I'm having a new sidewalk and driveway poured this coming week. I'm not sure yet if they are going to use a cure/seal but I would like to seal it myself if not.

1) how long should I wait to seal? (it will be getting cold soon)
2) what should I use? (preferably something readily available)
3) how long before I drive on it (I'm guessing a week)

I am most concerned about spalling at the area near the curb where snow gets piled and lays there for weeks melting and refreezing. I would also like to use the same sealer on my brick/limestone stoop.

 

It takes 28 days until a full cure, iirc & I wouldn't seal new concrete at all. In fact, I wouldn't seal concrete at all.

 

Concrete sealer is used indoors, I am not aware of concrete sealer ever being used outdoors.

 

Guys, he might be talking about that stuff that some spray on the concrete the day after it's poured that helps to cure it and does make smooth finished concrete a little slicker. It does seal concrete some because you can't apply a concrete stain over it.

 

I don't see any reason to pour anything on it.

 

An acrylic cure and seal compound does both. It seals fresh concrete and makes it cure slowly and evenly, and it also seals older concrete. It leaves a shiny film atop the concrete and will darken it. Cheap styrenated acrylics can turn yellow over time whereas pure acrylics will not. It is a maintenance item that needs to be reapplied every few years. You would not use this type of sealer on your brick or limestone.
A better sealer for all would be a water based 20 to 40% silane penetrating sealer. This is applied after full cure (28 days). It repels water, inhibits salt damage, and is invisible on the surface. The only way you know it's there is that water beads on it. One application is usually sufficient for 8-10 years.

 

Thanks Pecos, I'll check out the silane type. Any brand names you can throw at me?

 

You should have asked the contractor how he plans to cure the fresh concrete, and his method(s) should be specified in the work contract you both signed. If I were doing a pour this late in the year (weather-wise), I'd give it a shot of Kure-N-Seal immediately following initial set, and then cover everything with black plastic to hold in some of the heat of hydration to assist in strength gain. Cool temperatures greatly slow down the curing process, almost stopping it completely if cold enough. And by all means, don't let it freeze in the first month or so, because that will ruin it.