Seal-Once™ Waterproofers for Wood, Masonry, Concrete, Brick

How do we know that Seal-Once is so safe?
Seal-Once has been tested for acute toxicity by Huther Associates, a nationally known environmental testing organization located in Denton, Texas. The test species used were fish and shrimp larvae, as they are 1,000 times more susceptible to toxicity than a 6-inch goldfish.

During application, tests were conducted in liquid form, the result – no toxicity was found. Also, when materials treated with Seal-Once are immersed in fresh or salt water, they do not leech out, or become hydrolytically unstable. These are some of the reasons the State of New Hampshire supports use of this product throughout the state.

How does Seal-Once provide such great protection, how does it permeate the surface up to 3/8 of an inch?
Unlike today’s market leaders, Seal-Once base materials are newly developed, environmentally stable, and safe polymers. When looked at under a microscope, these materials are much smaller and lighter than today’s market leaders. In fact, Seal-Once measures 100 times smaller than a micron, roughly equivalent to a fraction of a millionth of an inch. Consequently, when applied to a wood or concrete surface, Seal-Once permeates the external surface more deeply, thereby sealing and protecting the surface for a longer period of time.

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Does Seal-Once permeate all surfaces 3/8 of an inch?
Each surface has its own characteristics. Age of the wood, porosity, type of wood, previous treatments, etc., all affect how deeply Seal-Once penetrates external surfaces. Likewise, if after a first coat of waterproofer the surface readily accepts additional materials it is telling you it needs more waterproofing.

What does “beading” really mean?
The Beading Myth – The more beading you see, the better your wood surface is waterproofed and protected. The truth is more beading indicates the applied product is sitting on top of the surface. It tells you it has not permeated deeply. That is why all leading brands of clear waterproofers suggest you reapply every year. The product does not permeate the surface and is washed away by the elements, or bleached out by the sun.

Does Seal-Once prevent mold and mildew on wood, composite decking and concrete?
Problem: Wood, composite decking or concrete that has been saturated with water over time develops mold and mildew.

Solution: Seal-Once stops the production of mold/mildew on wood, composite decking and concrete.

Removal of Existing Mold/Mildew: Mix one gallon of water with 10% bleach and one ounce of dawn liquid detergent. The soap acts as a surfactant and reduces the surface tension on the wood, composite decking or concrete. Scrub the infected area with the cleaning mixture and a scrub brush and rinse with garden hose or pressure washer no more than 1250 psi using wide fan pattern. Leave solution on concrete for 15 to 20 minutes to reduce coloration caused by the mold and mildew. You can re-apply if needed.

Application of Seal-Once: Once substrate is fairly dry and clean, apply two coats of Seal-Once wet on damp (do not allow to dry between coats). You should apply three coats if the wood, composite decking or concrete is aged and very porous.

Results: The mold and mildew has undoubtedly penetrated the wood, composite decking or concrete and will continue to come to the surface for some time. Seal-Once allows water vapor transmission to occur thus allowing the trapped moisture to rise to the surface. Apply another solution of water/bleach/dawn and wash mold away. Continue this until mold/mildew is gone. Do no reapply Seal-Once. No additional water will be able to penetrate from the surface because the wood, composite decking or concrete is now protected by Seal-Once. In time, the mold and mildew will dry up. This process could take several months to occur.

Why do we recommend that you wait up to 6 months before waterproofing a pressure treated lumber surface?
Market leaders recommend waterproofing of pressure treated lumber as soon as 3 months. As you know pressure treated lumber is heavily treated with chemicals and other materials when it is manufactured. Also, pressure treated lumber is very dense. Because of these two factors pressure treated lumber is usually not ready to accept a waterproofing treatment at 3 months. However, the consumer following the advice given by the market leaders buys the product and takes the time to apply it. Because the pressure treated lumber has not dried out enough, it accepts a limited amount of the application, which as we know washes away relatively quickly. The consumer continuing to follow the instructions waits one to two years before the next application. During that period the wood dries, splits, cracks or warps because it has inadequate waterproofing protection.

So when should a sub micron waterproofer be applied to a pressure treated surface? Timing of application depends upon at least two factors. One is the weather. If you live in New England your wood surface is covered in snow for much of December through March. If you live in a southern state, your pressure treated lumber is subjected to constant sun.

So the elements play a key role in applying a sub micron waterproofer. The second factor is the readiness of the pressure treated lumber to accept a sub micron waterproofer treatment. The best way to test for readiness is to purposefully spill water on the surface to be treated. If it readily soaks in, the surface is ready. If it sits on the surface in a puddle or pool and does not soak in, it is not ready to be treated.

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Is Seal-Once a silicone, latex or acrylic?
Seal-Once is none of the above. Seal-Once is a deep penetrating, complex co-polymer. Competitor products are primarily surface treatments.

Does Seal-Once permit masonry surfaces to breathe?
Seal-Once has excellent breathability characteristics. Trapped water will migrate out of the treated surface over a short period of time, up to ten days.

What is meant by “let the surface tell you what treatment is necessary”?
Basically it tells us to test our surfaces before deciding best treatment.
Let’s say you last sealed a surface one year ago. The surface looks dry or is cracking, splitting or warping. If you spill water on that surface and it immediately soaks in, the surface is telling you it needs additional waterproofing. If you notice after a rainstorm that the rain water is soaking into the wood, then additional waterproofing is necessary.

On the other hand if you spill water on a wood surface and it runs off the surface, then waterproofing is unnecessary, and as previously mentioned wasteful.
The same examples are true of concrete surfaces. If moisture is readily accepted into the substrate, then the concrete is ready to accept waterproofing.

How do I get the most for my money when applying a waterproofer?
Follow these four simple steps:
1. Assure the surface is free of algae, mold, mildew, etc.
2. Assure the surface is ready to accept a waterproofer.
3. Apply when temperature is over 35˚, air is dry, with no imminent rain.
4. Apply the waterproofer on a surface until it rejects further treatment. That is, apply the waterproofer until it stops soaking in. Older porous wood may accept two, or even three, applications before the surface voids fill up. You do not need to wait until your first application has dried. Continue to apply product until the surface void fill up.

What is the difference between Seal-Once pigments and competitors’ pigments?
Seal-Once pigments are UV stable and non toxic. They have been designed to react to UV light by converting UV energy into thermal energy. Competitors’ pigments are made from organic materials. Organic materials deplete in up to 18 months as they are either washed away by the elements, or baked away by the sun. Also competitors’ pigments are toxic.
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