Tinted Sealers - What are They?

By Chris Sullivan – ChemSystems, Inc.

Question:

I have recently heard a lot about tinted sealers. What exactly are they, and how and where do I use them?

Answer:

Tinted sealers provide all the benefits of a sealer along with a low dose color. Both solvent- and water-based sealers can be tinted, depending on what you are trying to accomplish. Some manufacturers offer pretinted sealers, while others provide tint concentrates in a wide array of colors that you can add to a clear sealer at the jobsite. These tints are finely dispersed metallic-based pigments in water.

Some of the first-generation tinted sealers were water-based colored curing compounds. These colored curing compounds are still available and are used most often as a matching cure for colored concrete. Another common application for colored curing compounds is revitalizing old or discolored colored concrete. Most colored curing compounds produce a fairly opaque finish, with limited translucency.

Tinted sealers, on the other hand, produce more subtle semi-translucent color effects. Water-based tinted sealers, which don't have the body to hold much color, are more translucent than solvent-based tinted sealers. Method of application is also important. When using a water-based tinted sealer, avoid spraying because the pressure and spray tip can cause the pigment to separate from the sealer.

Tinted sealers can be used as a stand-alone, low-cost decorative finish or as a method for blending and enhancing decorative jobs where the color is not quite right. No matter the application, always test or sample tinted sealers to ensure the proper color, level of gloss, and translucency. Also remember that sealers, colored or otherwise, don't last forever. Offering a client a tinted sealer often means getting them involved in a maintenance program for the life of the floor or sealed surface.

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