Non-Toxic Concrete Sealers for Bird Baths (Complete Guide)

Want to seal a concrete bird bath but don’t know which ones are non-toxic?

Or maybe you have a leaking concrete bird bath, and you need a quick fix for it?

No worries, I can help you out!

I found no concrete answers online, so I went to do my own research and found an answer!

Here’s what I found:

Bird baths can be sealed using non-toxic, safe sealers such as polyurethane sealers. Other safe sealers for concrete birdbaths include those sold by Gorilla, Flex Seal, Krylon, and Rust-Oleum. However, these sealers for bird baths are only safe once they are fully cured.

It’s definitely important to ensure that the sealers we use are safe for birds!

In this article, I will cover this topic in greater detail.

Read on for more!

1. Why Bird Bath Sealers Need To be Non-Toxic

Bird baths are places birds go to enjoy the clean water source for both their bathing and drinking purposes. It’s only responsible for us to ensure our beloved birds are safe when they use our bird baths!

But before you even think of painting or sealing it, make sure that you clean your bird bath first.

The main purpose of bird bath sealers is this:

Bird bath sealers protect the paint and concrete underneath from water and UV damage.

If the bird bath is not properly sealed, it can lead to the bird bath falling apart and unsuitable for use anymore! Now, that’s a disaster we want to avoid altogether.

Why do bird bath sealers need to be non-toxic, then?

Bird bath sealers must be non-toxic because they are in direct contact with water and birds.

Sealers that are not appropriate for bird bath usage will either start to leak into the water or start peeling off into the water over time.

Moreover, if you have painted your bird bath prior to this, you may need to waterproof your bird bath further!

Any random concrete sealers that you use to spruce up your garage won’t work because they may be unsafe for birds.

If you’re planning to paint your bird bath, make sure to use safe paints in the best colors to attract birds.

When birds drink and bathe in the water in a bird bath, the wrong paint or sealant could cause birds great harm and even die.

Thus, it’s important to pick a safe birdbath sealer that we can use for our concrete bird baths!

2. Best Non-Toxic Sealers For Bird Baths

You’ll need to apply some sealant if you want to ensure that it’s really waterproof and for it to last longer!

This will ensure you have no more leaking bird bath problems.

Here are three reasons why you need to apply sealant, especially after a paint job:

1. It provides UV protection to the paint, allowing it to last longer.
2. It acts as a waterproof layer on top of the paint, which helps to reduce moisture seepage..
3. It prevents the buildup of dirt on the paint

Think of it as an invisible layer to seal it all up!

When dirt falls onto the birdbath, the sealant protects the paint from it and is easily cleaned off.

I would also suggest using a clear and non-yellowing sealer to avoid an unwanted yellow/white tint on your paint job.

RECOMMENDED Sealers for Bird Baths With Paint:

Oil-based/Latex	Acrylic
Gorilla Waterproof Clear Patch & Seal Spray (12 oz.)	Krylon UV-Resistant Clear Gloss Spray Can (11 oz.)

You’ll see that I recommend the two concrete sealing paint options above.

There’s actually a reason why I do so!

When you apply a sealer to your bird bath, you’ll need to first consider the type of paint that you applied to the bird bath before spraying it over the entire bird bath.

The best part about these two sealers above is that they are CLEAR!

This means that your bird bath will look exactly the same as you did before, albeit a little more glossy due to the waterproof layer.

Clear sealers for bird baths such as these are the best if you have painted some colors underneath too!

If you used oil-based or latex paint, use the Gorilla Waterproof Spray; if you painted acrylic paint, use the Krylon Spray instead!

However, if you did not paint your bird bath with any paint, and you are directly applying your sealer onto the concrete bird bath, then you should consider something stronger that can really seep deeper into the concrete and make it waterproof!

RECOMMENDED: Gorilla Waterproof Patch & Seal Liquid

This concrete sealer by Eco Advance is amazing due to its low price point for such a huge amount! (16oz).

The best part about this sealer is that it is absolutely safe for contact with birds and does its water-repelling job well so that water from the bird bath basin doesn’t damage it!

While researching this, I found that many don’t seem to work well enough, plus they don’t mention that they are non-toxic for pets, etc.

So I won’t even bother trying them out!

The only catch about this sealer is that it must be sprayed using a gallon sprayer.

But with a gallon sprayer, it’s SUPER EASY to apply this sealer!

You need to fill up the gallon sprayer with the liquid, add some water, mix it up, then spray on the surface of your bird bath.

Leave it to dry, then take it out after a few days to test by spraying some water on it.

You can get a gallon sprayer for cheap! Thereafter, you can use the gallon sprayer to spray and waterproof your patio or walkway.

Here’s how the gallon sprayer looks:

3. How To Seal A Concrete Bird Bath

There are a few steps to seal a bird bath.

Here are some steps that you can follow:

a) Clean Off ALL Debris, Water, and Dirt

Bird baths tend to be really filled with gunk, especially if you haven’t been using it for months.

Firstly, clean off ALL debris, water, and dirt from the bird bath using a scrub brush and cloth.

This is so that the sealer will adhere to the bird bath surface itself, not the dirt, which will fly away eventually and leave a spot not covered properly.

b) Spray the Bird Bath Sealer

Secondly, spray the concrete birdbath sealer on every single little spot on the bird bath, not forgetting the small gaps that may be in your bath.

Repeat this two times over with an hour interval in between!

c) Wait to Dry

Thirdly, wait for 30 minutes of letting the first two layers of sealer cure and harden.

d) Apply 3rd and Final Topcoat

Apply a 3rd and final topcoat on top of it and let it cure.

Don’t put any water in it and don’t expose it to the natural surrounds for a few days. The smell may still linger for a while.

Here’s a video on how you can apply a sealer to your bird bath:

Once that’s all done, then that’s it! You’ve successfully sealed your bird bath.

Make sure to test out the waterproofing by pouring some water into the basin to check the sealant should repel the water.

If all that is done well, you can begin putting water out for birds to visit your bird bath – just make sure to change the water often!

Make sure your bird bath water is shallow enough and not too deep, as birds may totally ignore the bath when if you do so.

Related FAQs:

How Do You Waterproof A Stone Bird Bath?

A stone bird bath can be waterproofed by using a non-toxic sealant. Non-toxic waterproof sealants need to be sprayed on with 2 layers and a final topcoat. The sealant must then be left to cure for a few days before pouring any water and allowing birds to use it.

How Do you Stop A Bird Bath From Leaking?

Bird baths can be stopped from leaking by applying waterproof non-toxic sealants. Examples of non-toxic sealants include polyurethane sealants, and sealants from Gorilla, Flex Seal, Krylon, and Rust-Oleum. The sealants must be applied in 3 layers and left to cure fully before filling with water.

Is Gorilla glue Safe For Bird Baths?

Gorilla glue waterproof sealant is safe for bird baths. Gorilla glue sealants are completely waterproof after they are completely cured. Gorilla glue sealants need to be sprayed over bird baths with 2 initial layers and another topcoat.

Is Polyurethane Safe For Bird Baths?

Polyurethane is safe for bird baths as a waterproof sealant. Polyurethane is non-toxic and eco-friendly in nature that is not harmful to birds, plants, and other animals. Polyurethane is safe to be applied as a sealant after a double-coated paint job on a bird bath.

Final Thoughts

So now you know which bird bath sealers are non-toxic to birds and are 100% safe!

It is only our basic responsibility as bird bath owners to take good care of the birds that we attract to our bird baths.

Alright, I hope that you’ll attract many birds to your bird bath this season!

Thanks for reading this article, and happy birding!