Frequently Asked Questions

Is it hard to apply?

How is your stuff different from what I can buy at discount home centers?

Why is the price higher than materials I can buy in Home Depot or discount stores?

How often does your material need to be reapplied?

Can I use it when I have dogs in my kennel?

Can you use it on cinder blocks?

Will dog-nails scratch the sealers?

Can Concrete Remedy Deep Seal (DS) and Top Seal (TS) be used on new or old concrete?

How soon can Concrete Remedy Deep Seal and Top Seal be applied to new concrete?

How long will it keep if I don’t use it all?

Can I apply Concrete Remedy Deep Seal or Top Seal over painted floors?

Will the floor be slick after using these Concrete Remedy products?

Will these materials make my floors/runs shine?

If I want to paint my floors, for cosmetic improvement, should I use both products?

My kennel floor has been painted and now it is peeling. Can I just repaint over it?
What should I do in order to have a colored floor?

My concrete was poured over a plastic vapor shield…shouldn’t that stop water or moisture from getting up into my floor?

How is your stuff different from what I can buy at discount home centers?
The typical concrete sealer sold through the mass market is one that protects or keeps moisture at bay due to the presence of the material. It may be a penetrating sealer or one that creates a film or layer of product on the surface.
In either case, these products only protect until they wear away through weathering or traffic or both. Most materials must be reapplied at intervals of 1-3 years in order to be effective.

Concrete Remedy Deep Seal is a totally different type of material. As it soaks down into the concrete and contacts alkali, a reaction takes place that creates an aero-gel. This gel moves through the concrete by capillary action, forming more gel as it encounters more alkali. Due to the catalyst in Concrete Remedy, the gel bonds to the walls of the canals and voids within the concrete…and dries hard. This hardened material becomes part of the concrete. It is permanent. Lasts the life of the concrete and never needs to be reapplied.

It is non toxic and pleasant to use. Do it once and your concrete is protected forever.

How often does your material need to be reapplied?
Never. Once is enough. In some applications, such as porous concrete and hydrostatic pressure or extreme moisture, two initial applications may be required. However, once the problem is solved, the material NEVER needs to be reapplied.

Can I use it when I have dogs in my kennel?
Yes. There is no odor, no fumes, nothing to upset or irritate any animals or people. The floor can accept dogs back on it after applying the Deep Seal within just an hour or so, and just a couple of hours for the Top Seal. It is better to let it sit overnight, but in an emergency or if you are short on time, the shorter wait is okay too. However, if you apply the Deep Seal and allow dogs back on it and they get it dirty, then you would have to wash it off and let it dry before applying the Top Seal.

Can you use it on cinder blocks?
The term “cinder block” is used loosely…sometimes people mean concrete block when they say cinder block. Concrete blocks have a tighter, smoother surface. The appearance of the surface of a concrete block is similar to the surface of a lightly broomed floor, sidewalk or driveway. On the other hand a “cinder block” has much larger voids and an appearance that the aggregate is about the size of tapioca. They typically weigh less than concrete blocks. The appearance of the surface of a concrete block is much more open.

Deep Seal is not designed nor capable to seal large cracks and voids. It will fill small cracks and small voids…but the voids in cinder blocks are too large.
Completely waterproofing cinderblocks is a two step process. First, I apply the Deep Seal, and soak it in very well… with a wet on wet application. Next, use a block filler coating, polymerized cementitious slurry or a block coating. It really depends on the end look that you want to achieve.

The benefit of using the Deep Seal before the surface coating is that the coating will last better and be resistant to peeling because the Deep Seal radically reduces the reaction of moisture and alkali from within the cinder block.

Is it hard to apply?
Both Deep Seal and Top Seal are very simple and easy to apply. There is no odor. Water will clean application tools. You can walk right on the materials as you are putting them down. No special precautions must be taken because both are non hazardous. About the only requirement is that you have the strength to lift a five gallon bucket of liquid…about 45 pounds, so that you can pour it.

