Finally got the old basement floor sealed after three years of putting it off

Three years ago when we bought this house in Springfield, the basement was a total mess. The concrete floor was dusty and stained. I kept telling myself I would seal it. Last month, I finally bought a 5 gallon bucket of Ghostshield Siloxa-Tek 8500. Last week, I moved everything out, scrubbed the floor with a rented machine, and let it dry for two full days. Applying the sealer took about four hours with a roller on a pole. My back was killing me. But now it's done. The floor looks darker and feels smooth. No more dust clouds when the kids run down there. Anyone have tips for keeping it looking good long term?

4 comments

4 Comments

nelson.vera3mo ago

How often do you plan to sweep down there? I found that doing a quick once-over with a soft broom every few days makes a huge difference. If you ever get a weird stain, a paste of baking soda and water left on for a bit before mopping usually lifts it right out without hurting the sealer.

charles_young922mo ago

Man, @nelson.vera is totally right about that baking soda trick. It saved my floor last month from a weird dark spot I couldn't figure out. Keeping up with the grit is the real battle though, it feels like a never ending job sometimes. My place gets dusty so fast and grinding that stuff in is the worst. Solid advice all around in this thread, makes the whole task feel a bit less awful.

the_thomas3mo ago

Nice work getting that done. For long term care, just sweep it often to keep grit off the surface. Avoid using any harsh cleaners or acids, a bit of mild dish soap in water is all you need for a mop. The main thing is to not let dirt get ground in.

spencer4003mo ago

Great, now I have to add "grit patrol" to my weekly chores. My floor gets more careful attention than my car. At least the mop water won't cost me an arm and a leg like those fancy cleaners would.