What are the uses of waterproof and water repellent portland cement?

Just look around to see all the uses of concrete in our daily lives! Concrete made of Portland Cement is a subject to all types of degradation starting with Carbonation as soon as it comes in contact with the atmosphere.

The thing most people overlook is that when concrete is placed, the water in the mix in addition to hydrating the concrete, is trying to evaporate out of the matrix to the atmosphere. In doing so, Bleed water is expelled to a surface. The channels this water travels through is called a gel-pore or capillary system. Once the water is gone -- this capillary system remains open allowing contaminates to enter the concrete. Concrete is a Big Sponge that breaths for years after it is poured.

A sealer to protect it is Vital to Longevity. Choose a sealer wisely. Surface membrane type sealers don't last! Stay away from a sealer that cautions Do Not expose to metals or glass. That is a Sodium Silicate based product that is gone in less than a year! Any sealer that allows for another coating at some future date?? Doesn't this beg the question of "What happened to the first application"?

Get a penetrating sealer to seal the gel-pore system, that doesn't form a film membrane and has a 15 year warranty for water proofing.