The Science of Seal-Once®
Though wood is a durable, versatile, renewable and beautiful material, it is not invincible. Its enemy is water. Without protection, it is highly susceptible to rot and decay caused by water damage and harsh conditions.
All plants, including wood, get structural support from lignin, a substance which shields wood cells from water damage. When lignin breaks down, the shield is breached, allowing spores to settle on the wood and grow into destructive fungi. As the fungi grows, it feeds on the lignin and other parts of the wood cells, leading to rot, decay and structural damage.
In concrete and masonry, water infiltration can cause structural damage. As water penetrates the surface, it causes the concrete to expand and contract, leading to cracking, flaking and spalling. This is worsened in regions where temperatures fluctuate dramatically, leading to freeze/thaw damage.
SEAL-ONCE® protects against water damage, using proprietary nanotechnology that penetrates deep into the wood and bonds to the wood fibers and cells at a microscopic level. This forms a long-lasting shield that protects from the inside out.
In concrete and masonry, SEAL-ONCE penetrates deep within the capillaries of the substrate, creating a flexible, breathable barrier that prevents water from causing damage, and allows water vapor to escape.
The ability to protect from the inside out provides unparalleled protection and stability for wood, concrete and masonry. The flexible, breathable barrier created by SEAL-ONCE allows water vapor to escape while preventing damage caused by water intrusion, such as rot, decay, mold and mildew growth, cracking and splitting.
Typical sealers form a barrier on the surface of the wood or masonry, trapping moisture below the surface. As the water evaporates, it causes the surface coating and the substrate to crack and peel, leaving a broken surface that requires continued maintenance and is susceptible to additional damage. SEAL-ONCE prevents this by protecting from the inside out.