This is a first for me… My process has been consistent every time I’ve cleaned and sealed a driveway, so the list of variables is short. I’ve narrowed it down to a few possibilities:
A bad batch of sealer — although I used 15 gallons total between this and another job the day before (which I can actually see from this location), and that one turned out fine.
Moisture may have gotten in during the drying period — possibly from a sprinkler system running early the next morning or maybe even heavy dew? What’s strange is the issue only shows on this section of the driveway, not the patio, which was cleaned and sealed the exact same way. I also wondered if the sealer flashed too fast since it was applied later in the day and in full sun.
Something with the concrete itself — maybe leftover sealer in spots, inconsistencies in the pour, or some other surface issue?
I just can’t wrap my head around why this particular section came out so poorly. I’ve already reached out to the manufacturer for guidance, but if anyone has seen this kind of thing before, I’d really appreciate any input to help me figure out what went wrong.
In the meantime, I’m planning to go back and use a stripper (possibly Flood Wood Stripper?) to remove the sealer, then clean the area again and go from there.
Before cleaning (I don’t have any after cleaning but before sealing):
I’ve had excellent results with Vseal, you’re not gonna be able to ‘strip’ it as it soaks INTO the concrete and bonds with it. There’s no ‘top coat’ to strip off.
Was this virgin concrete that hasn’t been sealed in the last five years or so?
I was under the impression that water based sealers still needed to be stripped/removed in order to correct any issues… sounds like that may not be the case though.
The home was built in 2019, not sure what was done when it was poured, but I would assume it was cured and sealed at the time. Owner hasn’t done anything to it since they have been there.
V seal is a little different, it soaks all the way into the concrete and bonds with it. You can’t ’strip’ It off. There are other water based sealers but they just kinda sit on top and put a light sheen on it, like Vocomp-20.
Isn’t that basically what all water based penetrating sealers do to some extent, just some perform better than others? Since the surface has already been sealed, I’m assuming the only real way to correct it would be to break the bond of the sealer in the pores, which means stripping or removing it, whatever you want to call it, has to be done, right? Unless I’m misunderstanding something. What would the next step be?
I’ve been going back and forth with a rep all morning, giving them all the details so they can offer proper guidance. At this point, I’m wondering if the issue came from using the bottom of one 5 gallon bucket and the top of a new one without properly mixing any settled material. I’m thinking of either cleaning and reapplying or just adding a second coat to see if that evens things out. What do you think?
I’ve never seen that issue with a penetrating sealer. Do you have an “after” pic that’s a bit further away?
You can strip it even though it’s a penetrating sealer. Not fun. Not cheap. But it can be chemically done. V Seal should know what’s best for stripping this product.
I’m interested to see what they say. Using two different buckets with a penetrating sealer shouldn’t make any difference. It’s not like it separates in the bucket and has to be remixed.
Brock is noting that there’s a difference between penetrating sealers vs surface sealers. Penetrating sealers leave no sheen and work their way into the concrete. Surface sealers have a sheen, like matte or gloss, and sit on the surface.
I definitely wouldn’t add a second coat to a penetrating sealer unless V Seal specifically tells you to do that. Reapplying a penetrating sealer over a recently applied penetrating sealer usually makes a big mess and makes the problem worse.
I don’t have a photo from further away, but I’ll be heading back tomorrow to check on it and follow the V-Seal rep’s guidance below.
I’ve known that penetrating sealers can be stripped, though I’ve never done it myself. From what I’ve read, Flood Wood Stripper is one of the most potent options that’s still readily available. That said, if I can avoid going down that route, I’d prefer to.
Here’s the official response I received:
Overapplication of V-Seal 101 sometimes results in white precipitate (deposits). Washing with water and scrubbing the surface will remove the white deposits. I have attached the TDS of V-Seal 101 (page 2, line 5), which discusses overapplication and puddles. You should not apply a second coat. Thanks!
I had already reviewed that information, but I’m not convinced what I’m seeing is a deposit. It looks more like the concrete didn’t absorb the sealer evenly. Since I used three 5-gallon buckets over the course of two jobs across two days, and this is the only area affected, I suspect the issue may be with the concrete itself.
I’ve used both penetrating and topical sealers from various brands, and up until now, V-Seal has delivered the best results for the cost. I’ve completed about ten sealing jobs already this year using the same process on various substrates, and this is the first time I’ve seen something like this happen… so I’m just as puzzled as anyone.
Yeah, I agree it definitely doesn’t look like white deposits.
If you have a hot water machine and normal washing doesn’t work, try washing it with hot water. That’s what I tell people if they have the white deposits from over application, and depending on the substrate, it usually fixes it.
If for some reason you did have to strip it, you wouldn’t be using a normal stripper like you’d use for surface sealers/paints/stains. Use whatever V Seal recommends if you have to go that route.
No hot water, so I’m hoping a quick pass with the surface cleaner will take care of it tomorrow. That said, this is unlike anything I’ve seen before. The owner mentioned the driveway has been cleaned and sealed twice over the past six years without any issues so I’m baffled. Really hoping I can avoid having to strip it.
I followed the procedure provided by the V-Seal rep:
Overapplication of V Seal 101 sometimes results in white precipitate (deposits). Washing with water and scrubbing the surface will remove the white deposits.
even though, as both @qons and I initially suspected, that wasn’t the root of the issue. I went ahead with it anyway to rule it out, and as expected, it made no difference.
After I passed that along, I heard back a few days later with this from their tech team:
Just washing with water and a scrub brush will not remove a penetrating sealer. He will have to abrade the surface if he wants a “clean” substrate to start over with.
So it seems as though this isn’t a problem they have seen before or at least don’t have an answer for other then grinding down layers of the driveway. I have sealed countless driveways and patios over the years with various brands and types of sealer and this is the first time I have ever encountered an issue like this. I’m left to believe that the issue is with a defective batch of product as nothing else at this point makes sense.
I don’t want to jump the gun since the issue hasn’t been resolved and no refund or replacement has been offered for the defective product, but it seems like what was once a reliable company with a quality product has unfortunately gone downhill.
I think the problem is trying to use a penetrating sealer on concrete that has been previously done with an unknown sealer type. When I use V-Seal 101 I make sure to ask if anything has been used in the past few years. If there’s ANY hint of residue from a couple years ago it won’t work.
Maybe… I just can’t fathom that out of all the sealing jobs I have done I haven’t run into this issue before…. I can guarantee that most of my past jobs have been previously sealed with water or solvent based sealers in various states of age and condition… I’ve used v-seal products before as well… I just have a far easier time believing it’s a manufacturer defect vs. being lucky over the past 4 years to have never run into an issue with previous sealers… but maybe I have been.
I’m trying to recall accurately, but I used three five-gallon jugs over the course of two days/jobs. The entirety of the driveway was sealed from the same jug (i.e. no mixing), and the remaining portion of that jug was used on the start of the patio area, which is also the area that had similar issues but to a lesser extent.
Do you know what type of penetrating sealer V Seal is? Silane, siloxane, or siloconate? I couldn’t find an answer with a quick search.
Many penetrating sealers can be removed chemically but you’d need to know the answer to that question first.
If you could get access to hot water, that would increase your chances of success.
Physically removing it with sand blasting or grinding would be the guaranteed way to remove it, but it would require removing more than just the superficial layer of the concrete which would obviously mess up the driveway.
If you’re looking to try a different penetrating sealer, the company I own makes a very decent one. I could send you a gallon to test out.
