Masonry Sealers and Water Repellents

Join us for our First Fall Build Smarter Seminar with Foster Lyons, hosted at Gault Stone & Landscape Supplies in Westport!

4:30 PM – Networking

5:00 PM – Presentation

In this engaging in-person session, building scientist and industry expert Foster Lyons will share practical strategies to help you build smarter, safer, and more sustainably.

Come for the learning and stay for the fun! Enjoy a delicious Meatball Bar, festive Apple Cider Ginger Mules, and a special wine tasting featuring Montenidoli Vernaccia “Fiore” and Talenti Rosso di Montalcino from Foster Lyons. It’s the perfect opportunity to enjoy great food and drinks, meet new people, and connect with fellow industry professionals!

Masonry Sealers and Water Repellents

Explore what masonry sealers and penetrating water repellents actually do, how different product chemistries affect masonry performance, and when treatment can help - or harm - a wall. Attendees will learn how water moves through brick, stone, mortar, and concrete masonry; how penetrating repellents reduce liquid-water absorption without significantly restricting water-vapor movement; and why the decision to treat masonry should begin with determining whether treatment is appropriate for the wall in the first place.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the differences between penetrating water repellents, film-forming coatings, densifiers, and consolidants, including how each affects masonry’s pore structure and moisture movement.
• Learn how capillary absorption and contact angle influence water entry and how hydrophobic treatments can reduce liquid-water absorption while maintaining water-vapor transport.
• Evaluate key factors including substrate type, pore structure, salts, cracks and joints, secondary water paths, moisture conditions, penetration depth, and product chemistry when determining whether a treatment will improve or negatively impact masonry durability.
• Develop a practical approach to specification and quality control by determining when treatment is appropriate, selecting the right chemistry for the substrate, completing necessary repairs first, and using mock-ups, absorption testing, and penetration-depth measurements to verify performance.

Interested in more Build Smarter events? Visit the Foster Lyons Seminar Series to see our fall lineup and mark your calendar!