To enhance the decorative concrete surface, you will have to use sandblasting and cutting. You can achieve different looks by timing these tasks appropriately. If you wish to have an evenly colored finish, you have to cut lines after you are finnished with the staining.
Considering that stains will penetrate the surface differently at the points where indentations are made, the look of decorative concrete will change. In case you want to change a color right at the pattern line, you need to cut the line and create a blockage for stains. And if you want to grout those sawed joints, you need to take care of the staining and sealing first. This is because you want to prevent grout to accumulate on the stains.
Chalk or pencil are usually used for pattern lines. Be careful to mark the cut lines properly and avoid using chalk that is difficult to remove. You can find many different tools to cut patterns in concrete. Some contractors use hand-held saws, others use grinders. Another great choice are diamond blades that won't damage the concrete. A convenient thing to have here is a dust collector so that all the dust will be captured during the sawing or grinding.
When you want to cut a pattern before concrete staining, you need to cut it just before you prepare the surface for staining. Because the dust will have a lot of free lime it can stick to the surface and mess up your colors. Distortion will appear because that extra lime will activate stains much sooner than needed. When you want to cut after the staining, make sure you do it after the surface has been sealed.
There is one more complicated method you can try. It requires some patience to do this properly, as well as experience, but you can create a very luxurious look. If you apply stencils to concrete surface AFTER it has been stained, you can sandblast it and reveal concrete where the stencils are not present. The stencils will stick to the surface, but make sure you seal the surface before you sandblast it to make sure the stencils stick even better. By using this method, you can create tile patterns.
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Is Concrete Staining A Job For A Pro?
It's not so hard to answer this question. It all depends on your skill, if you have the experience and know-how with DIY projects, you can handle this by yourself. Complex projects may be out of your reach at the moment, but that can also change.
Here are a couple of tips or should I say pointers for you to get great results with your project.
Preparation is very important. Even the pros can have problems with this one here and then, but it plays a crucial role. I've explained everything about the preparation on this page.
Right tools are another thing to take care of, especially if you are acid-staining your concrete surface. You will need some good spray equipment there, and good brushed too. I suggest you to not use rollers and mops if you are not experienced. These tools can leave streaks or color and other marks.
Now, on to the more detailed pointers:
Here are a couple of tips or should I say pointers for you to get great results with your project.
Preparation is very important. Even the pros can have problems with this one here and then, but it plays a crucial role. I've explained everything about the preparation on this page.
Right tools are another thing to take care of, especially if you are acid-staining your concrete surface. You will need some good spray equipment there, and good brushed too. I suggest you to not use rollers and mops if you are not experienced. These tools can leave streaks or color and other marks.
Now, on to the more detailed pointers:
- Be very strict when it comes to preparing the surface.
- Make a test sample in an area that will not get any traffic. This is the only way to figure out what the finished product will look like. Remember, there is no going back once you're done with staining!
- If you have a new concrete, the sooner you apply the stain, the more intense the colors will be.
- Make sure you follow the directions from the manufacturer. There are different products available out there so you need to follow the directions from the product you are currently using.
- If you want to create various color concentrations, use water. Spray it on the surface before you apply stain or after.
- You have to expect some imperfections. Staining process rarely offers perfect consistency.
- You may have some areas that didn't stain properly. Use tint or concrete dye here.
- If you work with acid-based stains, you have to get rid of all residue before you apply the sealer. Otherwise the sealer won't be able to bond properly.
- Apply a sealer, no matter what. It will protect your concrete. And select the one that is compatible, it's best that you buy the stain and the sealer at the same time, so you are sure they are compatible with one another.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
How To Prepare Your Surface Before Concrete Staining
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!
 |
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!
Friday, October 18, 2013
What You Need To Know About Concrete Staining
WHY IS STAINED CONCRETE SO UNIQUE?
You get much more than just a color with concrete stain - you get character. If you use colored coating or a paint, you will get opaque, solid effect but stains add rich tones to your concrete surfaces. You can use different techniques and colors to mimic leather, marble, wood or stone. It's a characteristic you won't get from anything else but staining.
