If you choose a solvent-based sealer for your concrete floor, always use a solvent-based sealer for that floor. The same holds true for water-based sealers.  Do not mix the two!

The sealer must be compatible with the overlay or decorative finish to which it’s being applied, i.e. you cannot put a penetrating sealer over a surface that has been sealed nor over the color hardener in stamped concrete.

A water-based sealer is your best and safest bet for interior concrete floors where there’s little or no adequate ventilation available during the application process.

Cost should not be a factor when deciding which sealer you’re going to use.  Low cost sealers purchased at your local hardware store or home improvement center cannot match the quality and performance of commercial professional-grade sealers purchased at a concrete materials supplier.

Sealed concrete is slippery!  If you’re sealing raw concrete, use a penetrating sealer which is slip-resistant.  If you’re sealing a decorative concrete or overlay finish, make sure to put traction additive in the final seal coat.

Sealers don’t last forever.  If you consistently and routinely clean and take care of your concrete, you can expect the sealer to last one to three years.

Now that you’ve considered the performance and appearance factors most important to you, it’s time to get started on this chore that will add years to the life of your concrete!