There are two types of high gloss wet look sealers that can be used. The first type of wet look sealer is a water based acrylic and the second type of wet look sealer is a solvent based acrylic. Both types of acrylic sealers will yield a low to high gloss finish, but only one will darken the surface to make it look wet.
Solvent Based Acrylic Wet Look Sealers: Solvent based wet look sealers will darken the surface to make it look wet, and leave behind a visible low to high gloss finish. These are the most common types of wet look sealers. They are easy to apply, easy to maintain, and leave a durable finish that will last up to 1-3 years before the need to reseal. If you want a low gloss finish you want the Armor AR350, and if you want a high gloss finish you want the Armor AR500. To purchase these sealers, visit FoundationArmor.com.
Solvent based acrylic sealers are great for use on unsealed concrete and pavers, or concrete and pavers previously sealed with a solvent based acrylic. They should not be applied to red clay brick, slate, or flagstone. For more detail about the types of surfaces that can be sealed with a solvent based acrylic sealer, refer to our Wet Look Sealer Problems page.
Applying a wet look sealer to concrete or pavers is very easy. Simply apply 2 coats, spaced out 24 hours, to a completely dry and unsealed surface. Once dry, keep the surface dry for at least 36 hours. If there is a solvent based acrylic sealer currently down, apply to a test area first to verify compatibility or contact a technician. If the pavers are newly installed, it is important to check with the manufacturer of the pavers to verify that the pavers can be sealed prior to the 1 year mark. In many cases, pavers must remain unsealed for at least 1 year. If the concrete is less than 30 days old, consider instead a solvent based cure and seal like the Armor LV25 or the Armor AX25.
When it comes time to reseal in 1-3 years, simply make sure the surface is clean and dry, and apply 1-2 fresh coats. Solvent based acrylic sealers are the best wet look sealer to use, and they are very easy to apply and maintain.
If you want the surface to look dark, but don’t want a gloss, you can also consider a penetrating wet look sealer. To learn more about the differences between the two, read our Solvent Based Wet Look Sealers article.
Water Based Acrylic Wet Look Sealers: Water based acrylic sealers will provide a low to high gloss finish but they won’t darken the surface to make it look wet. If you want a gloss without a darkened finish, water based acrylic sealers are a great choice. If you want the surface to look dark and have a gloss then you need a solvent based acrylic sealer.
The best water based acrylic sealer is the Armor WB25. It will leave behind a nice high gloss finish and can be used to seal concrete and pavers. The application process and maintenance is very similar to that of a solvent based sealer only in some cases, you will need to screen scuff the surface before applying.
Re-Application of a Wet Look Sealer
If your concrete or pavers are currently sealed, you want to make sure that the sealer you are using to recoat is compatible with what is currently down. If you have a solvent based acrylic sealer down, you want to recoat with a solvent based acrylic, and if you have a water based acrylic sealer down then you want to recoat with a water based acrylic sealer. You can’t apply a solvent based acrylic over a water based, or a water based over a solvent based, because the solvent sealer can attack the water based sealer which can result in coating failure. If a penetrating sealer was previously used, you may be able to apply an acrylic sealer without issue but it is best to call a technician to verify compatibility first.
If you applied a low gloss sealer and want to apply a high gloss, you can, but make sure you stay consistent with the chemical base.
Another factor to consider is that not all acrylic sealers are pure acrylics. There are pure acrylic sealers, acrylic-urethane mixes, and acrylic-epoxy mixes. For an exterior application, pure acrylic sealers are the easiest to apply and maintain, they also have the highest rate of success. Acrylic-urethane and acrylic-epoxy mixtures are not ideal for exterior applications and have a higher failure rate on applications where sub-surface moisture exists.
