My 2-Year Journey Protecting My Concrete Patio: Battling Humidity, Grime, and Even Winter Frost (Time-lapse & Unsealed Test Area Pics)
Hey Y`all
I wanted to share my personal experience with concrete sealing on my patio here in North Houston, Texas. Our concrete takes a beating with the constant humidity, heavy rains, and the general exposure to the elements down here. Plus, while it's not frequent, we do get a few days of snow and frost in the winter, which can be brutal on concrete if it's not properly protected. For years, I struggled with this patio constantly looking dirty, developing moss/algae, and just generally not holding up well. I was tired of repeatedly pressure washing it and getting minimal long-term results.
During my research, I found there are tons of DIY concrete sealing products out there. I actually tried a couple of other sealers before this, but they honestly only seemed to hold up for a couple of weeks or months before the grime started coming back, and i was in my pressure washing mode again, making all that cleaning effort feel wasted.
After more in-depth research, I decided to invest in a penetrating concrete sealer – I was looking for something that wouldn't change the look of the concrete (no 'wet look' or sheen), but would truly protect it from the elements and make it easier to clean in the long run, including against those damaging freeze-thaw cycles. One of the main reasons I decided to try Nanoprotect Concrete Sealer Stone Impregnation was the strong Amazon reviews I saw (back then it had around 1900 positive reviews, and now I see it's well over 2850+). That really gave me confidence in this advanced penetrating technology.
To make this a true test, I sealed the left side of my cottage patio with a single coat and deliberately left the right side completely unsealed. And, since I had a bit of material left after the single coat, I even applied a double coat of Nanoprotect to a small square patch within the unsealed right side, just to see the maximum difference. This allowed me to compare unsealed, single-coat, and double-coat performance side-by-side.
I started this journey back in July 2023, after a thorough cleaning of the patio. I've been taking photos regularly to track its performance. I've put together a small time-lapse sequence from my photos showing how it's held up over 2 years now.
Conclusion:
I'm genuinely impressed with how much easier this patio is to maintain now, especially considering I haven't done any cleaning – no pressure washing, nothing – since I sealed it over two years ago; I've just let the rain and wind do the work.
While the water doesn't bead off visibly as dramatically as it did in the first few months, the sealed surfaces still clearly show that no dirt or water-dissolved grime can penetrate into them. They remain remarkably clean, preventing stains and unsightly build-ups. That means the Sealer is still working inside the stone.
What's truly amazing is the double-coated area. That small patch still looks like it did on day one – super clean, no stains, no algae, no green build-ups, or anything! Compared to the single-coated sealed surfaces, this sustained pristine condition is incredible. Based on my experience, I would strongly recommend a double coat for anyone sealing with Nanoprotect.
As you can see in the comparison photos, this is a stark contrast to the unsealed side, where rain and weather elements have forced the surfaces to become dirty again, with noticeable algae and green build-up. The side-by-side comparison truly shows the long-term difference a quality penetrating sealer makes, even with our varied climate and occasional frost/snow.
1 Gal lasted for the one side of the patio and i had about 1/5 left after application. Surface sealed apprx 220 sqft with a single coat.
Product i used is this one here:
Product Link Patio Sealer / Concrete Sealer: Nanoprotect Concrete Sealer