The consumer guides on this site cover the basics. This playbook is built for decorative concrete contractors who get paid to put a sealer on a slab and stand behind the result.
Don't read it end to end. Answer the three questions below and the playbook will route you to the section you need. Direct Colors manufactures the full system from prep to seal to maintain under one roof in Shawnee, Oklahoma since 1997.
A Direct Colors sealer going down on a commercial slab.
START HERE: ANSWER THESE THREE.
Each answer routes you to the section of the playbook you need.
What kind of slab are you sealing?
Fresh-pour concrete (within 30 days) uses one specific product. Everything else routes to the moisture question below.
Is there moisture in the slab?
Moisture-risk slabs (basements, on-grade, vertical) take a different product than dry slabs. If you're not sure, run the plastic-sheet test.
Have you already prepped the slab?
If the slab is already prepped and stained with Direct Colors products, jump to the verification checks. If not, start at prep.
Or are you fixing a failed sealer?
Milky white, peeling, yellowing, bubbles, sticky? Skip the new-job path and jump straight to the failure diagnosis.
Prep the slab.
Two paths. Acid etching for most decorative work. Mechanical grinding for polished slabs, existing coatings, and any substrate that needs aggressive profile before a high-performance system like ThaneForce.
Two prep paths: acid etching (left) and diamond grinding (right).
Path A — Chemical prep (most decorative jobs)
The four-step Direct Colors sequence: CLEAN → ETCH → NEUTRALIZE → RINSE.
- ■CLEAN with ProClean Degreaser™. Vacuum debris first.
- ■ETCH with CitrusEtch™. Work in 10–15 minutes with a stiff brush.
- ■NEUTRALIZE with ProClean Neutralizer™. Residual acid blocks bond.
- ■RINSE. Pressure-wash, extract with wet/dry vac. White-rag test the dry slab.
Full sequence with dew point rule, sprayer technique, pool-deck water protection, and the stained-slab variant: application guide → Step 1 prep.
Path B — Mechanical prep (when chemical isn't enough)
Required when the slab has a polished finish, existing sealer or coating, alkali deposits a degreaser can't pull, or when the spec calls for a specific surface profile (especially under ThaneForce).
- ■Low-speed floor buffer with stripping pad (black or brown). Day-to-day pro option for breaking polish and removing thin films.
- ■Diamond grinder. For thick build-up, multi-layer film, or aggressive profile work.
- ■Shot blasting. Required for ThaneForce systems over 10 mils dry. Mechanical scarification recommended for 3–10 mils dry thin-build.
- ■Dust extraction. Vacuum aggressively after grinding. Embedded dust kills adhesion.
The pro sealer lineup.
The products a decorative contractor reaches for on a job site. Tap any card to see the product page or to start a Pro program order.
The full Direct Colors pro sealer lineup.
Clear & Penetrating Sealers
Clear film and penetrating sealers for new and existing concrete: ThaneForce™ (two-component polyurethane), HydroCryl™ (water-based acrylic), EasySeal™ (solvent acrylic), EasyCureSeal™ (fresh-pour cure & seal), and ProSeal Li™ (penetrating, for moisture-risk slabs).
ThaneForce™
Two-component water-based polyurethane. Industrial, commercial high-traffic, chemical exposure.
- ■UV-stable high gloss
- ■300–350 sq ft/gal
- ■Cures heavy-traffic ready in 3–5 days
HydroCryl™
Water-based premium acrylic, 33% solids. Garages, occupied homes, busy interiors, commercial spaces.
- ■Ultra-low VOC (25 g/L), non-flammable
- ■Lab-tested 88/90 vs nine garage chemicals
- ■Gloss, satin, matte
EasySeal™
Solvent-based acrylic best-seller. Exterior decorative, stained patios, driveways, pavers, vacant interior.
- ■Classic "wet look" color enhancement
- ■Field-repairable with EasyRepair™
- ■Not for occupied homes
EasyCureSeal™
Solvent cure & seal for fresh-pour concrete on pour day.
