Is behr wet look concrete sealer water based?

Answer 1

Assuming the Behr Wet Look Sealer No. 985, Behr does not state whether this sealer is water based or not in their online literature. Most 'Wet Look' sealers are solvent based (high VOC) that give a rich, darker color to the surface after application. Yet as state EPA controls become more stringent in limiting high VOC (volatile organic compounds) sealers/paints, water based systems have become a larger part of the industry.

Looking at the Behr No. 985 MSDS (material safety data sheets) which require all toxic components to be labeled, I see that it includes 2,2,4-Trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol monoisobutyrate in its hazardous section. According to OSHA (see related link) this ingredient is a "clear thin combustible liquid with mild odor..mainly used as a coalescing agent in water-based paints". Yet this toxic component is only 1-5% of the total sealer and given the relatively low VOC (32 grams/liter in water), it would seem the majority of the liquid carrier is water based. Giving Behr a call to confirm may be a good idea regardless.