How to Apply Concrete Acid Stain

Applying concrete acid stain is a technique that both protects and decorates concrete surfaces inside and outside of the home. High quality concrete staining results are highly dependent on the concrete surfacing your are applying stain to. If the surface has blemishes the concrete stain is likely to exaggerate the blemishes and if your concrete surface is dirty the concrete acid stain will come out blotchy. The final result of proper concrete staining however will be well worth it if you take the time to do it yourself or hire a contractor. The guide below should walk you through the process of staining your concrete yourself if you choose to do so.

Instructions

1. Start your concrete staining process with a clean dry surface. Clean your surface thoroughly and make sure it is free from all debris. If you need to use a cleaning solution to remove dirt, grime, or any other surface spill or stain allow adequate time for the surface to dry before beginning applying the concrete stain. Note that the less effort you put into the cleaning of your surface to more variable your final stain color will turn out.

2. Make sure you protect nearby surfaces that you do not wish to be stained by covering them up or removing them from the work area.

3. Apply an even coat of concrete stain to your surface using a spray bottle and brush into the concrete in small even circle patterns. If you want a darker stain apply a second coat of stain after the first coat dries. If you desire a lighter stain cut the stain with water but not more than one part stain to three parts water. Depending on the brand stain the water will eventually prevent the chemical reaction which causes the stain from happening. Be very careful to not leave brush marks in your stain if you want an even coat. Brush marks in your concrete acid stain are sometimes desirable in an artistic way but often they are the unintended consequence of a sloppy job.

4. Let your concrete acid stain dry and cure. This wait time will vary based on your specific conditions and depending upon the brand of stain you use. Inspect your product for your approximate wait time and do not place anything on the concrete or walk on it during the curing process as imprints can be left in the stain easily.

5. As your concrete acid stain cures residue will be left on the surface. This residue is capable of further staining or otherwise damaging your concrete stains uniformity. Once your stain has cured (step three) you will have to remove the excess residue and neutralize the surface prior to finishing. Remove all excess concrete stain residue by washing with a mixture of baking soda and water. Prepare a cup of baking soda per gallon of water to make your rinse solution and rinse your surface by pouring the solution over your concrete.

6. Mop up all your rinse solution being careful not to step on your surface. You may need to rinse and repeat a couple times before all concrete acid stain residue has been removed from the surface.

7. Once your concrete surface has been stained, neutralized, and dried you need to finish it by applying a sealant. You can apply sealant by either spraying, brushing, or rolling it onto the surface. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages such as ease of application and quality of coverage so the choice is up to you. If you decide to spray on the application make sure apply a thick coat and cover the entire surface evenly. Brush application is more labor intensive but you will be more likely to evenly coat your entire surface. If you choose to roll on your sealant make sure to watch out for rolling lines. Sealants come in many different varieties and many different brands. Check with your hardware store in selecting the right sealer for your needs and follow the instructions on your chosen product.

8. After applying sealant to your concrete acid stain leave plenty of time for the sealant to cure before using the surface. This process can be days long depending on the thickness of application or the weather outside. The longer you let the process cure the better your final concrete stained surfaces will look.