How To Stain Concrete Floors

Stained concrete can turn a garage floor into artistic masterpieces, and applying them can be cost effective whether you’re doing it yourself, or paying a professional. Choices and options are endless with stained concrete because texture, gloss, color, and detail appearances vary depending on whether you use spray stain, roll on stain, high gloss, low gloss, or styled concrete.

Even if you have your heart set on travertine tile or slate flooring, don’t cross stained concrete off of your list. It’s easy to style cement to look like tile flooring by using a cookie cutter effect while it is still wet. After staining and gloss is complete, the tile like grooves will have a beautiful stone effect that flows throughout your home at less than half the price of porcelain tile.

It is important to note the difference between painting concrete and staining it when choosing what type of flooring to install. With paint, you have a layer set on top of the concrete itself and dries as one solid color. Stained concrete changes the structure at a molecular level using an acid-base to mix with the compounded minerals. This is why, depending on the color of stain being used, stain has a varying rustic pattern as real stone or slate would.

Besides color patterns, you can also choose your texture gradient based on the thickness of the stain you’ve opted for, whether it be roll on or spray on. Several layers and tones will change the way it feels or lays. Match it to your kitchen theme, or stone fire place setting and furniture. Either way, your guests will be amazed to find that your unique flooring style is not imported from Spain or Italy, but is actually your own variation of stained flooring.

The quality of stained concrete is competitive. Wood flooring can easily warp or lose its luster, but a concrete stain is durable and holds its shape and shine for years. Tile flooring can crack, but once concrete is sealed, not even water or heavy furniture can damage it. Stained concrete is easy to clean and doesn’t stain or scratch like carpet or some woods will, yet it is just as beautiful as some of the most expensive stone floors.

When choosing a flooring for your home, office, or even outside porches and barns, be sure to take stained concrete into consideration. Whether you’re on a tight budget or have a few extra dollars to spend, want a stone texture or porcelain shine, stained concrete is an appealing variation over your standard flooring choices that can be molded to fit your exact expectations.

Other popular options are epoxy paint and concrete polishing, which are entirely different processes, yet still very durable and beautiful if done correctly.  Sometimes cracks will occur down the road with polishing, but don’t let this scare you away.  It is still easily fixable.

Related Posts:

• Stained Concrete Countertops
• Concrete Stain Costs
• Garage Floor Protection Can Add Value And Beauty To Your Home
• Concrete Finishing For All Aspects Of Your Home
• The Different Types Of Concrete Floor Coating

Stained concrete countertops are quickly becoming the most popular way to enhance the look and feel of concrete countertops. No matter what the theme of your room is there is a stain color that will complement it perfectly. Using an acid based concrete stain will give your countertop a rich, full, color that is reminiscent of exotic stone or marble. Most of the colors available are earth tones including many shades of browns, greens, and dark reds.

Stained concrete countertops are incredibly durable, and require very little maintenance. The colors will not fade or require re-application. The only upkeep that is necessary is to re-seal them every so often. This is by far the most cost effective and least time intensive way to produce beautiful looking countertops. Your guests will be blown away by their elegant, expensive look, and you will never have to tell anyone how affordable it really was.

The process of staining concrete countertops is no different than what we outlined in our guide on how to stain concrete floors. It will just be done on a smaller scale.

If your countertops are new then you will have little prep work in order to get them to be ready to accept the stain. If they are dirty of have any stains you will need to thoroughly clean them before you add the acid stain. A mixture of TSP and water should be able to do the job.

Before you apply the stain seal off the surrounding area with plastic and tape. You do not want the stain spilling or dripping anywhere it should not.

When staining concrete countertops it is essential that you wear all the proper protection. You are working with a mild acid, so make sure you wear rubber gloves, eye protection, a face mask, and a long sleeved shirt.

You will usually dilute the stain with water at a 1:1 ratio, but always be sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions for the detailed process on how to apply their product. The best way to apply an acid stain to the countertop will be with a sponge. Working from one side to the other apply the solution in a circular motion. Work the stain into the concrete countertop, and make sure to go back over any areas that have any streaks.

Once you have completely covered the area, you must let it sit long enough for the chemical reaction to fully complete. This will vary depending on what brand of acid concrete stain you use.  After the proper time has elapsed it is time to neutralize the reaction and clean off any excess residue. This is easily done with a mixture of baking soda and water. For best results clean the area twice to ensure all the residue has been removed. You will now let the area dry for 24 hours. During this time it is essential that you let nothing touch the area.

Once your countertop is completely dry it is time to apply the sealer. Apply the sealer recommended by your stain manufacturer with a paint tray and small roller. Make sure you leave no streaks as these will be visible if left to dry. Give the first coat a few hours to dry and then apply at least two more. For an extra level of protection you can also apply a few coats of an acrylic wax finisher. This will protect your colors, while making the countertops very easy to clean up.

Now you know how to stain concrete countertops. Concrete acid stain is an easy and affordable way to increase the character of your home. With how easy this DIY project is, there is no reason to settle for boring gray countertops an longer.

