Hi David. Yes, you have the steps correct. As an FYI, penetrating sealers will be rejected where the crack repairs are made. This is because the 100% solids resinous epoxy or polyurea material will not absorb liquids. The densifier is not required but it does provide two benefits. First, it strengthens the surface of the concrete. Second, it reduces the amount of PS100 required. This is because the chemical reaction the densifier has with the concrete creates calcium silicate hydrate. This is the mineral that makes concrete hard. The CHS created works to fill pores and capillaries at the concrete sub surface. As a result, not as much PS100 is absorbed where it’s not needed. Typically, one application of PS100 is all that is required when a densifier is applied first. If using a densifier, you need to wait a minimum of 5 days for it to react with the concrete before applying the PS100. If that is not feasible, then two coats (max) of PS100 would be the way to go.

Concrete Sealers USA did all of their initial testing without using a densifier and state that it is not required. However, they began getting reports from automotive repair shops and other facilities that have used PS100 in the past with good results, state that protection was even better on slabs that were treated with a densifier first. That is why we updated our article with that information. I hope that helps!

I was first thinking of doing a polyurea/polyaspartic flake coating. But then realized this may not be a good choice given slag from welding and cutting as well as floor jacks and jack stands. I began researching penetrating sealers.

This is a relatively new pour (poured last summer), that is hand troweled. I do have some cracks to repair as well as some oil spots (equipment leaks during building erection), tire marks from ATVs and vehicles, as well as some paint from interior finishing.

I am currently thinking about using the ConcreteSealersUSA PS100 product.

My current understanding of steps:
1. Clean – Use Blue Bear 605 for the pain, followed by Purple Power to take care of the oil and tire residue, as well as a general clean.
2. Crack Repair – Chase and clean all cracks and repair with Simpson Strong-Tie Crack-Pac and clean sand.
3. Densifier – I am uncertain about this step. Not sure if it is needed. If I use the PS100, then using the ConcreteSealersUSA PS103 densifier.
4. Seal – ConcreteSealersUSA PS100 (2 coats).

Am I on the correct path? Do I need to do the densifier? If densifier is a choice, what are the pros and cons?
I am figuring the second coat will not require as much product. So I am guessing I’ll need about 9 gallons in total. Six gallons to cover 1800 SqFt for first coat and 3 gallons to handle the second coat. How does this sound?

That helps, Ross. Concrete garage floors in this condition are not a simple fix. The current condition needs to repaired and addressed before any type of sealer can be applied to be effective. We would recommend repairing the spalled areas first. It will require removing any loose or suspect concrete in those areas, vacuum, and then scrubbing the surface clean. After that, a proper repair fill material can be used. We have an article on repairing spalled and pitted floors here. After that, a light grinding would be required to remove the weak surface layer of concrete that is causing the dusting. A thin film forming sealer would be your best option after that in terms of cost and ease of application. An MMA acrylic is a good example of such a sealer. It can withstand road salts, will prevent further dusting, and is easy to apply. We recommend mixing in an anti-slip media for the final coat so that it won’t be slippery when wet.

Hi Ross. How bad is the pitting? Is it throughout the entire garage floor or only in certain areas? Is it deep with loose, dusty concrete or fairly shallow?