Before reading about wet look brick sealers it is important to make sure you are researching the correct type of substrate. There are concrete bricks, also known as pavers, and clay bricks, usually red in form and often referred to as Chicago bricks. This article does not discuss wet look sealers for pavers because pavers are very different from red clay bricks. If you are look for wet look paver sealers, please view the Wet Look Paver Sealer article. This article will discuss wet look sealers for clay bricks.

Everyone wants wet look bricks, but achieving a wet look finish on clay brick isn’t so simple. The most common types of sealers for achieving a wet look are acrylic wet look sealers. Acrylic wet look sealers darken the surface to make it look wet, and they leave behind a protective gloss finish. They will completely transform a dull and faded surface to make it look attractive, and new! The problem with acrylic sealers is that they are sensitive to subsurface moisture. Bricks are very porous and allow for large amounts of subsurface moisture to pass through. Even though acrylic sealers are breathable, they can only withstand so much moisture pressure. When you apply an acrylic sealer to brick, the moisture will build up below the surface and eventually cause the acrylic to blush. Blushing is what happens when an acrylic delaminates and turns white. Most acrylic sealers will last anywhere from 3 weeks to 6 months when applied to brick. In some cases the acrylic will even fail immediately. Some people don’t mind repairing the acrylic every few months, but if you don’t want to continuously apply more sealer, you may want to consider a penetrating wet look sealer instead.

Penetrating wet look sealers work very differently from acrylic wet look sealers because penetrating wet look sealers don’t leave a surface film. The won’t enhance the surface as much as an acrylic sealer, but they will offer a slight color enhancement. In addition to offering a slight color enhancement they will help to protect the brick against deterioration caused by water absorption. If you want a penetrating wet look sealer, consider the Armor WL550.