Keywords: sealants, sealer, sealers, green, sealing
What are the factors that determine a sealing product is green? It must be made from materials and processes that do minimal damage to the environment. In addition, green sealers must prevent the gases and compounds of the material they are being applied to from seeping out, escaping or becoming part of the environment as well. The benefits of using these types of sealers are simple: they protect the environment a nd the people who will be living around the products that are sealed with them.
Knowing the End Product’s Purpose
When choosing a sealer, it is important to consider where the sealed product will be installed and what it will be used for. For concrete kitchen countertops, for instance, the sealer that is selected must be labeled as food grade to prevent contamination and illness to the people exposed to its residue on a rotating, continual basis.
Factor in the Upkeep/Maintenance Needs
Ideally, the sealant would last forever. Realistically, most will need to be reapplied, but how often and how soon after initial installation is determined by the product that is selected, its application method and the environment in which it is used.
Water-Based Sealants
Most of the sealants that qualify as green are water-based, meaning that they are much more user friendly and don’t contain toxic VOC’s – Volatile Organic Compounds, this will sometimes cause a longer dry and cure time but is hardly a reason not to choose them.
What the Client Wants
When choosing the sealant that is right for you or your customer, you must keep in mind the final appearance, the upkeep that they will be willing to do and the replacement costs as well.



