What sealer for painted concrete steps?

[sheldo]

Hi - I’m looking to seal some painted concrete steps (front door, so pretty heavy traffic) - I’ve read to use water based polyurethane, or acrylic sealer or epoxy sealer amongst other things. I only need to cover a couple metres square..what would you suggest to use?

[EricL]

Hello @sheldo 

Sealing painted concrete stairs, especially in a high-traffic area like a front door, requires careful consideration to ensure durability and compatibility with the existing paint. Unfortunately, using a sealer over painted surfaces can be unpredictable unless the products are specifically designed to work together. If the stairs are already painted, it's best to avoid mixing and matching different sealers, as this can lead to issues like peeling, bubbling, or poor adhesion.

Bunnings offers several options that might work if the stairs are unpainted or if you're willing to strip the paint and start fresh. An acrylic sealer such as Crommelin's "Concrete Floor Sealer" provides a strong, non-yellowing finish suitable for outdoor use, but again, it's best applied to bare concrete. For maximum durability, an epoxy sealer, such as the Dulux Concrete and Paving range, would provide excellent resilience to heavy foot traffic, but it also requires a clean, unpainted surface to adhere properly.

If stripping the paint or repainting is not an option, it might be better to leave the stairs as they are and allow the paint to wear down naturally over time. Once the surface is worn, you can consider starting fresh with a compatible product, ensuring a more predictable and long-lasting result. This approach avoids the risk of creating additional problems by applying an incompatible sealer over the existing paint.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[sheldo]

Thanks Eric that’s given me a few things to think about.

I do have another question, unrelated though, I’ll add it into a separate thread. Cheers!