Direct Colors DIY Home Improvement · Episode 14
Listen to this episode
The most common way a countertop sealer gets destroyed is not wear — it is a hot pan straight out of the oven. Shawna Turner on the outdoor kitchen next to a pizza oven where the coating actually melted, and the short list of things never to do to a sealed countertop: hot pans, dropped objects, harsh chemicals, and cutting on the surface.
4 min 54 sec · Download MP3 (6.7 MB)
For this job you need: HydroCryl™ · AcquaSeal™ · ProWax Polish™
Not sure which is right for your slab? Send us the details — the free project consultation is a person, not a form letter.
The written guide on this topic, with photographs: DIY Concrete Countertops.
Editor’s note. This episode was recorded some years ago. The transcript below has been corrected where the facts have changed; nothing about the technique has been altered.
- ⚠ Every sealer named in this episode is discontinued. Direct Colors no longer sells the 100% epoxy, the metallic epoxy, the 500 solvent-based polyurethane or the 550 water-based polyurethane. Those names have been dropped and the discussion reads generically. The care advice is unchanged and is the reason this episode is worth keeping.
- For a food-contact surface we do not currently offer a countertop-specific sealer. Our most chemically resistant current product is HydroCryl™ — check the product page and confirm it suits your intended use before committing, and talk to a technician if in doubt.
- The countertop-life figure (5–7 years before a scuff, clean and re-coat) referred to a polyurethane we no longer sell. Treat it as historical.
- The closing points at the old design blog; that material now lives in Direct Colors University. The consultation is now the free online project consultation.
- ⚠ Direct Colors does sell a polyurethane again — ThaneForce™ High Gloss, for professionals only. It is not available to buy online and has no product page: call (877) 255-2656 to buy. It comes in 3 gallon and 15 gallon. The specific products named in this episode are still discontinued — this is a different sealer, not a reissue.
- Housekeeping, applied to every episode in this archive. The spoken sign-off has been rewritten to point here rather than at the old directcolors.com/listen address. The RSS-feed line, the social-media list and any pointers to retired photo-gallery, blog or video pages have been dropped, along with pointers to pages that have since been retired or superseded by the links under What’s Next — in some episodes that removes a whole sentence or a short exchange. Every speaker says “design consultation”; the service is now called the free project consultation, and we have used the current name throughout rather than send you to a page that no longer exists. Run-on speaker turns, duplicated intro lines and obvious transcription slips have been repaired without changing meaning. Nothing bearing on technique, safety or product choice has been altered; those changes are itemized above.
Still accurate, and entirely independent of which sealer you use: hot metal pans destroy coatings, epoxy yellows in sunlight and does not belong outdoors, harsh chemicals discolor and flake sealers, and no sealer lasts forever.
What to seal a countertop with today
The epoxies and polyurethanes discussed are all discontinued. The care advice above stands whatever is on your top — and this is the current range.
- Maximum chemical resistance
- HydroCryl™ — built to resist household chemicals, cleaners and sanitizers.
- Low odor, occupied home
- AcquaSeal™.
- Outdoor top
- EasySeal™ Satin — and never an epoxy, which yellows in sun.
- Color the top rather than reseal it
- ColorWave® Stain, AcquaTint™ PRO Colored Sealer or Vibrance™ Dye.
Food-contact surfaces are worth a conversation — use the free project consultation and we will confirm the right product for your top rather than guess.
Full transcript
Amie Nolen: You’re listening to Direct Colors Podcast Episode 14: Care and Maintenance for Concrete Countertop Sealers. If this is your first time listening, then thanks for joining us. Our customers often ask us how they can best take care of their concrete countertop sealers and keep them looking great. I’m Amie Nolen and today we’re talking with Direct Colors General Manager, Shawna Turner. Welcome, Shawna.
Shawna Turner: Thank you.
AN: So what’s the most common damage to countertop sealers after application?