Since the age of the concrete, composition, texture and surface porosity come into play when staining, you won't get two concrete surfaces that look the same. Using these factors, you can get variegated and antiqued look, which is very distinctive. Because there is such variability in stained concrete, it is very popular and appealing when it comes to decorative concrete (more about decorative concrete here).
HOW DOES THIS WORK?
There is no straight answer here, because the type of stain determines the whole process. Today, there are two concrete stains categories - nonreactive and reactive.
Nonreactive category includes water based acrylic stains which don't use chemical reaction to add color to the concrete. They actually penetrate the surface of the concrete and "inject" the pigment in the pores. Since there are much more options when it comes to color, nonreactive stains are more popular than acid stains. Also, they are easier to apply. But, they are not able to produce translucent and unique color tones that acid stains produce. You actually get more uniform color effects when using nonreactive stains on your concrete surfaces.
When it comes to reactive stains, these are acidic solutions (water based) that have metallic salts in them. These metallic salts come into reaction with the lime content within concrete. When that chemicals reaction starts, the concrete and acidic stain form a bond so strong that makes it very hard for stains to peel away or chip off. And when it comes to adding color to the concrete surface, the metallic salts react with lime and form compounds that are now the part of the concrete. To be more precise, it's the acid that opens the way for metallic salts to get to the lime deposits within the concrete. Water from the stain is fueling this reaction.
The color will then be formed, while these factors will determine the final outcome:
- Admixture
- Cement property
- Concrete finishing
- Type of aggregate
- Weather conditions
- Concrete moisture and age
CAN ALL CONCRETE SURFACES BE STAINED?
Old or new and integrally colored or plain concrete surfaces can be stained with nonreactive and reactive stains. What needs to be taken in the account here is actually the condition of the surface itself. Considering the concrete is porous, it is a perfect candidate for staining. In case there is a coating, glue, grime or some sealant on the surface, the stains won't be able to be soaked in, which makes them unable to penetrate into the concrete and do what it is supposed to do. If you want to know is your concrete "elligible" for staining, there is a simple test you can use. Pour some water over your concrete and see will it stay on the surface. If the water can't penetrate the surface, stains won't be able to do that too. There's your answer to can all concrete surfaces be stained.
If you want to stain a new concrete, you should wait for at least 30 days for concret to cure. Don't use any curing compounds!
Old concrete can be stained, but bear in mind that the blemishes and cracks won't dissapear. Stains will enhance the surface, but they won't disguise the flaws themselves. This can work in your favor if you want to create rustic look!
I wouldn't recommend staining concrete that has large cracks and spalling because the patchwork wil be seen through the stain easily. What you should do here is create a new canvas for your stains - cover the surface with a cement based overlay!
HOW MUCH WILL YOU HAVE TO SPEND?
The amount of money you will have to spend varies. Surface preparation, complexity of application, the size of concrete surface and the type of sealer will determine the final price. Usually, you will need to spend $2-$4 per square foot for one coat of stain, sealer and some surface preparation. With more complex projects, that include multiple colors, faux finishing, borders made with sandblasting or sawcutting will cost you a lot higher, around $15 per square foot.
These costs are not high, and if you want to compare them with costs of getting other flooring types like tile, carpet, marble or hardwood, you need to take into account the replacement costs and longevity of the flooring. Stained concrete lasts for decades, if it is properly maintained (and sealed, of course). There won't be any mold, gouging or tearing.
Let's go into details of how much you will have to spend for staining your concrete:
$2-4 per square foot for one color, minimal surface preparation and sealer coat.
$4-10 per square foot for multiple colors and sawcut patterning
$8-15 per square foot for multiple colors and complex sawed patterns.
$12-25 per square foot for hand applied stains and stencil work.