- ■The only product for wet concrete
- ■Closes pores once cured
- ■No topical stain possible after
ProSeal Li™
Water-based penetrating polymer sealer. Moisture-risk slabs, basements, vertical surfaces.
- ■No film — penetrates and densifies
- ■10+ year service life
- ■Horizontal & vertical surfaces
Tinted Sealers
Color and seal in one application. Direct Colors offers three tinted concrete sealers: AcquaTint™ (water-based, interior), EasyTint™ (solvent-based, exterior), and the pros-only ProSeal Li™ Tinted (penetrating, for moisture-risk slabs).
AcquaTint™
Tinted water-based acrylic. One-step color and seal for interior projects.
- ■Low VOC, safe in occupied homes
- ■Color and seal in one product
- ■Not compatible with OxiGrip™
EasyTint™
Tinted solvent acrylic. One-step color and seal for exterior projects (pavers, broomed concrete).
- ■Deep, lasting color
- ■Refreshes faded stains
- ■Not for occupied homes
ProSeal Li™ Tinted
Tinted penetrating polymer sealer. One-step color and seal for moisture-risk slabs that need unified color.
- ■Color without surface staining
- ■Same 10+ year service life
- ■Earth-tone color range (test area first)
How to apply.
Application changes by the kind of sealer. The acrylic walkthroughs live in the consumer application guide. ThaneForce and ProSeal Li have their own pro-specific notes here.
Rolling a commercial driveway, keeping a wet edge.
Acrylic film sealers
HydroCryl, EasySeal, AcquaTint, EasyTint, EasyCureSeal. Full walkthrough with W-pattern rolling, sprayer priming, dew point rule, OxiGrip mix-in, and the burnishable ProWax topcoat is in the application guide:
- ■Step 1 — Prep the slab
- ■Step 2 — Check temperature and dew point
- ■Step 3 — Choose your applicator
- ■Step 4 — Apply
- ■Step 5 — Cure and recoat
- ■OxiGrip mix ratios · ProWax burnishing
ThaneForce & ProSeal Li installation
Both products have their own full spec sheet and step-by-step walkthrough at the bottom of this playbook.
Fix sealer mistakes.
Find your failure on the left. Click the kind of sealer you used to jump straight to the recovery section in the consumer fix guide.
The six common sealer failures side by side. Match yours, then jump to the fix.
| What you see | Most likely cause |
What kind of sealer did you use? Solvent Based (SB) or Water Based (WB) |
|---|---|---|
| Milky white or hazy |
|
SBWB |
| Peeling or flaking |
|
SBWB |
| Yellowing |
|
SBWB |
| Bubbles or blisters |
|
SBWB |
| Sticky or tacky finish |
|
SBWB |
| Cloudy, no clear cause |
|
SBWB |
-
Milky / hazy. Trapped moisture or dew point violation.
SBWB -
Peeling / flaking. Adhesion failure.
SBWB -
Yellowing. UV degradation.
SBWB -
Bubbles / blisters. Moisture vapor or thick coats.
SBWB -
Sticky / tacky. Under-cured or wrong kind of sealer.
SBWB -
Cloudy, no clear cause. Residual acid.
SBWB
For ThaneForce failures: strip and reapply. ThaneForce isn't re-flashable. Full strip-and-recovery walkthrough: stripping section.
Additives and wax.
Two job-finishers most pros leave money on the table by skipping. OxiGrip turns any sealer into anti-slip. ProWax Polish is the only burnishable concrete wax on the market — it's what makes a polished concrete floor look like a polished concrete floor.
OxiGrip stirred into the final coat; ProWax burnished to a high gloss.
OxiGrip™
Anti-slip mineral additive. Mixes into the final coat of any clear sealer. Pool decks, ramps, stairs, garage aprons.
- ■3.2 oz per gallon of sealer
- ■Last coat only — mix and apply
- ■Not compatible with tinted sealers
ProWax Polish™
Sacrificial polymer wax — the only burnishable concrete wax. The finishing layer on every interior decorative floor.
