What does concrete sealing typically cost in New Brunswick?

Concrete sealing in New Brunswick typically runs $0.50–$2.50 per square foot for professional application, or $100–$400 in materials if you're tackling it yourself. The wide range comes down to surface type, condition, and the sealer product chosen — a freshly poured driveway and a weathered garage floor are very different jobs.

For a standard residential driveway (roughly 400–600 sq ft), expect to pay $300–$900 professionally done, including labour and materials. A decorative stamped concrete patio or exposed aggregate surface with multiple coats of a penetrating sealer can push toward $1,200–$2,000+ depending on size and prep work required. Garage floors with an epoxy-style coating system are priced differently — that's more of a floor coating project, typically $3–$7 per sq ft installed.

New Brunswick's climate is one of the biggest reasons sealing matters here. The province's brutal freeze-thaw cycles — sometimes 40–60 per season in areas like Fredericton and Moncton — are concrete's worst enemy. Water penetrates the surface, freezes, expands, and spalls the concrete from the inside out. Add road salt tracking in from our winters and you've got a recipe for rapid deterioration. A quality penetrating silane-siloxane sealer applied every 2–3 years can dramatically extend the life of driveways, walkways, and patios.

Timing matters significantly in NB. Concrete sealing should only be done when temperatures are consistently above 10°C and rain isn't in the forecast for 24–48 hours — that gives you roughly May through September as your reliable window. Avoid sealing in direct hot sun (surface temps above 30°C can cause the sealer to bubble), which can be a consideration during July heat in inland areas like Woodstock or Edmundston.

For DIY, this is one of the more accessible concrete projects a homeowner can take on. A pressure washer rental ($60–$100/day), a concrete cleaner/degreaser ($30–$50), and a quality penetrating sealer ($80–$150 for a 5-gallon pail covering 1,000–2,000 sq ft) puts you well under $300 for a typical driveway. The key steps are thorough cleaning, allowing complete drying (24–48 hours minimum), and applying thin even coats rather than flooding the surface. Acrylic sealers are easier to apply but need recoating more frequently; penetrating sealers last longer and don't change the surface appearance.

Where you'll want a professional is on decorative or stamped concrete (wrong product or application can permanently alter the look), heavily damaged or stained surfaces that need grinding or patching first, or commercial-grade coatings like polyurea or polyaspartic systems that require specialized equipment.

No permits are required for concrete sealing — it's straightforward maintenance work. If you're sealing new concrete, wait at least 28 days after the pour before applying any sealer to allow full curing.

Browse concrete contractors and surface treatment specialists in the New Brunswick Construction Network directory to get a few quotes for your specific project.