Concrete Basics

What is Concrete Made of

Pouring Concrete

Concrete Mix Designs

Aggregates in Ready-Mix Concrete

Building Concrete Slabs

Concrete Testing

Seasonal Pouring Tips

Repairing Concrete

Concrete Repair

Fixing Decorative Concrete

Applications

Staining Concrete

Stamped Concrete

Concrete Countertops

Concrete Patios

Concrete Floors

Commercial Concrete

Correcting Uneven Gloss on a Sealed Floorr

Question:

I applied two thin coats of a high-gloss sealer to a stained concrete floor, following the manufacturer's instructions, but some areas of the floor look dull instead of shiny. What went wrong, and how do I fix the problem to achieve a uniform shine?

Answer:

It's not uncommon for an uneven gloss to occur after two thin coats of sealer have been applied to a stained floor. The cause is different levels of porosity in the concrete surface. In some areas, the concrete is more porous and most or all of the sealer was absorbed into the substrate. These areas look dull because very little sealer remains on the surface to reflect light and produce gloss. In other areas, the sealer has saturated the surface of the concrete while leaving the desired film on the surface. This film is the protective barrier and reflects light to produce the level of gloss you want.

To eliminate the dull spots and produce a nice, uniform gloss, apply an additional coat of sealer followed by two or three coats of a floor wax or finish. These finish coatings are low cost, go down very thinly and are easy to maintain. They can be applied with a micro-fiber mop, and they dry in a matter of minutes. See this video on using sacrificial waxes for concrete floors.

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