- ■Mop-on, no buffing required
- ■Burnishes to high gloss for polished look
- ■Interior only · over fully cured sealer
Pick the right sealer for the job.
Project type to product, in plain terms. Substrate, traffic class, and moisture readings can shift the call.
| Project | Primary | Add-ons |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial / commercial high-traffic | ThaneForce™ | OxiGrip™ where slip risk applies |
| Restaurant / brewery / food-grade | ThaneForce™ | — |
| Auto service / aircraft hangar | ThaneForce™ | OxiGrip™ in service bays |
| Residential garage | HydroCryl™ | OxiGrip™ at the apron |
| Stained patio (exterior) | EasySeal™ | OxiGrip™ if shaded / slip-prone |
| Pool deck | EasySeal™ or HydroCryl™ | OxiGrip™ required |
| Driveway | EasySeal™ | OxiGrip™ on slopes |
| Basement (moisture) | ProSeal Li™ base + HydroCryl™ topcoat if finished look | ProWax Polish™ interior |
| Basement, stained (moisture) | Stain first, then ProSeal Li™ | HydroCryl™ optional |
| Basement, tinted (moisture) | Tinted ProSeal Li™ | ProWax Polish™ interior |
| Brick / stucco / porous stone | ProSeal Li™ | 2nd coat highly porous |
| Interior decorative (residential) | HydroCryl™ | ProWax Polish™ topcoat |
| Fresh pour (pour day) | EasyCureSeal™ | No stain after (pores close) |
| Concrete countertop | HydroCryl™ | ProWax Polish™ on high-traffic |
| One-step color and seal | AcquaTint™ (interior) or EasyTint™ (exterior) | Not compatible with OxiGrip™ |
- Industrial / commercial high-traffic. ThaneForce™.
- Restaurant / brewery / food-grade. ThaneForce™.
- Auto / hangar. ThaneForce™.
- Residential garage. HydroCryl™.
- Stained patio (exterior). EasySeal™.
- Pool deck. EasySeal™ or HydroCryl™. OxiGrip™ required.
- Driveway. EasySeal™.
- Basement (moisture). ProSeal Li™ + optional HydroCryl™ topcoat.
- Basement, stained. Stain first, then ProSeal Li™.
- Basement, tinted. Tinted ProSeal Li™.
- Brick / stucco / stone. ProSeal Li™.
- Interior decorative. HydroCryl™ + ProWax Polish™.
- Fresh pour. EasyCureSeal™.
- Countertop. HydroCryl™.
- One-step color and seal. AcquaTint™ or EasyTint™.
Top mistakes that lose pros money.
Every failure here comes back as a warranty claim or a callback. Every one is preventable.
Three callbacks waiting to happen: tape, roller marks, and a peeling moisture slab.
- ■Skipping the etch on raw concrete. Sealer peels within a year.
- ■Skipping the neutralizer. Cloudy cure or peeling at the slab line.
- ■Sealing over a damp slab. Milky film. 5°F dew point margin is the rule.
- ■Film sealer on a moisture-risk slab. Guaranteed callback. ProSeal Li first.
- ■Mixing kinds of sealer. Strip first, single kind of sealer only.
- ■Wrong sprayer for EasySeal. Use a high-solids sprayer with fan-tip nozzle.
- ■EasyRepair on water-based or ThaneForce. Destroys the finish.
- ■ThaneForce kit mixed in pieces. Throws the 2:1 ratio.
- ■ThaneForce applied past pot life. 1 hour at 70°F. Heat shortens it.
- ■ThaneForce over-rolled, cross-hatched, in direct sun, or applied too thin. Roller marks.
- ■Tape directly on concrete before ThaneForce. Adhesives interfere with the sealer.
- ■Slab-on-grade ThaneForce without a moisture barrier. Coating fails to vapor pressure.
- ■Stain over closed pores. ProSeal Li and EasyCureSeal close them. Stain first.
