If you like what your flagstone looks like when wet, or if you would prefer your flagstone have a slight color enhancement, wet look sealer is a great option. Wet look sealers are designed to slightly enhance the color of your flagstone, to bring out the natural coloring of the stone. Wet look sealers are easy to apply, and require little to no maintenance.

There are two primary categories of wet look sealers. The first is a penetrating wet look sealer and the second is an acrylic wet look sealer. The best wet look sealer for flagstone is a penetrating wet look sealer because it works entirely below the surface and won’t leave behind a film or coating. While acrylic sealers offer a darker enhancement, and option of a gloss, they have a high failure rate when applied to flagstone. In some cases, an acrylic sealer may survive on flagstone a year or longer, but in many cases, an acrylic will start to develop a white haze after anywhere from a couple of weeks to a few months. This is largely due to the porosity of the flagstone, and an acrylics sensitivity to subsurface water and moisture.

One of the most popular penetrating wet look sealers is the WL550. The WL550 is designed to slightly enhance the color of the flagstone, without leaving behind a film or coating. It chemically reacts below the surface to form a hydrophobic barrier within the pores. While the WL550 leaves behind a wet look, it is categorized as a water repellent sealer and offers several benefits:

• It slightly enhances the color of the flagstone
• It reduces damage and deterioration caused by water absorption
• It reduces cracking caused by freeze-thaw cycles
• It reduces damage caused by water absorption from the use of de-icing salts
• It can last for up to 3-5 years before the need for a recoat

How To Apply A Wet Look Flagstone Sealer

Applying a wet look sealer to flagstone is fairly simple. First, you want to make sure the flagstone is clean, and free of any other sealers or coatings. If a sealer or coating was previously applied, it is important to make sure the new sealer can be applied over the existing sealer. Once the flagstone has been cleaned, you want to allow at least 24 hours for the flagstone to dry. Using a roller or sprayer, apply the first coat of the sealer ensuring the flagstone is evenly saturated. When applying a wet look sealer, you want to be careful not to over apply the sealer. If you over apply the sealer, you can end up with surface build-up. If you are using a sealer like the WL550 on flagstone, a single coat may be all that is required. If you applied the first coat and noticed an uneven coverage, or if the flagstone was overly porous, a second coat can be applied. The best way to determine how many coats is required is to apply the sealer to a small test area and allow it to properly cure.