Will the disinfectants and cleaning solutions we use hurt the sealers?
There is nothing in use in dog kennels anywhere that will degrade or damage either Deep Seal or Top Seal. They are used in industrial/commercial settings where very strong chemicals and acids are used. Essentially, the Deep Seal makes a glass like hardened material in the concrete and as you know, glass is what acids and strong chemicals are stored in.

Will dog-nails scratch the sealers?
No. Deep Seal and Top Seal are PENETRATING materials. Neither leaves any film or layer on the surface which can be scratched or worn off. Nor can they ever peel, because they work INTERNALLY.

Can Concrete Remedy Deep Seal (DS) and Top Seal (TS) be used on new or old concrete?
The age of the concrete does not make a difference. Concrete Remedy Deep Seal and Top Seal will work on any cementitious material (materials containing Portland cement, e.g., concrete, mortar, stucco, shot-crete etc), regardless of how old it is. The most important requirement is that the materials be able to penetrate or soak down into the concrete. They are designed to work internally.

If concrete has been previously sealed or painted, for example, the old finish or sealer must be removed so that the Deep Seal can penetrate, and therefore, work as intended.

How soon can Concrete Remedy Deep Seal and Top Seal be applied to new concrete?
First, you do not have to wait 28-30 days as is the case with many types of sealers.

The general rule for DS is that it can be applied as soon as you can walk on the finished concrete without leaving a track. Generally, on concrete outside, the time required after finishing is usually about 12 to 24 hours.

For concrete that is poured inside, as in a building or under roof, the time required may be longer than 12- 24 hours. Concrete that is poured inside takes longer for the excess water to come up out of the concrete. It is good to wait 2-3 days before putting on DS, to avoid having it hard to get into the concrete well due to “competition” from the moisture that is trying to come out of the concrete.

When Concrete Remedy Deep Seal is going to be used on new concrete, it is best to ask the contractor/finisher to NOT put a curing agent on the concrete. These materials temporarily seal off the concrete and prohibit penetration of the DS.

If the finisher did apply a curing agent, you should check to see if water will absorb down into the concrete. If it just sits on the surface and evaporates, then the slab has to be cleaned with a material that will will emulsify the curing agent. Pressure washing is usually the most efficient way to do that.

Top Seal can be applied as soon as the concrete is dry after application of the Deep Seal. In most cases, the next day.

How long will it keep if I don’t use it all?
Concrete Remedy Deep Seal and Top Seal have infinite shelf lives. They both contain water however, and so it can evaporate. To insure against evaporation, store material in plastic containers that are as nearly full as possible, with a tight lid. Freezing will not harm either product. Just thaw it out, shake it up and use it.

Can I apply Concrete Remedy Deep Seal or Top Seal over painted floors?
Both DS and Top Seal are penetrating materials. They are not designed as coatings over paint or other sealers. Previous sealers or paint or adhesives…i.e., any material that might block the penetration of the products must be removed prior to use.

5. Will the floor be slick after using these Concrete Remedy products?
No, these materials do not make a floor slicker, as surface build or surface coating materials do. In testing done with the Top Seal, according to ASTM standards for testing the coefficient of friction of surfaces… tiles treated with Top Seal had a better coefficient of friction when wet than the untreated tiles did when dry.

6. Will these materials make my floors/runs shine?
No, neither of these materials, DS or Top Seal, change the appearance of the concrete. In fact, after application, when the floor is dry you will not be able to even see a noticeable difference in appearance. They do not create a film or layer on the surface.

7. If I want to paint my floors, for cosmetic improvement, should I use both products?
No. Paint, surface sealers and adhesives will not stick well to concrete treated with Top Seal. If you are intending to paint your floors, or put a floor covering requiring adhesives, just use the DS.

Concrete Remedy Deep Seal will improve the bond and lasting ability of all surface coatings, paints and adhesives… because DS stabilizes the concrete internally…and stops the reaction of moisture and alkali inside the concrete. The reaction of moisture/alkali in concrete is a major factor in causing paint and sealers to peel.

Concrete Remedy Deep Seal leaves a “bondable” surface of 1-2 mm thick…since it does not begin to work until it gets down into the concrete that far. DS is NOT incompatible with any paint, sealer or adhesives.