- ■OxiGrip in AcquaTint or EasyTint. Not compatible.
- ■Skipping the water absorption test before recoat. Beading water = closed pores.
The Direct Colors Pro program.
How Direct Colors supports decorative concrete contractors.
- ■Spec access to ThaneForce™ and tinted ProSeal Li™, plus full TDS, PDS, SDS for every product
- ■Technical support from the people who manufacture the products
- ■Sample kits for client presentations and mockups
- ■Job-specific recommendations when substrate or environment is outside the standard playbook
- ■Pro directory listing for qualified applicators, driving inbound homeowner and commercial leads
ThaneForce™ — spec & install steps.
Two-component water-based polyurethane for the jobs where an acrylic film won't carry the load. Industrial, commercial high-traffic, chemical exposure, low-odor for occupied buildings.
ThaneForce mixed 2:1 and rolled onto a commercial floor.
ThaneForce™ basics
- ■Two-component water-based aliphatic polyurethane (mix 2:1 Part A to Part B)
- ■Water-based, low odor, suitable for occupied spaces
- ■UV stable, chemical resistant, abrasion resistant
- ■Works directly on concrete or as topcoat over cured epoxy
- ■~300–350 sq ft per gallon
- ■1-hour pot life · light foot traffic 24 hr · full cure 3–5 days
ThaneForce™ ideal projects
- ■Industrial facilities and chemical exposure areas
- ■Auto service centers, aircraft hangars
- ■Warehouses and high-traffic commercial floors
- ■Restaurant, brewery, food-grade floors
- ■Commercial pool decks and patios
- ■Low-odor applications in occupied buildings
ThaneForce™ install steps
Pre-application checklist
- ■Concrete cured 30+ days. Slab moisture-tested.
- ■Substrate 5°F above dew point. Ambient 55–95°F.
- ■No tape on concrete. Adhesives interfere with the sealer. Mask off-slab only.
- ■HVAC blocked, ignition sources off, PPE on.
- ■Slab-on-grade requires a moisture barrier in the slab system.
Mixing
- ■Pre-mix Part A and Part B separately.
- ■Combine at 2:1 ratio (2 parts A to 1 part B) at slow speed until streak-free.
- ■Mix kits in their entirety. Partial kits throw the ratio.
- ■Pot life: 1 hour at 70°F. Heat shortens it. Plan your batch size accordingly.
Application
- ■Brush or 3/8" nap roller. Keep a wet edge.
- ■Target 4–5 mils wet. Coverage: 300–350 sq ft/gal.
- ■Do not over-roll or cross-hatch. Causes roller marks.
- ■Avoid direct sun and thin coats. Both telegraph through the cure.
Cure schedule @ 70°F
- ■Tack-free: 7–9 hours
- ■Recoat window: 7–12 hours (sand to degloss after 24 hr)
- ■Light foot traffic: 24 hours
- ■Full cure / vehicle traffic: 3–5 days
Cleanup & troubleshooting
- ■Tools: warm soapy water while wet. Cured material is mechanical removal only.
- ■ThaneForce is not re-flashable. Failures get stripped, not patched.
- ■Need pricing or have a job-site question? Call the Pro Line: (405) 617-0717
ProSeal Li™ — spec & install steps.
Water-based penetrating polymer sealer that migrates into the substrate, occupies micro-voids, and densifies the slab. No film on top to peel or whiten. Tinted version is pros-only.
ProSeal Li sprayed and back-rolled. It penetrates; no film on top.
ProSeal Li™ basics
- ■Penetrating water-based blend: polymer, water-borne polyurethane, and acrylic (single component, sprayer + back-roll)
- ■Penetrates and densifies, no film build
- ■10+ year service life when applied per spec
- ■Low VOC, 29% solids by weight, non-toxic, non-slip
- ■Works on horizontal AND vertical surfaces (chimneys, walls, brick, stucco, stone)
- ■~200 sq ft per gallon (porosity-dependent)
- ■Tinted version (pigmented) available through the Pro program
ProSeal Li™ ideal projects
- ■Basement floors with rising moisture
- ■On-grade slabs where film sealers fail to vapor pressure
- ■Vertical concrete, brick, stucco, porous stone
- ■Brick and paver waterproofing
- ■Sidewalks, parking decks where film build isn't wanted
- ■Tinted version: moisture-risk slabs that also need unified color
ProSeal Li™ install steps
Pre-application checklist
- ■New concrete cured 21–28 days.
