Wet look 'concrete' paving 'cobbles' sealer?

[Tarquintar]

We have a patio made up of rustic red, a light terracotta, Bradstone carpet cobbles which look great when wet. Darker and with a very slight sheen.

I've tried a standard sealer from Everbuild, a milky pva type, and looks great on application but barely changes the appearance when dry.

Any suggestions?

 

[jj4091]

Are you talking about coloured imprinted concrete? If so you need a gloss acrylic sealer https://elitecrete.co.uk

 

[Tarquintar]

Are you talking about coloured imprinted concrete? If so you need a gloss acrylic sealer https://elitecrete.co.uk

No, Bradstone carpet cobbles are effectively small concrete pavers attached to a plastic mesh backing, like mosaic kitchen tiles.

In these photos, on the left, taken from Bradstone website which is how I want them to look and on the right how mine look after being down for 8 years, and they were second hand when I got them! If I turn the hose on mine we get closer to the original and I'm looking for something that will maintain the darker shade without ruining the look.

I've looked at colour enhancers as used on imprinted concrete which looks to be more of a paint and not what I'm looking for here.

 

[Tarquintar]

UPDATE: Just bought some of this...

Not wet look but am told it will do the job?

 

[jj4091]

Please let us know how you get on with that as there does not look like there is much colour left to enhance in the pavers

 

[Tarquintar]

Please let us know how you get on with that as there does not look like there is much colour left to enhance in the pavers

I will do.

When wet they go darker than the one's in the Bradstone promotional photo. If I get somewhere close I'll be happy...

 

[Mike13]

Cement dust sealer is "Waterglass" and does make the surface shinier by putting a glass coat on the cement, should work there too

 

[Tarquintar]

Please let us know how you get on with that as there does not look like there is much colour left to enhance in the pavers

The retailer had said this stuff would do what I wanted it to....but following a trial on a couple of spare cobbles, with very little effect, I called the manufacturer who was extremely helpful and reduced my expectation for dramatic enhancements so I persevered and gave it a a try.

Whilst the change was mild it did even out the colour across the cobbles, which had various degrees of wear. It also seems to hold the wetter look for longer and has coated/sealed as well. Whether a lower priced sealer on it's own would have given the same effect is doubtful but unknown.