Silane/Siloxane Water Repellent Comparison

THERE ARE TWO PRIMARY CATEGORIES OF SILANE/SILOXANE PRODUCTS WHICH ARE OFFERED IN SEVERAL FORMULATIONS:

• WATER BASED SILANE/SILOXANES RANGING FROM 7.5% SOLIDS TO 60% SOLIDS. LEARN ABOUT THE ARMOR SX5000-WB WATER BASED SILANE/SILOXANE.

• SOLVENT BASED SILANE/SILOXANES RANGING FROM 10% SOLIDS TO 100% SOLIDS. LEARN ABOUT THE ARMOR SX5000 SOLVENT BASED SILANE/SILOXANE.

CHEMICAL MAKE-UP

IN A WATER BASED SOLUTION, WATER IS USED AS THE CARRYING AGENT FOR THE SILANE/SILOXANE CHEMICAL. IN A SOLVENT BASED SOLUTION, SOLVENTS ARE USED.

• WATER-BASED SILANE-SILOXANES: WITH WATER BASED SEALERS, THE WATER IS THE CARRYING AGENT FOR THE SILANE/SILOXANE CHEMICAL BLEND. AS THE WATER EVAPORATES, THE SILANE/SILOXANE PARTICLES DEFORM AND FUSE TOGETHER TO FORM A CONTINUOUS COATING ON THE SURFACE AND WITHIN THE PORES. LEARN ABOUT THE ARMOR SX5000-WB WATER BASED SILANE/SILOXANE.

• SOLVENT-BASED SILANE-SILOXANES: WITH SOLVENT BASED SEALERS, THE SOLVENT IS NOT SEPARATE FROM THE SILANE-SILOXANE (LIKE WITH WATER). INSTEAD, THE SOLVENT AND THE SILANE/SILOXANE ARE ENTANGLED TOGETHER. AS THE SOLVENT EVAPORATES, THE SILANE/SILOXANE PARTICLES ARE DRAWN CLOSER TOGETHER AND START TO ENTANGLE, FORMING A COATING ON THE SURFACE AND WITHIN THE PORES. LEARN ABOUT THE ARMOR SX5000 SOLVENT BASED SILANE/SILOXANE.

OTHER DIFFERENCES INCLUDE APPLICATION, DRY TIME, PRODUCT WEIGHT, ETC.

WHILE EACH CONTRACTOR HAS THEIR PREFERENCE ON WHICH TYPE OF SILANE/SILOXANE THEY LIKE TO USE, ONE DOESN’T WORK BETTER THAN THE OTHER. SOLVENT BASED SEALERS ARE THE MOST COMMON, BUT WATER BASED SEALERS ARE STARTING TO CATCH UP. HERE ARE A FEW DIFFERENCES:

1. WATER BASED SEALERS TEND TO HAVE A VERY LOW VOC CONTENT (LESS THAN 100). SOLVENT BASED SEALERS HAVE A HIGHER VOC CONTENT BUT RECENT ADVANCEMENTS HAVE ALLOWED LOW-VOC VERSIONS (LESS THAN 250) OF SOLVENT BASED SEALERS.

2. THE COATING LEFT BEHIND WITH A WATER BASED SEALER IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN THAT OF A SOLVENT. FOR EXAMPLE, TAPE WON’T STICK TO THE SURFACE OF CONCRETE TREATED WITH A WATER BASED SEALER BUT TAPE WILL STICK TO THE SURFACE OF CONCRETE TREATED WITH A SOLVENT. GLUE AND ADHESIVES STICK THE SAME.

3. WATER BASED SEALERS ARE NOT FLAMMABLE IN LIQUID FORM BUT SOLVENT BASED SEALERS ARE. SOME INDUSTRIAL JOBS REQUIRE THAT ONLY A WATER BASED SEALER CAN BE USED.

