you are moving into a used formerly occupied house, information about whether their granite tops, marbles and wood flooring or walls have benefited from the right sealants may not be forthcoming.

But even if they were treated, it’s always a good idea to have them treated anew. Sealers usually have a long lifespan that can reach up to 10 years or more. But you may not know the last time they were applied and in what areas. There’s no harm applying additional coats which you should be doing days before you move in.

Be sure to ask for it from your real estate broker who may be predisposed to shoulder the cost of the effort. Otherwise, it’s your call if you plan to be staying for good in the new house. Check out your friendly corner builder store or hardware or better yet, check out the internet as there are various online merchants with product reviews on the many sealant types they offer.