How to Stain Cement Floors
Cement floors are stained with products that are often called acid stains. These products contain chemicals that open the pores of the cement to allow the staining ingredients to penetrate. These staining ingredients react with the lime in the cement to change the color of the floor. A concrete floor stain provides the perfect re-finish to a floor in your garage or outdoors on a walkway. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 12-inch masking paper
- Acid stain
- 2-gallon pump sprayer (all plastic, no metal)
- Ammonia
- Mop
- Water-based sealer
- Long-handled paint roller
- Safety glasses
Instructions
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Clean the floor thoroughly. Remove trim work and baseboards from around the floor. Cover walls and anything on the walls (like lower cabinets) using 12-inch masking paper. These may be discolored by the stain, even if they don't come directly in contact with it.
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Ensure that the area is well-ventilated by opening all windows or doors.
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3
Mix your acid stain and pour it into the pump sprayer. Check the acid stain's manufacturer instructions to see if you should dilute the stain with water (this will differ by brand). Test the pump sprayer to make sure you get an even spray.
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4
Hold the spray nozzle about 18 inches from the floor and spray in overlapping "z" patterns. Make sure the whole floor is totally wet.
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Let the first coat dry for approximately one hour (depending on humidity conditions) and apply a second coat. Allowing for appropriate drying times, apply as many coats as needed to reach the desired color. Let the floor dry.
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Spray a mixture of four parts water and one part ammonia on the floor to neutralize the acid. Let it dry.
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Mop the floor thoroughly and wait for it to dry before sealing it.
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Use the paint roller to roll on water-based sealer in thin coats. Let the sealer dry completely.
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Apply a second coat of sealer.
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Let the second coat dry for at least 24 hours before removing the masking paper and replacing trims and baseboard.
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Tips & Warnings
Smooth, machine-troweled cement floors will absorb less stain than hand-troweled cement floors, which are more porous. The smoother the floor, the lighter the stain color will end up. Be sure to remove all spots from the floor before you apply the acid stain. Any spots you see will show through even after you apply stain.
Use safety glasses when working with the stain and wash your hands thoroughly when you're done. If you're trying to stain cement floors that weren't poured at the same time or that have patches, beware. The stain will react differently with each section (because of differing lime levels) and you could end up with different shades of color. Staining cement floors isn't like painting a wall; you can't just redo it if it looks bad. Find a contractor if you aren't confident you can do the job properly.