When compared to other flooring types:
$3.3-$6.5 per square foot for Carpet
$11-$22 per square foot for Ceramic tile
$2.6-$5.6 per square foot for Linoleum or vinyl
$8-$10 per square foot for Wood
$20-$60 per square foot for Natural stone
Since the age of the concrete, composition, texture and surface porosity come into play when staining, you won't get two concrete surfaces that look the same. Using these factors, you can get variegated and antiqued look, which is very distinctive. Because there is such variability in stained concrete, it is very popular and appealing when it comes to decorative concrete (more about decorative concrete here).
HOW DOES THIS WORK?
There is no straight answer here, because the type of stain determines the whole process. Today, there are two concrete stains categories - nonreactive and reactive.
Nonreactive category includes water based acrylic stains which don't use chemical reaction to add color to the concrete. They actually penetrate the surface of the concrete and "inject" the pigment in the pores. Since there are much more options when it comes to color, nonreactive stains are more popular than acid stains. Also, they are easier to apply. But, they are not able to produce translucent and unique color tones that acid stains produce. You actually get more uniform color effects when using nonreactive stains on your concrete surfaces.
When it comes to reactive stains, these are acidic solutions (water based) that have metallic salts in them. These metallic salts come into reaction with the lime content within concrete. When that chemicals reaction starts, the concrete and acidic stain form a bond so strong that makes it very hard for stains to peel away or chip off. And when it comes to adding color to the concrete surface, the metallic salts react with lime and form compounds that are now the part of the concrete. To be more precise, it's the acid that opens the way for metallic salts to get to the lime deposits within the concrete. Water from the stain is fueling this reaction.
The color will then be formed, while these factors will determine the final outcome:
- Admixture
- Cement property
- Concrete finishing
- Type of aggregate
- Weather conditions
- Concrete moisture and age
CAN ALL CONCRETE SURFACES BE STAINED?
Old or new and integrally colored or plain concrete surfaces can be stained with nonreactive and reactive stains. What needs to be taken in the account here is actually the condition of the surface itself. Considering the concrete is porous, it is a perfect candidate for staining. In case there is a coating, glue, grime or some sealant on the surface, the stains won't be able to be soaked in, which makes them unable to penetrate into the concrete and do what it is supposed to do. If you want to know is your concrete "elligible" for staining, there is a simple test you can use. Pour some water over your concrete and see will it stay on the surface. If the water can't penetrate the surface, stains won't be able to do that too. There's your answer to can all concrete surfaces be stained.
If you want to stain a new concrete, you should wait for at least 30 days for concret to cure. Don't use any curing compounds!
Old concrete can be stained, but bear in mind that the blemishes and cracks won't dissapear. Stains will enhance the surface, but they won't disguise the flaws themselves. This can work in your favor if you want to create rustic look!
I wouldn't recommend staining concrete that has large cracks and spalling because the patchwork wil be seen through the stain easily. What you should do here is create a new canvas for your stains - cover the surface with a cement based overlay!
HOW MUCH WILL YOU HAVE TO SPEND?
The amount of money you will have to spend varies. Surface preparation, complexity of application, the size of concrete surface and the type of sealer will determine the final price. Usually, you will need to spend $2-$4 per square foot for one coat of stain, sealer and some surface preparation. With more complex projects, that include multiple colors, faux finishing, borders made with sandblasting or sawcutting will cost you a lot higher, around $15 per square foot.
These costs are not high, and if you want to compare them with costs of getting other flooring types like tile, carpet, marble or hardwood, you need to take into account the replacement costs and longevity of the flooring. Stained concrete lasts for decades, if it is properly maintained (and sealed, of course). There won't be any mold, gouging or tearing.
Let's go into details of how much you will have to spend for staining your concrete:
$2-4 per square foot for one color, minimal surface preparation and sealer coat.
$4-10 per square foot for multiple colors and sawcut patterning
$8-15 per square foot for multiple colors and complex sawed patterns.
$12-25 per square foot for hand applied stains and stencil work.
When compared to other flooring types:
$3.3-$6.5 per square foot for Carpet
$11-$22 per square foot for Ceramic tile
$2.6-$5.6 per square foot for Linoleum or vinyl
$8-$10 per square foot for Wood
$20-$60 per square foot for Natural stone
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