My workshop floor sealed with Diamond Hard Penetrating Sealer


If I had to redo my workshop floor, I would do exactly the same thing. Diamond Hard Penetrating Sealer was by far the simplest quickest, and most environmentally safe solution. The more I read about epoxy, the more it scared me: etching, and wearing masks and taking days.

Diamond Hard Penetrating Sealer is not to be confused with another one of their products called Diamond Clear, which is an acrylic film forming sealer, and not as simple to apply. Diamond Hard has a low sheen, is not slippery (at least it isn't in my shop) and cleans up like a breeze.


I never would have found this product on my own. My friend, who is an industrial designer with a famous architectural firm in Toronto had heard about this product for industrial applications. Indeed, I think this is where it is used for the most part. I thought finding it for personal use would be difficult, especially for just 350 sq feet.


And yet, I contacted the manufacturer (Euclid Chemical Info) with the following email:

Hello, After searching for months, a designer friend recommended your product for my new workshop in my garage. It's not big: it's only 350 square feet. I have 3 questions:

1. I read that your product seeps into the concrete. How deep does it go? We have radiant heating in the floor, and the tubes are 1-2 inches below the surface of the concrete.
2. Where can I get such a small amount of Diamond Hard (and how much would I need)?
3. How can I install it, or is there someone in Peterborough Ontario who can install it?

Here is the response:

Hello Lise:

Thank you for the inquiry about Diamond Hard sealer. Diamond Hard penetrates into the top surface of the concrete from 1/32"-1/8" only. It is designed to density the surface and prevent dusting. It will not affect your radiant heating system.

Battlefield Equipment in Peterborough handles our products, you will need about 1 gallon to seal 350sf. and you can probably install it yourself.

I have attached a technical data sheet for your review, please call me if you have any questions.

Regards,

Brian Salazar, C.E.T.
National Business Development Manager
Euclid Canada Inc.
90 Millwick Dr.
Toronto, Ontario
M9L 1Y3
Office (416) 747-7107
Toll Free (877) 210-4442
Fax (416) 747-9970



What follows are some pictures of my floor, to demonstrate how quickly it cleans up.

I highly recommend this product if your main concern is just to seal the floor thereby making clean-up easy.
If you want colour, then this isn't for you (unless you can add colorant to the sealer--I never asked about that.

Note that some of the photos show cracks: this was a brand spanking new floor (concrete poured over old concrete with radiant heating sandwiched in-between the layers) that developed a few cracks before I sealed it. I just filled them and waited for them to dry before sealing.









Floor with sawdust.









A very light one-handed quick broom stroke across the sawdust









A spot of black paint or stain that is at least 1 year old (last summer was the last time I made anything with black)









Cleaned up in a jiffy with a spot of water on the corner of a paper towel.









This is what I purchased. I think it's 5 Gallons, so 4 more than I needed. I honestly can't recall how much it cost. $80 perhaps?









I bought one of these brooms at Home Depot. I brushed the Diamond Hard for about 5 minutes until it got gooey, then I sqeegeed it with the other side of the broom. Mopped with clean water, and then started a new section.