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We recently had the basement drain system replaced in our 1930s bungalow. This required removing sections of the concrete floor and filling the parts that were removed with new concrete when the job was finished. The old portion of the floor has several layers of paint that have been applied over the years.

Do I need to seal the new concrete portions? Appearance does not matter. There are no plans for renovating or installing anything over this floor, as it is the laundry area of the house. I only intend to put a few rubber area mats on it to stand on.

If sealing is recommended, should I use a sealer or a paint, and if so which one? I think epoxy basement paint is overkill for this situation, and I'm worried about the toxic fumes from these paints. I saw GBS Penetrating Sealer recommended on another forum, but I am fine with leaving the floor as it is if that's a viable option. However, if some sort of sealing is required I'd like the least invasive option.

Thanks

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  • Welcome to DIYSE. Please take the tour so you know how to best participate. Note that product recommendation requests are off-topic.
    – isherwood
    Mar 19, 2020 at 16:01

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No it's not necessary. Sealers protect the concrete aesthetically and help keep it from soaking up oil etc. Since you don't care what it looks like then you don't need to seal it.

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  • Right. Most basement slabs are not sealed unless the owner wanted a semi-finished floor.
    – isherwood
    Mar 19, 2020 at 16:00
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    Thanks for the replies. I decided to use a latex porch and patio paint (being the least toxic), because, as you say, the new concrete will soak up oil, but it also soaks up water if any is splashed on it from the basement laundry tub.
    – Charles
    Mar 22, 2020 at 22:24

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