Sealing your pool deck with a concrete sealer is a great way to protect your pool deck, and reduce damage and deterioration caused by water absorption and surface abrasion. There are a few different types of concrete sealers that can be used to seal a pool deck. Which concrete sealer is best for your pool deck will depend on several factors including what you want your pool deck to look like once sealed, and what you need the concrete sealer to offer in terms of performance.

The three primary types of concrete sealers used to seal pool decks are silicate concrete sealers, Silane-Siloxane concrete sealers, and acrylic sealers.

Silicate Sealers: Silicate sealers are used to increase the strength and density of concrete. If your pool deck is unsealed and you have a desire to increase the strength and density of your concrete, this is a great option. Silicate sealers don’t offer any benefits other than strength however so if you would like protection against water or surface abrasion, you will need to apply a Silane-Siloxane sealer or an acrylic sealer. Silane-Siloxane sealers and acrylic sealers can be applied to concrete that has been previously sealed with a silicate sealer, so if you need an increase in strength and would also like added protection you can apply multiple sealers. Just make sure you have allowed the silicate sealer at least 7 days to react before applying a second type of sealer. Shop Silicate Concrete Sealers.

Silane-Siloxane Sealers: Silane-Siloxane sealers help to protect pool decks against damage and deterioration caused by water absorption. They are the most popular type of penetrating sealer because they work entirely below the surface and won’t change the look or color of the pool decks. They also won’t change the slipperiness of the concrete or brick because they don’t leave a surface film. Shop Silane Siloxane Concrete Sealers.

Acrylic Sealers: Acrylic sealers offer complete and total protection against water damage and surface abrasion because they leave behind a visible, protective surface film. Acrylic sealers are slippery when wet, but non-slip additives can be added to the sealer to help with surface traction. Acrylic sealers are great if you want total protection, or if you want a wet look, low gloss, or high gloss finish. Shop Acrylic Concrete Sealers.

If your pool decks is already sealed, that will determine what you can reseal your pool deck with. If your pool decks is sealed with a silicate or Silane-Siloxane sealer, you can reseal with the sealer of your choice. If you have a Silane-Siloxane sealer down, you just want to make sure that it has been a few years and no longer beads water. If you recently applied a silane-siloxane sealer and you want to switch to an acrylic sealer, it is safest to apply a solvent-based acrylic sealer so that the silane-siloxane sealer doesn’t repel it.

If you have an acrylic sealer down, the rule of thumb is you reseal a water-based acrylic sealer with a water-based acrylic sealer, and you can reseal a solvent-based acrylic sealer with a solvent-based acrylic sealer. If you want to switch, it is best to remove the old acrylic sealer first to ensure proper penetration, bonding, and curing.