How To Stain Concrete Floors

Concrete stamps are a great alternative to stain and other forms of decorative concrete you may consider applying to your garage floor, driveway, patio, or other concrete surface.  And you can save lots of money if you would apply the stamped concrete on your own.

So, what’s the first step?

Some say that it all starts with the color selection. You can get some color swatches in the process of your selection and then make your decision out of one to two colors. This step is similar as to when you are trying to paint a room.

Second step is for you to consider the other factors that would affect the color choice for the concrete stamps. It could be your indoor lighting system and the other colors of your household items. You must envision how your choice of color would fit the current setting of your home.

Third is to visit your concrete supplier and check out the available samples he can offer you. You may also like to ask for a viewing of their previous projects with concrete stamps, so that you can see in person how it really looks like as a result. It is very important that you know how it will blend well to the immediate environment.

Next, you need to select the design you want for your concrete stamps.

As you pour the concrete, you must begin with not more than a hundred square feet, depending on the size of area you’ll be stamping, but this ‘usually’ accommodates most smaller jobs around the home. Allow the truck driver to put in the color to the concrete truck and wait for it to combine and settle for just around ten minutes. You may find some color streaks as it comes out. But you need not worry about it, since it will in just a few seconds show the color combination your are expecting.

The next step for your concrete stamps is to insert the concrete in the forms using a screed board which measures about 2” x 4” to help you level it out. You would only start the screed process once you have completed the ½” of concrete into your form work. You would surely need a help of an assistant or a friend for each person would be on one side of the screed board. You would both pull the concrete towards the form work as you level along.

Then the bull flatting would come next. Do not worry about tiny dips or little changes in the elevation that might occur for all these are natural to happen. You may start using an edging toll for the concrete perimeters. After you have gone through the above process, you are now ready to apply the concrete stamps. Let your concrete stamps settle for one to two days before you can start adding some secondary colors.

If you think maybe stamping is not for you, or you’d like to explore other types of resurfacing, then check out the option of expoxy, paints, and other types of coatings.

Related Posts:

• Methods And Types Of Decorative Concrete
• Concrete Resurfacing Makes Your Floors Beautiful
• Which Floor Paint Is Right For Your Home?
• Epoxy Flooring – What It Is And How To Apply It To Concrete

Looking for a new style for your walkway? Maybe for your house or just in general? Well concrete has come a long way from its natural intended use. Many have perfected the art of decorative concrete. There are varying forms of decoration for concrete. In order to perfect this art it takes a lot of patience and an eye for the design.

Integral colorants are fairly easy to achieve, as it’s just a color material that is combined with the actual concrete. What it does is it mixes the color, cement and the sand all together and produces a color other than the usual gray. You can pretty much make any color you want but the most popular colors would be black, yellow, red, and even green. With Integral colorants you want to make sure you add the correct amount of the color, if you do your concrete is going to come out a different color altogether be it darker or even a lighter shade than what you’re trying to achieve.

Stamping in concrete is another popular form of decorative concrete. Basically all you need for this type of decoration is a rubber stamp and wet concrete. Make sure you don’t press your stamp too deep into the concrete that you end up with deep grooves. You will want to push with even pressure and to a depth that will leave your concrete looking like it was professionally done. You can create simple stone or brick textures, or if you want you can even create a quaint forest scene onto a stamp and apply that to your concrete. The possibilities are endless.

Installing the above decorative concrete is pretty self-explanatory, however a concrete dye is a different installation process. Concrete dyes can be used on pretty much any surface. To get a simple concrete dye you’ll want to have your color base mixed in with the concrete and if your using your concrete outside you’ll want to use a base of acetone or thinner. This will keep your color from becoming faded over the years. If you’re using your concrete indoors it will be all right to use a solution of alcohol. Don’t use the alcohol base outside, as over time it will diminish your color significantly.

The last decorative concrete may very well be water based staining for your concrete. With water based stain you can pretty much achieve a see through look or an opaque color. With a water based stain it is more of a coating than anything else, but it will bond with your concrete better than say an acid based stain. The best water based stains in the market today are acrylic and epoxy. These will not change your concrete at all it will be able to keep the whole physical make up.

Last you will want to make sure that your concrete is well placed, and that you have everything out and ready to go before you even begin mixing your concrete. Make sure you take your time and you achieve what you want the first time out rather than having to do the project over and over. Getting it done right the first time will save you a lot of money later down the line.