- ■Ambient above 45°F. Substrate 5°F above dew point.
- ■If the slab has a visible sheen, etch with CitrusEtch™ to break it.
- ■Run a water absorption test. If water doesn't darken or absorb, an existing sealer is present. Strip first.
- ■For colored jobs: stain must go on before ProSeal Li. It closes the pores.
Mixing
- ■Single-component. Stir, don't shake. No catalyst, no induction time.
- ■Tinted ProSeal Li: confirm color match in a 1 sq ft test area before full application.
Application
- ■Low-pressure sprayer. Wet the surface generously without pooling.
- ■Back-roll to spread excess and avoid puddles.
- ■Coverage: 200 sq ft/gal. Highly porous substrates often need a 2nd application.
- ■Works on horizontal and vertical surfaces (brick, stucco, porous stone).
Cure schedule
- ■Light foot traffic: 24 hours
- ■Full cure: 3–7 days (varies with substrate porosity and humidity)
- ■Topcoats may go on after the surface is dry to the touch.
Topcoats & cleanup
- ■Compatible topcoats: acrylic, oil-based, epoxy, urethane. Avoid latex.
- ■Common stack: ProSeal Li (waterproofing) + HydroCryl™ (finish look) + ProWax Polish™ (sacrificial topcoat) for interior decorative.
- ■Tools: rinse with water while wet.
- ■Need pricing or have a job-site question? Call the Pro Line: (405) 617-0717
ProSeal Li™ Tinted color range (Earth Tones)
Tinted ProSeal Li™ comes in 16 Earth Tone colors, each shown one coat vs two on the color card (color deepens with the second coat). Because screens and concrete texture change how a color reads, test in an out-of-the-way spot or request a sample before a full job.
ProSeal Li™ Tinted Earth Tones. Left half of each swatch is one coat, right half is two.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get pricing and start ordering?
Contact us or call the DC Pro Line at (405) 617-0717. We'll set up the right account tier based on volume and project mix, and get your first order rolling.
How do I get technical data sheets for my project?
Full TDS, PDS, and SDS documents are available to Pro program members. For project-specific spec language and substrate guidance, contact the Direct Colors technical team after enrolling.
Polyurethane vs acrylic, which should a pro spec?
Acrylic film sealers carry most decorative residential and light-commercial work. Water-based polyurethane like ThaneForce wins on industrial floors, commercial high-traffic, and projects requiring elevated chemical resistance, abrasion resistance, and service life. ThaneForce has tighter application requirements (two-component, 1-hour pot life, narrower temp window).
What's the warranty position on Direct Colors sealers?
Direct Colors warrants the products to meet manufacturing specifications. ProSeal Li carries a 10+ year service life when applied per spec. Application warranties are the applicator's responsibility, which is industry standard.
What's the lead time on bulk orders?
Pallet and tote quantities ship from Shawnee, Oklahoma within 2 to 5 business days. For multi-pallet orders or staged delivery, contact us or call (405) 617-0717.
What's next
- 1. Contact us for pricing and orders, or call (405) 617-0717.
- 2. Apply to the Direct Colors Pro program for spec access and the directory listing.
- 3. Reference the application guide and the recovery guide for training and troubleshooting.
- 4. Browse the acrylic sealer lineup and ProSeal Li product pages.
Direct Colors has manufactured the full decorative concrete system in Shawnee, Oklahoma since 1997. One manufacturer. One system. Zero guesswork.
Direct Colors. Shawnee, OK. Manufacturing the full decorative concrete system since 1997.