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• How To Stain Concrete Floors And Driveways

Most people take it for granted that they must live with a boring, ugly, gray concrete driveway. However, a popular technique called concrete staining can be used to give your grey slab the look of exotic stone or marble. No matter what the motif of your home is, there is a concrete acid stain that will complement it perfectly. With a beautiful stained concrete driveway, all your neighbors will be envious when they are forced to park in their dull, gray, driveway every evening.

Most of the information in our step-by-step guide on how to stain concrete floors holds true for staining concrete driveways. That guide goes into extreme detail on the whole process, so make sure you read that in addition to this article. Here I will cover any changes and additional tips specifically on how to stain a concrete driveway.

The first thing you will need to do is choose your stain. There are two choices; acid concrete stain or a water based concrete stain. An acid stain will give you a richer and fuller color, while a water based stain will give you a more one-dimensional look. The trade off is that the water based stain is easier and safer to work with. There are also water based concrete stains that are nontoxic and biodegradable, so there is less of a chance you do any damage to your lawn.

The only additional materials you will need that are not listed in the original guide are:
•    Power washer
•    Driveway specific degreasing product

Unless your driveway is brand new then chances are there will be some tough stains. Serious stains will show through, and worsen the effect you are trying to get. The hardest part of staining a concrete driveway will be preparing it to accept the stain. This is where the power washer and driveway degreaser come in.

Use the driveway degreaser to remove any oil stains. After that you will want to power wash the area two or three times to remove all possible dirt, mildew, or rust stains. DO NOT use any acid based cleaners. This will prevent the stain from reacting with the concrete later.

You will also want to repair any large cracks, and smooth out any bumpy areas or other imperfections.

If your driveway has a problem with efflorescence (a white powdery substance caused by salts from the ground leaching through your driveway), then you need to protect your stain by spraying on a efflorescence blocker first.

Once the driveway is completely dry sweep off any remaining dirt.

The better you prepare your concrete driveway the better the final product will be, so it is wise to take this part very seriously.

Before you apply the concrete stain you should seal off the edges with plastic. This will protect your lawn from any of the stain that might seep over.

After the edges are completely sealed off it is time to spray the concrete stain onto your driveway. Each manufacturer will have different directions for applying their product, so make sure to read those before getting started.  Begin in one corner and spray the concrete stain onto your driveway in a “typewriter” fashion. This simply means you start from the left and move to the right. Once you have finished that area you continue by starting from the right and moving to the left. This will ensure the edges of your stain do not dry.

If you are using a water based concrete stain you will need to apply multiple coats to get the desired look. If this is the case, let the first layer dry for about an hour before you apply additional coats.

You will now give the concrete stain the recommended reaction time, based on the manufacturer’s instructions. This can be anywhere between a few hours all the way to a full 24 hours. While the solution is reacting with the concrete make sure that nothing touches your driveway. Any footprint left will most likely be there for good.

If you are using an acid concrete stain you will need to neutralize the solution and wash off any residue. This can easily be done with a solution of water and baking soda. With a mop and bucket go over your newly stained concrete driveway, making sure to never step on an area before you have gone over it with your neutralizing solution. You will want someone to follow behind with a wet vac to suck up all the dirty water quickly. It is best to repeat this process a few times to ensure that all the access residue has been removed.

You will now need to let the concrete dry for 24 hours. After you are sure it is completely dry it is time to apply a few coats of sealer. Make sure you use the correct sealer for your brand of concrete stain. If your drive way is steep you may also want to get a slip-resistant additive.

The sealer can easily be applied with a paint tray and roller. Once the first coat is done, let it dry and repeat the processes until you have at least 3 coats on. This will add in extra layers to ensure your driveway keeps looking good forever.

Once the sealer dries you can start to park and walk on your beautiful stained concrete driveway.

Now that you know how to stain a concrete driveway… what are you waiting for? Can you really live with that boring gray slab any longer?

Related Posts:

• Stained Concrete – Turn Plain Surfaces Into Artistic Masterpieces
• Stained Concrete Countertops
• Concrete Stain Costs

The only thing more attractive than the final product of your stained concrete floor, is the amount it will cost to get done. Even if you select a super high end stain for your project, concrete stain costs a fraction of the amount that other flooring choices like carpeting and hardwood floors would. In fact, if you do it yourself you can get all your materials for only $.50-$1.00 per sq/ft. If you do not want to do your concrete staining project yourself you can hire a professional to do a basic job for $2-$4 per sq/ft, while a more intricate design that will increase your concrete staining costs to anywhere from $4-$10.

If you have ever done any other DIY project then you will be able to easily handle concrete staining. If you are not doing any highly detailed designs with multiple stain colors, doing the concrete staining yourself makes the most sense. When doing it yourself, additional concrete stain costs will include purchasing or renting any of the equipment needed to complete the job. In our how to stain concrete floors guide we have a full check list of supplies needed. All of the items are very inexpensive, and you can rent the wet vac and sprayer for only a few bucks a day.

Compared to other DIY projects concrete stain costs are a very inexpensive home improvement. Your guests or customers will think you spent tens of thousands of dollars to get that beautiful stained concrete look.

Related Posts:

• Stained Concrete – Turn Plain Surfaces Into Artistic Masterpieces
• Stained Concrete Countertops
• Garage Floor Protection Can Add Value And Beauty To Your Home
• Concrete Finishing For All Aspects Of Your Home
• The Different Types Of Concrete Floor Coating