On the average, treating your floor with DS before applying paint or surface coatings or adhesives will extend the useful life of the coatings between 300% to 500%.

8. My kennel floor has been painted and now it is peeling. Can I just repaint over it?
Sometimes people who sell paint advise people to just scrape the loose paint as well as they can and then repaint over it.

In my opinion, after many years applying coatings and finishes to both concrete and wood, I can’t disagree more strongly.

Preparation and the condition of the substrate is a MAJOR factor in how well coatings perform. If you put more paint over paint that has started to peel… it will not stop the continued peeling of the undercoat. The result is that the old paint continues to peel, and will take the new coat with it. Then you will have an even bigger mess on your hands.

It is best to completely clean and prep the substrate (floor) by either mechanical or chemical means, so that the new coating will have a good chance to stick well. Insufficient attention to preparation before painting is a guarantee that you will be throwing good money after bad.

9. What should I do in order to have a colored floor? I just don’t like the look of concrete?
If you are planning or building a new facility… check into integrally colored concrete. That is, when the concrete is mixed, the color is added right to the batch. That is one option. While it may not be the prettiest floor, it will have color and not look like an ordinary slab.

Integrally colored concrete can work equally well on interior or exterior floors and runs.

If you use Concrete Remedy Deep Seal and Top Seal on integrally colored concrete you will end up with the best of both worlds… a good appearance and never will you have to worry about peeling coatings.

16. My concrete was poured over a plastic vapor shield…shouldn’t that stop water or moisture from getting up into my floor?
Short answer: probably not. Here are some of the reasons why. First, when plastic is laid down over the compacted substrate, holes will be cut in it so it can go around mechanical, electrical and plumbing entries into the slab. Not all slabs have those features, but most kennel floors will definitely have drains.

Second, if there is rebar reinforcing in the slab, it must be installed on top of the plastic…which means people will walk on the plastic, occasionally poke holes in it with rebar, wire, tools etc.

Third, even thick plastic is not puncture proof. To test that truth, take a piece of plastic such as used for vapor barriers. Place it on the ground, maybe where there is a little sand or even small aggregate. Now step on it. Now pick it up and look at it. See any pinholes. Bingo. Not to mention that the earth vibrates… so there is some movement between the slab, including weight of the slab, plus weight supported in the structure on the slab… on the plastic, which is between the slab and the compacted substrate… which may be sand, dirt, or small aggregate etc.

Eventually, there will be at least pinholes, which allows moisture to be wicked up through the plastic into the concrete. The moisture wicked into the concrete spreads out through various processes, such as capillary action, wicking, etc and goes through out the concrete slab. This feature of concrete is why you cannot just waterproof a portion of a slab and hope to solve a water or moisture problem. The WHOLE slab must be treated or the water / moisture will just find the path of least resistance and show up someplace else.

17. Why is the price higher than materials I can buy in Home Depot or Lowe’s?
The Deep Seal NEVER has to be reapplied. The initial treatment lasts the life of the concrete. Top Seal may need to be maintained with infrequent reapplications. However, we are talking not before five years for sure…and perhaps between a time of five and ten years.

So the important analysis is not PRICE, but rather COST. That is how you determine VALUE and know if you are getting a good deal or not.
If you look at what it takes to protect and maintain your kennel floors and runs over a period of time… say 5-10 years, you will see the wisdom of looking at cost instead of price.

Factors that should be considered include: 1) Price of materials. 2) What do you have to do to maintain the floor? This includes how easy is it to keep the floors clean. How often to you have to reapply material. How much time and expense is needed to properly prepare the surface for reapplication or maintenance. For example, say you apply a surface build sealer or paint and it peels. What does it cost to remove the failed coatings and get ready to apply more to correct the failure. How much money do you lose when you have to stop operations and lose income so that you can do the needed maintenance.
Many people tell me they do something to their floors every year or two. That means a very high cost in terms of labor, materials and lost income.

The real deal is that the Kennel Kit is in fact the cheapest and most cost effective solution you can find for your kennel floors. An investment that will pay you back big time over the years.