Sealing coarse concrete rooftop?

Question

I live in an apartment and I would like to seal a section of our rooftop with small leaks where water puddles (depth of puddle is negligible). The rooftop is "rough" concrete in the sense that it feels like very coarse sandpaper. All the paint was stripped off some time ago, so it's plain, rough concrete.

I'd like to try to do this on my own since it's a relatively small section. So I had a few questions:

• The surface has lots of loose dust. Can I clean this without using a power washer? I have an extra-strength vacuum cleaner.

• Once it's clean, should I apply anything before applying the sealant? Maybe something to make the concrete more water-resistant?

• For someone like myself with no DIY knowledge, how would I apply the sealant?

• I've seen that most sealants are a bright white. How can I add some color so that it reduces or eliminates the glare?

• Is this something I should do? The issue is that I've called contractors, and they charge an exorbitant amount.

We live in the Caribbean, so there's lots of rain and lots of sun.

Answer 1

All sealers that I have worked with require a clean, dry, scale free, dust free surface. A vacuum cleaner should do the trick.

As far as pre-coats, and "how to apply", you need to follow the directions on the particular sealer you're using. They all have their own specifications.

Many sealers can be painted over, check the specs for your sealer.

Certain local codes do not allow renters to preform any work on their units. Roofing work is dangerous so be careful.