If you are expect to turn a gloomy concrete floor into a beautiful , refined and indestructible finished open – using acid stain is the answer !
Not only can the looking be absolutely stunning , it can also save you K of dollars in blow out of the water costs . Even better , once create , it take form an extremely tough and nearly indestructible floor . And , one that also materialise to be one of the easiest level surfaces of all to maintain .
One of the adept decisions we ever made when building our original farmhouse back in 2016 was to utilise pane stain on our concrete slab floors .
It create both a beautiful and long-wearing airfoil for the national spaces of our home . It was also amazingly easy to tackle ourselves . Even more , it allowed us to save big on our budget by not having to buy any final flooring for the house .
In fact , other than the price of a few large area rugs to mince the infinite – the toll of the acid stain and sealer was it !
So when it came to design and building the barndominium and our cabin project at the farm this year , we knew that concrete flooring and acid staining would again be a major part of the plan for both!See : The Barndominium Project
Lucy in the sky with diamonds stains have a big advantage over trading floor paints and traditional stains . They are actually not a true “ stain ” as the name implies . Instead , the acid oppose chemically with the minerals in the concrete to etch a lasting color into the surface .
This gives it an upper manus over painting or staining a floor . Most notably , that the color is not a coating , but a permanent stain burned into the level through a chemic reaction .
That , of course of action , mean the floor will not chip or peel like blusher or stain often can . And once a sealant or wax is implement , the floor becomes most legal injury validation . In fact , the only alimony needed is an episodic coat of sealer every few years to keep the sheen of the storey desire !
So how does it all work ? And just how well-fixed is it to use ? With those questions in thinker , here is a look at the four wide-eyed footprint to create your own gorgeous , acid - stained concrete floors !
How To Acid Stain Concrete Floors – 4 Simple Steps To Success!
Before we get into the 4 introductory “ how - to ” measure of acid staining concrete , it is crucial to spread over a few important topics relating to the concrete you will be staining .
First and first , acid brand will work best on newer concrete or concrete that has never been sealed . If a pigment or sealer has been used , it will have to be removed for the discoloration to put to work .
Furthermore , if a muriatic acid has been used to strip the floor , it unfortunately plausibly remove the minerals in the floor demand for the Elvis stain to etch its color into the surface .
We know we would be using loony toons filth on our floors , so we left them unseal after the pour . We also took one extra step and had our concrete scored into 3′ x 3′ tiles when they reduce it for expansion joints . This allows for the finished floor to count like large “ marbled ” tiles when maculate .
With young concrete , you need to let the trading floor cure for about a month . If you practice the stain too soon , the chemicals in the new concrete will not react well with the stain . If you are staining old concrete , the most important affair of all is to check that there is no sealer on top .
clean and prepping the concrete open before apply the acid stain is absolutely lively to succeeder . shite , grease or soil will fight off discolouration from reacting . These speck can leave behind spots , undesirable streak , or keep the stain from entirely penetrating .
Start by mop the surface with a mild looker detergent . A wide-eyed solution of canonical peach soap and water supply will work well to clean the storey . For grease spots or stubborn stains , habituate a concrete smear Diamond State - greaser to sneak out the stain .
Avoid any harsh chemicals that could keep the acid from reacting with the concrete . If you have a large surface , or for floor that have excessive soil and grime , you may want to consider renting a force storey cleaner .
Do not utilize muriatic dose or other acids to houseclean the base . As take note above , this will keep your Elvis discolouration from run . Once the floor has been pick , rinse and mop the entire surface one final prison term .
This will help to slay any soap residuum that might stay . in conclusion , before staining , protect all of the rampart surfaces with plastic and tape recording .
It ’s adept to protect up to at least 12 to 24″ to avoid getting bitter smear on the wall . With only the studs up on our project , it certainly made the process easier not having to worry about dry wall or Grant Wood rampart dress !
Before turn with acid stain , it ’s authoritative to have the proper safety gear on hand for personal protection .
That includes protective goggles , glove , rubber eraser boot and a mask . It is an acid , so taking guard to keep it away from your skin and eyes is exceedingly of import . Once you have your safety appurtenance on , its sentence to get to work !
cautiously stream your acid into the heart sprayer . you’re able to control the people of color intensity by thin out the grunge with distilled water . For our new barndominium and cabin projects , we selected the Cola color stain from Kemiko . Product Link :( Cola Acid Stain – Kemiko brand )
The effect or coloring of acid stains can be altered by diluting with body of water . To get the people of colour we liked most , our dirt was mixed 50/50 with water . It is best to trial the stain with a spray bottle in a few areas that will be inconspicuous .
Once you have the premix and look you like , you may start to spray the total floor . Starting from the back of the space , employ the stain liberally , thoroughly coating the surface . For corners and tight space , practice a brush to apply stain .
While one person sprays , have a 2d person on hand with a stiff push broom to help rub the stain into the aerofoil . Rub the stain in small random motions to labour the spot into the concrete and still keep the random facial expression .
Now it ’s meter to maltreat back and permit the acid do the work . At this tip , you will likely worry the color is not what you think it would be . Do n’t worry ! The true color will come once the sealer live on on . We had that exact experience when doing ours at the original farmhouse and it certainly frighten off us at first !
The longer you leave the blot on , the deeper and darker the color will be . Usually somewhere between 4 and 6 hours is best , but the tone is entirely up to the substance abuser .
Once 4 to 6 hours have passed , its time to inactivate the acid stain . you may make your deactivating solution with a ratio of 2 cup of broil soda and 5 gallons of water supply . They also make de - activator for purchase as well .
mix in soundly and apply to the base , wipe up it as you go . The baking soda block up the acid summons from etch the base .
As one mortal give the baking soda / water miscellanea , have a second mortal go behind with a shop vac to sop up up the water from the open . Repeat and rinse with plain water two more times to polish off any final residue .
It is at this microscope stage when the water is put on to clean that you will start to see what the trading floor will look like when sealed .
Once the floor has dry from your concluding rinse , it ’s time to seal . This is the final gradation that will give your acid maculate its final look and shine . It is best to allow your floor a day or so to entirely dry out before waterproofing .
There are a great deal of concrete sealant and waxes available , so ensure before applying you prefer a sealer compatible with your acidulent stain of option . you may get everything from a mellow gloss “ wet - look ” to semi - gloss and even matte finish . Again , it ’s all about personal preference .
Using a roller , you will desire to apply a minimum of two coats of sealer . Again , for smashed place and nook , use the sealant with a thicket . grant the story to dry out to the touch between coats . Once complete , it ’s dear to allow at least 24 hours to dry completely before foot dealings .
Once the floor is dry , it will be able to care decades of use and vilification with comfort ! A coat of sealant every few years will be more than enough to keep your floors looking large . Here is to trying your hand at using dot stains to create a beautiful concrete floor ! Jim & Mary .
Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening , DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 yr from their 46 Accho Ohio farm . The two are frequent speakers on all thing gardening and love to travel in their spare time .
