October 17, 2011
How to Stain a Concrete Floor
To get a gorgeous coffeehouse floor in your family room or master bath or other Orlando Real Estate, staining and clear-sealing your concrete floor is the best way to realize it. The difficulty is that it is a skilled operation that few individuals have done themselves, so it’s tough to get reliable assistance on how to stain a concrete floor correctly.
If you find an example of a stained concrete floor you like, take a photo of it and bring it to your local hardware store or paint store. This way you can get some advice from someone in person. You will find several types of staining methods, but this post will cover the acid stain and sealing process.
The initial step is to take out any old carpet and ensure that you are satisfied with the condition the concrete is in. Contractors often make marks on slabs, and carpet installers routinely nail or glue down tack strips that can mar your finished floor. It is possible to clean up most of these blemishes, but there will probably be flaws showing through the finished floor. Always remember that the attraction of stained concrete is that the variegated finish blends well with imperfections, so don’t think that simply because your Portland Real Estate floor has issues, you can’t stain it.
Second, take off marks and adhesive by scraping or with lacquer thinner or a commercial graffiti remover. This can be difficult, depending on the adhesive, but is well worth the hard work. Take into consideration that any solvent-based cleaners will have to be scrubbed off by using a degreasing solution (like TSP) which you can find at a good home improvement center. Acidic stains have to be applied to oil- and solvent-free surface areas, or they won’t react with the concrete.
Now fill any and all crevices or pits in the concrete with a fast setting patching compound. Level with a putting knife or trowel and smooth the patch with a wet cloth or sponge. If needed, sand the fixed area softly right after it sets to take off any residue and blend the fixed area with the surrounding area.
You will probably want to mask wall surfaces from overspray next. If you’ve tried any solvent-based cleaning products, scrub the surface with a degreasing solution and rinse off completely. Use a wet vac or sponge mop to clear away extra water if necessary
You’re at last ready for your acid stain product on your Idaho Real Estate. Abide by the instructions of the company that made it, but typically this entails transferring the solution into a plastic pressurized spray applicator. Dampen the concrete surface slightly and begin applying the stain over the concrete, working your way from the far corner of the room to the door so you never have to step onto completed spots. It’s OK to allow the product to pool into the low spots of the floor; this is how you get a fantastic leather-like look and feel.
The stain’s acid component reacts with the lime in the concrete and you should see some bubbling as you apply the stain. You can typically let the stain dry for up to twenty four hours so the concrete gets a rich coloration, then wash it off with a solution of baking soda and water to counteract the acid. Rinse off the surface completely, getting rid of the water with a wet or dry vac or mop as needed.
You will see that the concrete looked a lot more attractive wet. Once the floor is totally dried out, which takes a few days with fans blowing on it, you have to use a sealer to bring back the “wet-look” of the floor. Water-based sealer is more affordable and works well if you don’t desire a high-gloss finish. If you want gloss, pay the extra money for a solvent-based concrete sealer. Do not, under any circumstance, apply the water-based sealer first, then change your mind and move to a solvent-based sealer. Even if the first application is completely dried out, the solvent-based product won’t adhere well and you’ll have difficulties with it flaking up.
In our opinion, the glossy floor looks considerably more stylish and is worth the extra money to do it right. This type of sealer can be cut in around the edges with a brush and rolled elsewhere. You may apply a second coat if you wish, then you are finished. You should now be the proud owner of a beautiful acid-stained concrete floor!
Filed by neville1way at 2:52 pm under Uncategorized
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