How to Lighten a Concrete Stain

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Things You'll Need

  • Measuring sup

  • Paint stirrer

  • Gallon jug with lid

  • Muriatic acid

  • Funnel

Concrete floors no longer have to be the muted, simple gray floors that they were in the past. Today, concrete can be both stained and dyed to achieve a variety of colors and textures. Concrete stain is based on muriatic acid. This acid reacts with the concrete, opens up its surface and penetrates the concrete with its own metallic salts, staining the concrete the chosen color. In the process, the concrete also will achieve a variegated texture similar to marble. Concrete stain can be lightened before application, but the concrete will be less textured once the lightened stain is applied.

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Step 1

Measure and pour 9 cups of water into the gallon jug.

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Step 2

Measure and pour 1 cup of muriatic acid into the gallon jug.

Step 3

Put the lid on the jug and screw it tight. Hold the jug and shake it to mix the water and acid together. This is the dilution solution, which can be used to lighten any color of acid-based concrete stain.

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Step 4

Pour a small amount of the dilution solution through the funnel and into the container of concrete stain. Mix the stain with a paint stirrer to see if you have lightened it to the degree that you wish.

Step 5

Add more dilution to the stain until you have achieved the lightness that you want to see.

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