A smooth finish on concrete looks lovely and sleek, and you can seal concrete so that it looks glossy, matte and everything in-between. However, just choosing a sealant and slapping it on is less than optimal; you want to be sure that sealant will not only keep the concrete safe, but that it will also keep you safe as you walk across it. Whether the concrete is on a walkway, set of steps, stepping stones or another surface, you must reduce the risk of slipping on the concrete, particularly on a rainy day.
The Purpose of Sealant And Its Unintended Side Effect
Sealant on concrete forms a layer that prevents water from seeping into the concrete. In cold weather where the temperature is rising above and falling below the freezing boundary regularly, water that seeps into the concrete can freeze and expand, cracking the concrete, letting in more water, which then freezes, expands, and makes things even worse.
The sealant keeps that water out, helping to keep the concrete in one piece as the weather changes. But that ability to make water run off means the concrete is going to be more slippery than it was pre-sealant. That's a factor of both the sealant making the surface smoother and the water beading up more and creating a slicker surface. Note that this is an issue even when the concrete is dry as many shoes don't provide a lot of traction.
So, when you seal concrete, you really need to make that surface anti-slip/skid. You can do this either by mixing in an anti-slip additive or by using a sealant that already has the additive mixed in.
Do Additives Make Concrete Feel Very Rough?
These additives are usually powders or grits that you add to the sealant, which at first sounds like you're just defeating the purpose of sealing to get a smooth finish. And it's true that some of the coarser additives can make the final sealed surface feel a bit rougher. But you can also get much finer additives and look for pre-mixed sealants with very fine additives that don't make the surface feel so rough. They still make the surface grippy, and that's what counts.
No solution is perfect, but a super-fine additive or sealant with one mixed in gets very close. You won't be able to see the additive if you get one that matches the colour of the concrete.
When you arrange to redo or add concrete, ask the contractors you're working with about making the concrete anti-slip. Let them know you want to keep the surface as smooth as possible while also helping to protect those walking across it. Reach out to a concrete sealing contractor to learn more.
