Acid Stained Concrete

Acid Stained Concrete Interior & Exterior Residential & Commercial

Acid Stain is not a paint or coating agent, rather, it's a coloring process involving a chemical reaction on a cementitious material. A solution made with water, acid and inorganic salts reacts with minerals already present in the concrete, the result of this reaction is color. It works very well on new or old concrete, and we've seen impressive results over decorative polymer overlays as well as self-leveling products. Acid Stain is a very durable product if properly protected with sealer and wax, and it can be applied to both interiors and exteriors. What makes Acid Stain so attractive? Acid Stain gives concrete a mottled, variegated, marble like look. It creates beautiful colors on concrete, mostly earth tone browns, reddish browns and greens. We can also create unique shades by mixing and matching the available colors, or applying them at different rates. Never expect Acid Stain to be uniform or have an even tone, results vary from slab to slab, and even on the same job there may be different coloration patterns.

Not every concrete floor is eligible for Acid Stain, though age is not an issue, the shape it's in is. A smooth concrete surface will yield more attractive results than an old worn one. If the concrete is spalled, the aggregate is exposed or has previously been acid etched, the stain may not "take in" and will not look as desired because the aggregate does not react with the stain, only materials in the concrete paste do. On some applications where the surface is textured, as in stamped concrete or stamped overlays, Acid Stain provides even more depth of color, larger selection and realistic look to the surface.

These applications may include extremely smooth or moderately textured finishes in virtually limitless color and design combination. Commercial grade sealer systems may be required to ensure high traffic wear ability. These applications are widely used in casinos, shopping malls, offices, hotel lobbies, retail stores, residential floors and anywhere in place of conventional tile, terrazzo, quarry, etc. In addition, the color will not chip, crack or wear off, since the acid stain penetrates and colors the concrete surface and substrate. In addition, this system is environmentally sound, providing an allergy resistant, dust free living space and it's economical!

If acid staining is in your plans for a project, we encourage you to involve your stainer as early as possible to be sure the slab is properly specified. Job scheduling needs to account for stain-penetration time, post-stain cleaning and drying times, and clear seal and waxing times. Even a tiny 100 square-foot job will take five days or more, due to these factors. It is also important to know how to protect the floor when the other trades are on the site.

Projects:

Disclaimer

Limitations: Stains cannot be used to hide surface blemishes or to cover construction errors. The variegated colors produced are unique to each concrete surface and depend on the chemical composition, mix design, porosity, age, texture, and color of the concrete substrate. The surface appearance will also be influenced by the Stain color, preparation methods and application procedures. Mottling and wide variations in color and intensity will occur. The color obtained and the depth of penetration is not predictable, and it is not possible to successfully stain some concrete surfaces. If contaminants remain on the surface, the penetration of the chemical stain may be blocked.