After every driveway or patio job, the question comes up: should you seal it? If you're not offering sealing as an upsell, you're leaving 25-40% of the job value on the table. But recommend the wrong sealer and it peels, fades, or fails early -- and that's your reputation on the line. Here's what you need to know about every concrete sealer type in 2026.

The Quick Answer

There are two main categories of concrete sealer: topical (film-forming) and penetrating. Topical sealers sit on top of the surface and add a glossy or matte finish. Penetrating sealers soak into the concrete and protect from the inside out, with no visible coating.

Acrylic sealer: $1.52 - $1.79/sq ft installed, lasts 1-3 years. Budget-friendly but needs frequent reapplication.
Polyurethane sealer: $1.45 - $1.71/sq ft installed, lasts 5-10 years. Durable and UV-resistant.
Epoxy sealer: $4.00 - $4.79/sq ft installed, lasts 5-7 years. Most durable but expensive -- best for garages.
Penetrating silane-siloxane: $0.89 - $1.04/sq ft installed, lasts 5-10 years. Best choice for outdoor driveways.

The right choice depends on where the concrete is (indoor vs outdoor), how much traffic it gets, and what the customer's budget looks like.

Concrete Sealer Types Explained

Acrylic Sealer

Acrylic is the most common sealer you'll encounter. It's affordable, dries fast, and adds either a high-gloss or matte finish that makes concrete look fresh. Material cost runs $30-$60 per gallon, with one gallon covering 200-400 sq ft.

The tradeoff: acrylic is a topical coating, so it wears off under UV exposure and traffic. Most outdoor applications need resealing every 1-3 years, more often on driveways with constant vehicle use. That's actually a feature if you're the one doing the reapplication -- recurring revenue with minimal sales effort.

Best for: Decorative concrete, patios, pool decks, residential driveways where the customer wants a visible finish.

Epoxy Sealer

Epoxy is the tank of concrete sealers. It forms a thick, hard film that resists chemicals, stains, abrasion, and heavy vehicle traffic. At $4.00-$4.79/sq ft installed, it's the most expensive option by a large margin.

The problem with epoxy outdoors: it doesn't handle UV exposure well. It yellows and breaks down under direct sunlight over time. That limits it mostly to interior applications -- garage floors, warehouse floors, and covered slabs.

Best for: Garage floors, covered patios, commercial interior slabs. Not the right call for open driveways.

Polyurethane Sealer

Polyurethane hits the middle ground between acrylic and epoxy. It forms a durable, flexible film that handles UV exposure and traffic better than epoxy, at a price that's much more reasonable: $1.45-$1.71/sq ft installed. Lifespan is 5-10 years depending on traffic and climate.

Aliphatic polyurethane specifically is UV-stable, so it won't yellow outdoors the way standard epoxy does. If a customer wants a long-lasting topical finish and is willing to pay a bit more than acrylic, this is the move.

Best for: High-traffic driveways, pool decks, commercial surfaces that need a durable topical finish.

Penetrating Sealer (Silane-Siloxane)

Penetrating sealers work differently from every other type. Instead of building a film on the surface, they soak into the concrete pores and chemically bond with the material. You can't see them once applied -- no gloss, no visible coating. The concrete looks exactly the same.

What they do is protect from the inside: water beads off, freeze-thaw damage doesn't get in, and road salt can't eat the surface. Material cost runs $40-$75 per gallon, and installed cost is $0.89-$1.04/sq ft. Lifespan is 5-10 years for silane-siloxane blends, and up to 20+ years for silicate-based penetrating sealers.

This is the right choice for most outdoor driveways and concrete in climates with freezing winters. Most homeowners don't want their driveway to look shiny -- they want it protected.

Best for: Outdoor driveways, walkways, concrete in freeze-thaw climates, any surface where the customer wants protection without a visible coating.

Which Sealer to Recommend

Here's the practical breakdown for common job types:

Outdoor driveway or sidewalk: Penetrating silane-siloxane. Longest protection, no maintenance headaches, invisible finish.
Decorative patio or pool deck: Acrylic for budget jobs, aliphatic polyurethane for longevity.
Garage floor or covered area: Epoxy if they want maximum durability and don't mind the cost.
Tight budget: Acrylic gets the job done -- just let them know it'll need reapplication in 1-3 years.

The Upsell Math for Pressure Washers

Here's the business case for adding sealing to your service menu. A standard 2-car driveway pressure wash (400 sq ft) might run $80-$120. Add penetrating sealer at $0.89-$1.04/sq ft and you're adding $356-$416 to the same job with about an hour of additional work.

Even basic acrylic sealing at $1.50/sq ft on that same 400 sq ft driveway adds $600 gross to the ticket. One gallon of acrylic sealer covers the job twice and costs you $30-$60. Your net after materials is $540-$570 added to a ticket that started at $100. That's the power of offering the full service.

One technique note: when pressure washing a surface you're about to seal, stay at 3,000-3,500 PSI max on finished concrete. Going higher strips the surface or damages existing sealer. A surface cleaner attachment prevents streaking that'll show through the new coat.

Wait at least 24-48 hours after pressure washing before applying any sealer. The concrete needs to be fully dry, ideally below 15% moisture content.

Bottom Line

For outdoor driveways, penetrating silane-siloxane is the best long-term protection -- invisible, durable, and no reapplication for 5-10 years. For decorative surfaces where appearance matters, polyurethane gives the best balance of looks and longevity. Save epoxy for garages and covered interiors where UV isn't a factor.

If you want to start offering sealing as part of your pressure washing service, try QuoteSnap for free. Set up instant pricing on your website for pressure wash and seal packages so customers can get a combined estimate before you even pick up the phone.

Concrete Sealer Types Comparison: Which One Protects Best? (2026)