4. WATER BASED SEALERS CAN DARKEN THE SURFACE SLIGHTLY BUT WITH SOLVENT BASED SEALERS THERE IS LITTLE TO NO CHANGE.

% SOLIDS

TYPICALLY, HOMEOWNERS WILL USE A SOLUTION OF 7.5% TO 12% SOLIDS, DECORATIVE CONCRETE COMPANIES WILL USE A SOLUTION OF 20% TO 40% SOLIDS, AND THE DOT WILL USE A SOLUTION OF 60% TO 100% SOLIDS. WHILE THE % SOLIDS DOES IMPACT THE PRICE, IT WILL ALSO HAVE A SLIGHT IMPACT ON PERFORMANCE AS WELL. FOR EXAMPLE:

• LOW SOLIDS SEALERS ARE USED IN RESIDENTIAL APPLICATIONS BECAUSE IN RESIDENTIAL APPLICATIONS THE SEALER WON’T BE EXPOSED TO EXTREMELY HIGH FOOT OR VEHICLE TRAFFIC, OR EXTREME SITUATIONS.

• HIGH SOLIDS SEALERS ARE USED IN INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS BECAUSE THE SEALER IS EXPOSED TO MORE SEVERE SITUATIONS. WHEN A CAR DRIVES ON THE HIGHWAY AND GOES THROUGH A PUDDLE, LARGE AMOUNTS OF WATER (SOMETIMES MIXED WITH SAND AND SALT) GET THRUST AGAINST THE SIDES OF JERSEY BARRIERS. A HIGH SOLIDS FORMULA WOULD LEAVE BEHIND A STRONGER SURFACE BARRIER SO WHEN THE WATER GETS THRUST AGAINST THE SIDES OF THE BARRIER, ALL DAY EVERY DAY, THE COATING WILL BE ABLE TO HOLD UP.

THE LIFE OF A HIGH OR LOW SOLIDS FORMULA IS THE SAME – HOWEVER, LIKE WITH ANY SEALER, WHAT THE SEALER IS EXPOSED TO AND HOW OFTEN CAN CONTRIBUTE TO A LONGER OR SHORTER LIFE.

BEST SOLUTION

WHEN IT COMES TO SILANE/SILOXANES, THERE IS NO “BEST” SOLUTION.

WATER VS. SOLVENT – THIS DEPENDS ON PREFERENCE AND JOB SPECIFICATIONS.

% SOLIDS – THIS DEPENDS ON THE PREFERENCE, JOB SPECIFICATIONS AND INTENDED USE.

NOT SURE WHICH PRODUCT IS BEST FOR YOUR APPLICATION? CALL US AT 866-306-0246 X 2.

THE ARMOR SX5000 IS CLASSIFIED AS A WATER REPELLENT. IT CAN BE USED ON CONCRETE, BRICK, STONE AND OTHER MASONRY. IT PENETRATES INTO THE CONCRETE AND REACTS TO FORM A HYDROPHOBIC BARRIER IN THE SURFACE PORES. WHEN A LIQUID OR SOLID COMES INTO CONTACT WITH THE SURFACE OF THE CONCRETE, THE SEALER WILL WORK TO KEEP THEM ON THE SURFACE AND PREVENT THEM FROM PENETRATING INTO THE CONCRETE AND STAINING IT. FOR INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS, THE SX5000 IS AVAILABLE IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT FORMULATIONS.

The Armor SX5000 is a low-VOC, solvent based silane/siloxane based water repellent for concrete, cinderblock (CMU), brick, and unglazed tile. The Armor SX5000 penetrates up to 2″ and reacts with minerals within the substrate to create a hydrophobic barrier against water absorption. When properly applied, the Armor SX5000 will repel water for up to 10 years!

VISIT US!

LEARN MORE ABOUT FOUNDATION ARMOR’S PROFESSIONAL GRADE LINE OF CONCRETE SEALERS, CONCRETE COATINGS, CONCRETE CLEANERS AND CONCRETE REPAIR PRODUCTS BY

VISITING FOUNDATIONARMOR.COM OR BY CALLING

866-306-0246.