Related Posts:

• Concrete Stamps– Save Money By Doing It On Your Own
• Stained Concrete – Turn Plain Surfaces Into Artistic Masterpieces
• Concrete Resurfacing Makes Your Floors Beautiful
• Which Floor Paint Is Right For Your Home?
• Concrete Sealer Improves Concrete’s Longevity, Appearance

Historically, the answer to making concrete floors look like anything other that a drab, gray slab was to paint the surface with a coating that would withstand a certain amount of traffic before it began to wear off. Then someone discovered how to impregnate the colorant into the concrete, either by using a powder in the dry cement mixture or by adding a powder or liquid to the mixer, and so the art of concrete resurfacing began. It was only a short step to texturing the concrete surface to create interesting patterns. No more boring gray concrete!

Resurfacing an existing concrete substrate in not a complicated process, but it does require specialized equipment readily available from an equipment rental store. The first step is to clean the surface thoroughly so the new layer of material bonds well to the existing concrete. A high pressure (3,000 psi or better) power-washer is necessary to achieve the level of cleanliness required. The next step is to build forms around the perimeter, then mix your material, either manually or preferably with a power mixer from the rental store. The material is poured and finished, either using wood trowels for a rougher surface, or steel for a smooth surface.

Stenciling, another form of concrete resurfacing, is the process of applying a pattern to freshly poured concrete.  It has evolved to the point where the surface can be made to look like nearly anything; brick, paving stones, fieldstone, cobblestone, tile or blocks. It may also be patterned into company logos or other personalized imprints. This process is often used to resurface existing concrete surfaces, as well as new concrete. Stenciling or patterning concrete involves a couple more steps in the resurfacing process.

After the surface to be stenciled is power-washed clean, a pattern is laid out using a stencil or fiber packaging tape in the desired width. It is important that the pattern material be adhesive and adheres to the substrate. The color of the existing concrete will be the grout-lines in the pattern. The new concrete layer material is mixed with the desired colorants then applied using a hopper-gun and compressor. After a brief curing period, the stencil or tape is lifted leaving the pattern etched into the surface.

The concrete mix used to resurface is formulated differently than a new concrete pour. Most often, the mix is a polymerized white Portland mix with added colorant. The liquid agent is a resin-hardener that will make the Portland much harder than regular concrete. This mixture sets up very quickly and may be walked on in just a few hours. To slow the setting, add some water, not additional resin-hardener that would only make it set faster.

If all this is a little daunting, turn to the services of a professional. Concrete resurfacing is now being widely offered in nearly every marketplace, so professional assistance is just a phone call away.

Concrete polishing is also very popular with home owners as it is very durable.  It may produce cracks over time, but they are easily repaired with a simple step-by-step process.

Related Posts:

• Concrete Stamps– Save Money By Doing It On Your Own
• Methods And Types Of Decorative Concrete
• Which Floor Paint Is Right For Your Home?
• Epoxy Flooring – What It Is And How To Apply It To Concrete

Floor paint is especially popular in the garage, but it is sold for every type of surface there is, and it can be applied just about anywhere.  That is why there are so many different kinds available.  Inside the home, floor paint is much easier to work with, but once you get to the garage, basement, patio, or other usually concrete surfaces, then epoxy floor paint is what you will need to get.  This is more dangerous and challenging to work with, but with the right precautions it can be easily done. Painting is a quick and inexpensive way to give a concrete floor a fresh new appearance.

Selecting the right floor paint for interior rooms will depend upon the composition of the flooring. Certain rooms such as studios, basement rec rooms and sun rooms have concrete floors that require special paint coverings. Be sure to select a paint that is designed for covering interior concrete surfaces so that the paint formula will readily adhere to the concrete surface of the floor and not chip or fleck away after just a few months of wear. Floor paint has different characteristics than interior paint designed for walls or trim because it must stand up to the daily wear and tear of walking traffic once it’s applied. And unless you want to have to apply a sealant atop the concrete prior to painting, choose a concrete floor paint that is rubber-based, polyurethane, or enamel paint.

There are advantages to both epoxy and latex paints when coating a garage or other cement floor. A good epoxy floor paint for your garage makes grease, oil, and chemical cleaning up much easier because the stains will simply remain on the surface and not soaked into the concrete.  Whichever you choose, be sure to thoroughly clean and dry the floor before you begin applying anything.

Epoxy paints will provide a highly durable and long lasting finish to the floor, and since they are water resistant the epoxy will adhere very well to the concrete allowing it to create a solid layer of protection between it and the floor itself.

With such a smooth and shiny finish, cleaning up spills and messes on epoxy is very quick and easy with either a mop, power washer, or garden hose with pressure tip.  Additional benefits to this powerful floor paint is the durability from regular wear and tear from daily and consistent traffic. Even oil and other chemical stains are cleaned quickly using an anti-grease based detergent cleanser.

