How to Have Successful Concrete Acid Staining Results?

Concrete acid staining is something that you can do on any colored or plain concrete surfaces. Acid isn’t the actual substance that helps to create color on concrete surface. The acidic solution contains metallic salt that react with the surface of the concrete and produce specific color permanently. Sand, gravel and other siliceous aggregates don’t react with stain. Material that contains more cement will react more with the acid solution, producing more intense colors. Because each concrete surface is different, results could vary a lot. It’s recommended to test the acidic solution on a small area to make sure that you have proper final results. However, make sure that the concrete surface is properly prepared, because the stain could make defects and imperfection more apparent. There are various factors that determine the results of concrete acid staining.

These factors include cement amount and properties used, as well as type of aggregate and admixtures used. The moisture content, age of concrete and the previous finishing methods are also important to consider. The texture and porosity of the surface could affect the final result as well. Make sure that the weather is appropriate when you apply the stain. You don’t need to use much equipment when using acid stain finishing on concrete surface. A proper applicator may include plastic garden sprayer that doesn’t react to acidic solution. Some people may also use fine bristle brush, but it depends on your preferences. However, regardless of what tool you use, make sure that the material doesn’t react with acid. You also need to wear safety equipments such as acid-resistant boots, goggles and gloves. Masks are also essential to avoid inhaling acid fumes that could irritate your respiratory system.

Surface preparation is among the most important steps when you want to improve the appearance of concrete floor. When the surface is poorly prepared, a simple process can become lengthy and difficult. First of all, you need to pour a bit of water on the surface of the concrete and see if it’s absorbed. If the concrete absorbs moisture poorly, then there could be a sealer on the surface. If you want to have good acid staining result, make sure that you work with bare concrete surface. There are solutions that can strip sealer on hard surfaces, including concrete floor. Make sure that the stripper can remove coating well, such as colorants, acrylic stains or concrete paint. If you have removed the sealer and the surface still doesn’t water, then the concrete could be too dense.

This could happen if the surface was over troweled when construction workers pour the concrete. So, it is important that the concrete readily accepts acid stain. Surface conditioning is a key to success if you want to get proper results. You may need to condition the surface multiple times if it’s very dense. Whatever you do, avoid using hydrochloric acid, because it will react with certain minerals that are needed to react with the acid staining solution.