According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, enhancement is to heighten or increase. Enhancing technologies were developed to impart a “wet-look” appearance to cementitious and mineral-based substrates. Wet-look enhancement is intended to provide a lasting, water-soaked appearance. Enhancing materials intensify existing substrate color and aesthetic appeal by making subdued tones and colors brighter.
Enhancing materials are either water- or solvent-based. The solvent-based materials often have superior enhancing properties, but are flammable and contain high VOCs and other health or environmentally detrimental materials. On the other hand, water-based materials alleviate these concerns but historically do not perform as well as their solvent-based counterparts.