Concrete floors are hardly a new phenomenon, many of us will have an old lumpy piece of concrete flooring or patio somewhere around the home! One of the most common questions that builders and concrete professionals get asked is "how do I make my concrete ______ look better?". For some time now builders and designers have been espousing the virtues of decorated or painted concretes. The most recent development, although hardly new, is concrete staining.
What you will want to know however is what are the advantages of staining concrete flooring, compared to the large number of options available to everyone nowadays? Hopefully I can give you some help here!
Why concrete staining?
Many people wonder why you would bother to stain concrete when there are so many other options open to you in terms of flooring. Tiles, wood floor, laminates, or even painting direct on to concrete are other options that maybe cheap, and simple to do. If you ask any professional they will probably give you a single word answer! "Character".
Stained concrete has a feel of rich, deep, translucent tones, similar to that find in fine oil painting, this means that the floor looks like it has aged into the site, rather than being a feature due to its newness. The results can mimic metal, marble, stone and wood, and because the effect is dependent on the underlying concrete, no two sites are ever the same.
Concrete is environmentally friendly in comparison to many other forms of flooring. Hardwood obviously has all the issues relating to sustainability, laminate floors are notorious for non-green production processes, carpet production is very environmentally unfriendly, so concrete is a relatively green process.
How is it done?
There are now two ways to stain concrete, one uses a weak acidic solution, and the other uses a pigment based solution. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages.
In the first category are chemical stains, these in effect do not have any color of their own, but color the concrete using a chemical reaction. The acid reacts with the lime deposits, and imparts the mineral agents into the concrete. This color is formed as a permanent bond and will not chip or peel away. The best finishes are achieved with acid staining, as the depth of translucency is achieved by the use of multiple layers of color and finishes.
The second category is the water based acrylic pigment solutions. These soak directly into the concrete and leave behind their pigment. These are preferred by many as there is a much wider choice of colors, than can be found in the acid stains. However they do not last as well, and certainly don't produce the same depth of color.
The most conventional way to apply a concrete stain is to place multiple thin coats onto the concrete, most professionals would use some form of spraying equipment. Be warned that the effects you achieve will vary with the quality and condition of the concrete. Concrete staining will only work where the stain can penetrate the substrate. An easy test for this is to pour a cupful of water on your slab of concrete and see if it will soak, if the water beads or wont penetrate, then the stain will not take either. If this is the case, then your other option is to apply a cement layer over your slab, this will give you a nice clean surface.
If you are going to stain a new surface, most manufacturers will recommend leaving the concrete to cure for at least 30 days. This is because many concretes will retain their chemicals, and water for at least that long.
What colors are available?
As mentioned previously acid stains only come in a limited number of colours, usually earth tones, light creams, green blues and some reds. However mixing these colors can achieve some good results, especially if you layer different colors one over another. You can find more examples of available colors in the galleries at http://www.kemiko.com.
Water based acrylic stains can be found in many more colors, often including metallics. Again colors can be mixed prior to application, or layed in coats to achieve different results.
Remember the following when choosing a color or colors:
With acid stains, color variations are normal. Surfaces will appear
mottled.
Stain colors from acids may not be what you seen in the bottle, due to their
nature their true color will be dependent on the concrete, the reaction type
and chemical mix. If you are at all unsure please try on another surface, in
a corner first.
Is it something I can do myself?
That rather depends on your skill level, it is certainly something a competent DIYer can do, but it is necessary for you to work out what you are going to do in advance. You must also ensure that you read up on preparation of the surfaces, application techniques, and checkout what problems you could encounter, even the best professionals can come up against major issues.
If you are going to do your own work, it is best to get the correct tools for the job, as this can save you time and effort, make sure you get acid resistant brushes and spray equipment, as the acids will wear away normal brushes.
Remember if you get it wrong with staining then you cannot go back and fix it easily. If you want any kind of unusual effects, then unless you feel particularly brave I would suggest you call in a contractor.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Although the stain is embedded into the concrete and won't flake, it will still be susceptible to the ravages of time. Most often the concrete simply wears away, or is tainted by weather effects. Most manufacturers will tell you to seal your floor with either outdoor sealant or a floor wax. These not only add to the protection, they enhance color and can form part of your design.
Protecting your floor with sealants or wax, will not eliminate the need for periodic maintenance, this will often only require brushing and mopping (with a neutral cleaner). If your floor starts to lose some shine, simply wax as you would any floor. Exterior areas may need a new coat of sealant once a year, or bi-yearly dependent on location and usage.
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