Four Tips for Staining Concrete
Type
When staining concrete, you will have to choose between acid-based and water-based stain. Acid-based will cause a chemical reaction in order to attach to the surface of the concrete, so it will last longer than the water-based variety. Water-based stain is easier to install, but is more susceptible to harsh weather.
Color
When staining concrete, you will also have to consider the color that you want. You will have a larger choice of colors if you use acrylic stains. Acid stains can only produce earth tones of blues, reds, and brown. If you want to, you can mix acrylic and acid stains together. You should also be aware that green stains are primarily for use indoors only. This is because green stains will react with moisture easily. If they react, they will turn dark.
Oil
Before staining concrete, you need to make sure all grease and oil has been removed from the surface. Oil and grease may prevent the necessary chemical reaction from taking place, so the stain may not adhere to the concrete. The best way to remove oil and grease from the surface is to use a power washer and soap. You need to wait until the concrete is dry before you begin the process of staining it.
Age
You should never try staining concrete before it has had a chance to cure for 30 days. However, you may also have trouble applying acid-based stain to older concrete because it loses its ability to react with the stain. This is due to the fact that the lime required for the reaction will leech away from the concrete over time.
These are a few tips for staining concrete. Acid-based stains attach to the surface so they will last longer, but water-based stains are much easier to apply. Before staining concrete, you need to make sure oil and grease has been removed from the surface because they can prevent the stain from adhering to the concrete. If the concrete is too old, you may have trouble applying acid-based stain because the lime will leech away from the concrete over time.