ST: It has to be placing hot pans either directly out of the oven or off the stove onto the countertop surface, Amie. Excessive heat can do some serious damage to a countertop. While we always recommend exercising a reasonable caution while using sealed countertops, placing hot pans straight out of the oven directly on the surface is an absolute no-go.
ST: We received photos from a customer a few years ago of epoxy sealer damage, and it was major. In this case the countertop was sealed using an epoxy and a polyurethane sealer, for an outdoor kitchen next to a pizza oven. In the first place, epoxy coatings should not be used outside, because they will yellow with extended exposure to sunlight and they typically do not handle extremely cold temperatures well. Secondly, and most importantly, the customer removed his steaming hot pizza pans from the oven and slid them across the countertop surface. Eventually the coating melted and the damage in the photos occurred. The solution was to strip off the sealer, re-seal, and never put hot metal pans on the countertop again.
AN: Wow. I hope that’s not a common occurrence. How do you know what the best sealer is for your particular project?
ST: I think where a countertop will be located and how it will be used is most important in making a decision. Outdoor kitchen countertops need durable, chemically resistant surfaces, so I generally recommend a solvent-based polyurethane. Indoor countertops, especially in the kitchen, should probably be sealed using a water-based polyurethane unless the home is under construction. Water based products have very little odor, and that’s a big issue if you’re living in a home, or are applying the product in confined spaces such as a bathroom.
AN: What about people who want to use an epoxy or metallic epoxy? Where could that sealer be used?
ST: Epoxy sealer offers a deep, glossy finish for indoor countertops. If you’re looking for that, you won’t be happy with anything else. As long as the epoxy coating, with or without metallic pigment, isn’t in a full sun location in the home, there’s nothing wrong with applying an epoxy finish on a kitchen or bathroom top. I would suggest topcoating it with a solvent based polyurethane if possible — polyurethanes are a more durable coating overall.
AN: Any other recommendations for keeping your countertops looking their best longer?
ST: Absolutely. We put together a little checklist for what not to do with your countertop that I think is super helpful to keep in mind. First, never place oven- or stove-hot pans directly on the countertop surface. Potholders will prevent damage from occurring in most cases — I’m sure this will come as no surprise given my earlier remarks.
ST: Second, avoid dropping objects from a great height onto the countertop surface. Dropping items can cause chipping or cracking if the object is heavy or sharp. I realize people don’t often do this on purpose, but regardless, it will damage the finish. Third, don’t use harsh cleaning chemicals. Strong chemicals can cause sealer discoloration and flaking. A mild dishwashing soap will most always do a more than adequate job cleaning countertops. The temptation is to use anti-bacterial cleaners and the like in the kitchen, but they’re often unnecessary and will cause permanent damage to the countertop. Finally, use a cutting board, not your countertop — for best results, cut nothing on the surface of your countertop.
AN: Sound, practical advice for sure.
ST: At the end of the day, wear and tear for a sealer over time is normal. Nothing lasts forever, but careful use of a polyurethane sealed countertop will yield 5–7 years of use before it would be ready for a scuff, clean and re-coating.
AN: Thanks for the sage words of wisdom on how to get the most out of your concrete countertop sealers. If you have questions, call one of our expert technicians at 877-255-2656 and we’ll help you select the best products and technique for your needs. If you prefer email, send in a free online project consultation and we’ll get back to you within 24–48 hours. Direct Colors DIY Home Improvement podcasts were produced twice monthly for your enjoyment, and the show notes live here in the Direct Colors listening archive. Thanks again for joining us!
What’s Next
- Countertops start to finish → DIY Concrete Countertops
- Outdoor tops specifically → Outdoor Concrete Kitchen Countertop · sealing outdoor countertops episode
- Refinishing an existing top → Refinish an Old Countertop
- Looking after stained floors too → Care & Maintenance of Acid Stained Floors
- Talk it through → Free Project Consultation
- Shop → HydroCryl™ · AcquaSeal™ · ProWax Polish™
