The market is flooded with wet look sealers and with so many options, how do you know which wet look sealer to choose? Well, first you need to have an understanding of the types of wet look sealers that are available and from there, you can choose the best wet look sealer for your application. To skip ahead to wet look sealer reviews, view Wet Look Sealer Reviews.

There are two main types of wet look sealers. The first is a penetrating sealer that won’t leave behind a surface film and the second is an acrylic which will leave behind a visible low to high gloss surface film. There are benefits and downfalls to both types.

Penetrating wet look sealers are great sealers to use if you are looking for a low maintenance sealer that will give you a slight color enhancement. The surface will remain protected against damage, deterioration, and staining caused by water absorption, and you don’t have to worry about a slippery surface film. They don’t leave a surface film and for that reason can be applied to virtually all porous surfaces including concrete, brick, pavers, flagstone, slate, and more. The best option for a penetrating wet look sealer is the WL550. The only downfall to a penetrating wet look sealer is that it offers a slight enhancement. If you want the surface to look like it look when wet, you want an acrylic sealer.

If you want the surface to look exactly like it looks when wet, and you want a low to high gloss finish, then you want an acrylic sealer. Acrylic sealers require more maintenance because surface abrasion, sub surface moisture, and exposure to the outside elements will cause the sealer to breakdown. Acrylic sealers typically have to be reapplied every 1-3 years. Acrylic sealers are a great option if you are looking to enhance and protect the color of the surface, and provide an attractive gloss finish. They also protect against staining and deterioration caused by water absorption, surface spills, and surface abrasion. The two best acrylic sealers are the AR350 (low gloss) AR500 (high gloss).

One type of wet look sealer isn’t better than the other, but some are more appropriate than others in certain application. For example:

• If you are sealing clay brick, slate, or flagstone, you want to use a penetrating wet look sealer, not an acrylic. Those types of substrates allow for large amounts of subsurface moisture to pass through and when enough build up, it will cause an acrylic sealer to fail. Penetrating sealers don’t leave surface films so this isn’t an issue.
• If you are looking to protect integrally colored concrete, you want an acrylic sealer because acrylic sealers leave behind a protective surface film.
• If you are sealing concrete or pavers you can use either a penetrating sealer or an acrylic sealer but an acrylic sealer will give a darker wet look.