Hi Dennis. We would recommend applying a clear topical MMA acrylic sealer. It is a solvent-based sealer that does well in the outdoor elements. It is U.V. stable and does not require any concrete prep. Two thin coats is all that would be required and it would end the dusting. Legacy Industrial is a great source for an MMA sealer. You can find it here. One gallon is all that you would need.

Thank you!!

Hello Aimee. You can cover the floor with proper garage floor mats if you like. We would recommend G-Floor mats. You can read our article about them here. This one here is our favorite.

Yes, that helps Lisa. We are familiar with the NRMCA paper on dusting. Dusting is the result of a thin (in most cases) weakened layer of concrete at the surface which can happen for a variety of reasons as is outlined in the paper. The paper recommends a densifier treatment after the weakened layer is first removed. Densifiers can work well at reducing and sometimes eliminating light dusting due to the weakened layer being micro thin. However, if you can gouge the concrete with a screwdriver then the layer is not micro thin. Furthermore, the worst shape a concrete surface is in, the least effective a densifier becomes. This is because the weakened layer is lacking some of the primary minerals that a densifier reacts with to initiate the hardening process. We have an article here that shows the before and after results of using a densifier after grinding the concrete.

Our suggestion would be to remove the weak concrete layer first, then apply a concrete paint (not a densifier) of your choice. The paint should stay adhered with that layer removed. You didn’t state how large your strip of concrete is. If it’s not large, you can remove it by hand with a rub brick like this one. If it’s a large area, then you may need to grind. If you don’t remove this thin upper layer, the paint will eventually peel. If just apply a densifier without removing this layer, it will only inhibit the paint from adhering properly.

For interior spaces with foot traffic only, we recommend a using a water-based acrylic sealer. These will slightly darken the finish which can bring out the character of the concrete. Quality water-based acrylics typically have a satin finish. If you want a gloss finish, then it requires a solvent-based acrylic.