Acid Staining Concrete
How would you like to change the look of your concrete floors from ugly and gray to beautiful and expensive looking. How would you like to do this for less than $1 per square foot? With acid staining concrete you can have all of this. This technique has been around for many years, but it was only recently that it starting gaining in popularity. When you stain your concrete floors you no longer have to choose between the sensibility of concrete and the beautiful look of stone or marble.
When getting your concrete stained you have two choices; do the project yourself or hire a contractor to do it for your. The professionals can do some really amazing designs and patterns with the stains, but you will have to pay a good amount for their expertise. A typical job will cost anywhere from $4 per square foot to as much as $10 per square foot. If you would like to save some money, you can always do it yourself. Even a novice do-it-yourselfer should be able to complete this project in a weekend, and it can cost as little as $.50-$1 per square foot. This is what you will need to know to get your project started.
Necessary Materials
It is very important that you have every single material before you begin your project. This is a chemical reaction, so you only get one chance to get it right. This also means that you need to have all the proper protective gear, since you are working with a low level form of acid. This includes protective eye wear, gloves, long sleeves and pants, and a face mask. The other essential materials are: your acid stain, TSP to clean the concrete, wet vac, sprayer, paint tray, a roller, and sealer.
How To Prepare The Surface
Acid concrete stains are semi transparent, which means that any cracks your imperfections in the concrete will show through. Small cracks in the surface can often create a unique look, but anything larger than that should be fixed. It is also important to clean the surface to the best of your ability. The cleaner you can get it, the better the end result will be.
How to Apply The Acid Stain
The most efficient way to do this is to use an all plastic spray to apply the acid stain. It needs to be all plastic because you are filling it with acid. You should have two people to complete this step. One person should stray the floor in a type writer motion, while the person with the broom scrubs the acid into the floor. Since this will leave brush strokes the sprayer should go over each area twice.
Clean The Floor
Wait the proper amount of time for the chemical reaction to fully take place, and then neutralize the surface with a mixture of baking soda and water. You will also want to wash it twice to remove any excess residue.
Applying The Sealer
After the floor has dried for at least 24 hours, you should apply at least 2-3 coats of sealer to the floor. After this is dry you can now enjoy your amazing stained concrete floor. This is a simplified guide on how to acid stain concrete.