Another option of floor paint for your garage or patio is latex.  It’s far less expensive than it’s epoxy counterpart, and it can easily be applied to resemble high end stone floor finishes. If you choose latex you will need to apply a protective coating on the paint after it’s applied to fully protect it and provide a permanent finish. Applying latex paint can require up to three full days of drying time before you can use the area again.

One additional note:  If your garage has a skylight or is exposed to a good amount of direct sunlight, latex paint will tend to fade quickly from the ultraviolet exposure. Once you’ve applied the latex it is a wise idea to drag a broom with medium firmness across the drying paint in order to give it a slight textured surface, which will give it not only a unique look, but also provide safety by not being so slick when wet.

As you can see, many different floor paints abound, whether inside or outside your house.  Do your research, determine what types best fit into your budget, and also if you’re going to do it yourself.  Once you’ve made this decision, then all you have to do is pick your color.

Different colors of paint on the flooring can give the room various decorative accents. Red is great for an Asian-inspired decor, with blue good for nautical themes. If you are trying for a relaxed tropical or beachcomber affect, try sand or shell-white paint. And for a traditional New England look, paint your floors white.

Also be sure that whatever your paint choice, you keep the room well ventilated throughout the painting process.

Related Posts:

• Epoxy Flooring – What It Is And How To Apply It To Concrete
• Lifespan Of Epoxy Floor Coatings And How To Reapply
• Concrete Flooring – Tips For Choosing The Right Coating
• Epoxy Floor Paint – Safeguards For Applying
• Concrete Stamps– Save Money By Doing It On Your Own

Epoxy flooring can not only add a tremendous amount of value to your home, but also a great deal of aesthetic appeal, and even protection to your garage floor.

If you dislike the dirty look of your concrete basement floor, think about applying epoxy flooring to give it a shiny, clean, and brighter look while adding value to your home.

What exactly is epoxy flooring and how do you select the right one for your floor? For example, take a dealerships showroom and garage, their floors are clean, and shiny with a high luster. Their garage area looks great even though cars are fixed there, and driven over the concrete repeatedly. That is the beauty behind epoxy flooring. Epoxy floor coating is a resin and a hardener, when mixed together, the bonding results in a thermosetting reaction. The result is a sealant that is tough, strengthens concrete, cleans easily, resists chemical absorption, and provides a show room look to your concrete floor.

The application of epoxy floor paint to a basement floor, is not difficult to do with the proper tools. The items needed prior to getting started are: Protective clothing, rubber gloves, mask, goggles, paint pan, roller, paint brushes, masking tape, mixing sticks, gallon bucket, 5 gallon bucket, and thinner. Once all the listed supplies are in order, the measurements of the concrete flooring that is to be epoxied with epoxy floor paint is needed. In general, one gallon will only cover an area that is 24×24.

The next step involves prepping for the epoxy flooring.  This is done simply by washing it with plain dish soap and water, and allowing it to dry completely. Also pay attention to any stains that are on the floor from oil and paint, remove these stains from the concrete using thinner. After removing the stains, rinse thoroughly with water, and allow to dry.

In this next step, protective clothing, gloves, mask, and goggles are needed, as an application of muriatic acid and water are going to be applied to the concrete floor. The formula to follow is, one cup of muriatic acid to one gallon of water. Mix the two ingredients in a bucket and pour some of mixture onto the concrete floor. Take a broom that has stiff bristles, and brush it over the entire floor. Follow up with another plain cold water rinse.

Next, if the epoxy flooring is a one step epoxy like epoxy floor paint, skip this step. If it is the two step epoxy paint and hardener, they will need to be mixed together into a five gallon bucket for five minutes. Allow this mixture to sit for an additional 30 minutes before applying.

Using the masking tape, tape off the edges of the wall along the floor to prevent epoxy from getting onto the walls. Using a flat narrow paint brush, paint along the edges of the walls, and any other small areas that are unreachable with a roller. Next, pour some of the paint into the roller pan, roll the paint roller into the paint to coat the roller, and start to roll the epoxy paint onto the floor starting at the far edge of the room, working your way outwards. Allow the paint to dry completely for at least 24 hours before walking on the floor.

Related Posts:

• Lifespan Of Epoxy Floor Coatings And How To Reapply
• Which Floor Paint Is Right For Your Home?
• Epoxy Floor Coating – Is Your Pet Safe?
• Concrete Stamps– Save Money By Doing It On Your Own
• Garage Floor Protection Can Add Value And Beauty To Your Home