GETTING TIPS FROM A PRO
There are many people ready to rip up their old vinyl tiles and carpets when they see how fantastic stained concrete can look. And the number of these individuals is only rising because of the easy maintenance and low cost. The market for stain applicators is growing stronger than ever. But before anything good can be done, the concrete surface has to be cleaned thoroughly.
If you really are removing your old carpet, you will have carpet glue, water, caulk, chalk marks, paint drips of even grease stains to clean first. These are some of the contaminants that you may encounter, but staining contractors deal with these on a daily basis. In short, if you want to stain your concrete, you WILL have to prepare the surface first!
WHY IS A CLEAN SURFACE IMPORTANT?
If cleaning is not done properly, the chemicalls involved in the staining process won't be able to work properly. Coating or paint can disquise almost anything. but the thing with acid stains is - they are totally transparent. Once you apply the stain, any residue that was on the surface will be seen. So, if you don't clean the surface properly the effect of staining will be different and once the wax or final sealer are applied, any spot or debris will be there for everyone to see.
Even more important, if there is oil or grease left on the surface, the stains won't be able to penetrate the surface and the color won't take. This will lead to some weird looking decorative floor. Curing membranes are something that has to be dealt with properly. It can even happen that the curing compound stays deeper in the concrete, after the cleaning, and then the stains react less than they usually would.
CLEANING WITH DIFFERENT PRODUCTS
Experienced contractors know that there isn't one cleaning product that is perfect for all surfaces. This is because it is not always clear what kind of dirt and stain is present on the concrete. What looks like grease may be something different. While there are many effective products on the market right now, it is best to try one of them on a small portion of the target area. In order to get the most effective product, testing is recommended.
Of course, you should read the label and determine what types of substances the product you have can deal with. You will also find out what are the recommended applications, is the product compatible with your chemical stain, will there be any odors etc. What I can recommend here is to stay away from petroleum-based strippers since they are flammable. While it is possible you will need these, use them as a last resort.
HOW TO USE CHEMICAL STRIPPERS PROPERLY
There are many people ready to rip up their old vinyl tiles and carpets when they see how fantastic stained concrete can look. And the number of these individuals is only rising because of the easy maintenance and low cost. The market for stain applicators is growing stronger than ever. But before anything good can be done, the concrete surface has to be cleaned thoroughly.
If you really are removing your old carpet, you will have carpet glue, water, caulk, chalk marks, paint drips of even grease stains to clean first. These are some of the contaminants that you may encounter, but staining contractors deal with these on a daily basis. In short, if you want to stain your concrete, you WILL have to prepare the surface first!
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WHY IS A CLEAN SURFACE IMPORTANT?
If cleaning is not done properly, the chemicalls involved in the staining process won't be able to work properly. Coating or paint can disquise almost anything. but the thing with acid stains is - they are totally transparent. Once you apply the stain, any residue that was on the surface will be seen. So, if you don't clean the surface properly the effect of staining will be different and once the wax or final sealer are applied, any spot or debris will be there for everyone to see.
Even more important, if there is oil or grease left on the surface, the stains won't be able to penetrate the surface and the color won't take. This will lead to some weird looking decorative floor. Curing membranes are something that has to be dealt with properly. It can even happen that the curing compound stays deeper in the concrete, after the cleaning, and then the stains react less than they usually would.
CLEANING WITH DIFFERENT PRODUCTS
Experienced contractors know that there isn't one cleaning product that is perfect for all surfaces. This is because it is not always clear what kind of dirt and stain is present on the concrete. What looks like grease may be something different. While there are many effective products on the market right now, it is best to try one of them on a small portion of the target area. In order to get the most effective product, testing is recommended.
Of course, you should read the label and determine what types of substances the product you have can deal with. You will also find out what are the recommended applications, is the product compatible with your chemical stain, will there be any odors etc. What I can recommend here is to stay away from petroleum-based strippers since they are flammable. While it is possible you will need these, use them as a last resort.
HOW TO USE CHEMICAL STRIPPERS PROPERLY
Chemical strippers are very hazardous, especially when you have to work in an area that isn't ventilated well. When using these products, read the label to determine how to prepare for the work properly. You shouldn't be using machine sthat create electrical sparks if you work with products that have petroleum. And this is just one of many precautions you will need to take. Like I said, read the label and stick to the rules and advices written there.
WHICH CLEANING TECHNIQUES TO USE?
It is important what kind of cleaning product you are using. And it is also important which technique you are using. For usual degreasing and cleaning, floor needs to be sweeped and then scrubbed (aggressive pad needed) with a trisodium phosphate. If there is paint, mastic or glue on the surface, non-flammable chemical strippers are to be used.
The pros say that mastic and caulking compound are the hardest to deal with. To remove them, putty knife has to be used first, after that a poultice comes to finish the job. For this work, it would be good if you can create a smooth paste out of denatured alcohol and hydrated lime. By using this, applying the poultice on the area, the mastic and the caulk will dry and be so brittle that it will be easy to remove them with a simple brush.
When all of this is done, and chemicals strippers and degreasers have been used, the floor has to be cleaned in order to remove all these components. No residue can stay on the surface! A good tip is to use a wet vacuum - the surface will dry out sooner and all residue will be removed fast.
YOU CAN'T CLEAN YOUR CONCRETE?
If you tried everything and can't deal with the stubborn stains no more, you need to take a different path. When chemical strippers can't remove caulk and glue, you will have to use grinding. This is a mechanical removal method that will remove the layer of the cement. This may lead to two things:
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| Concrete Grinding |
1. You can leave swirl marks if you go in too hard
2. Stain will react different because the layer of the cement paste is removed
Take care of these two and you can make your floor look fantastic. In case you have some discoloration, just faux paint it and apply one more coat. Wherever you notice a small problem, like when chemical stain doesn't do its work completely, just faux paint that spot and apply one more coat of sealer.
This post covers everything about the surface cleaning and preparation. My next post will focus on concrete stain application. Until then, take care!
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