Frequently Asked Questions about Concrete Acid Stainingand Concrete Overlays; whether you Do It Yourself or for Professional Installation.

What is an Acid Stain?
Acid Stain is not a paint or a sealer. Acid Stain colors the concrete by creating a chemical reaction. A solution with acid, inorganic salts and water reacts with minerals (free lime) that are already present in the concrete. This reaction creates color. This color is permanent and will not fade or peel as will other "concrete stains".

Can I use Acid Stain anywhere I want?
Acid Stain is not for every concrete floor. The concrete MUST be bare. There can be no sealers, curing compounds, bond breakers, paints, etc. on the surface. The surface must be clean and free of grease or any other contamination that would prevent the reaction from occurring? If you do have any of these substances on your concrete they will need to be removed before you stain. 

The use of concrete cleaners and coatings removers may be necessary to clean your concrete floor but they do have there limitations.

Is Acid Stain for interior use only?
Concrete Floor Stains can be used on the interior or exterior. While some companies may tell you that some Concrete Floor Acid Stain colors may be more sensitive to moisture and can not be used on the exterior the Artistic Decor System stains can be used on just about any concrete surface. They are also UV stable and will not fade on an exterior surface.

What is the most important step in my Acid Stain job?
SURFACE PREP is the most important step. If the surface is not thoroughly clean and free of all sealers, curing compounds, bond breakers and paints, then the Acid Stain will not react and the job will not be a success. We recommend the use of a mild acidic detergent to open the pores in the concrete and clean the concrete surface properly and remove as many of the stains on the concrete as possible.

Will a water based sealer and solvent based sealer give the same appearance?
No is the usual answer to this question but our Clear Cover WB Sealer will bring out the color just like a solvent based sealer. Many companies will tell you that the solvent based will create a darker appearance because it will penetrate deeper into the concrete than a water based sealer. This not the reason for the change it is a matter of the chemicals used in the sealers. 

Do I always need to apply a floor finish after I apply a sealer?
A floor finish is designed for interior use only and should not be used on exterior jobs. The floor finish will act as a sacrificial lamb for the sealer to be used. The use of a floor finish will also act as a minimal anti-skid on the floor surface. All floor finishes are manufactured to what they call "Coefficient of Friction" of 0.05 or greater, this is an anti-skid standard. On interior jobs a floor finish will provide an ideal finish in high traffic areas such as homes, schools, office buildings, shopping malls, hair salons, hotels and restaurants. 

Will the same color look the same on different jobs?
Even when the same color is used on different jobs, a different appearance may be the result. The color will be different for many reasons such as, the different pours of the concrete, the texture, the cure time and the overall condition of the floor. As such as always remember to do a test sample in an inconspicuous space such as a closet to see the stains reaction to YOUR concrete.

Can I intermix colors to create my own color?
Yes! Mixing of colors is common amongst professionals in the industry but you can do it too, this allows you to expand the color possibilities. We suggest you use the pour out method of staining to combine your colors. You can also combine the colors in your sprayer or bottle also to create the color you want. A third method is to spray one layer of stain and then another color for the second layer. Remember there are just eight basic colors and all the colors you see different companies make all come from these eight colors. Just a note always keep track of the "recipe" you have created so if need be it can be recreated.

How long should I allow the Acid Stain to sit on the surface before I remove the residue?
The Acid Stain should sit on the surface for at least 2-4 hours. You can leave it sit longer. The longer you let it sit, the darker the color will be. It is common for the stain to sit overnight before the residue is removed especially with the colors, black, blue and green.

If you are staining a polymer concrete overlay two hours is usually all you have to leave the stain on for.  

I have applied the Acid Stain, removed the residue and I want the color to be darker, what can I do?
A second application of Acid Stain may be applied after the residue has been removed. This will provide a darker affect. Since you are only using water to remove the residue instead ammonia or baking soda as some stains require you to do there is no reason you can't apply another coat to darker the stain on your floor.

I have taken up my carpet and I have tack strips around the perimeter of the room, what do I do?

You have two choices:

• You can use “anchoring cement” to fill the floors and then you can stain the floor as normal. What will happen is the areas that have been patched may stain a little different than the rest of the concrete.
• You can apply a concrete overlay which will fill in all the holes and create a new canvas for any type of floor you might like to create.

I have concrete that is not in the best condition. It has glue and paint on it. Is there something I can do?

After the paint and glue is removed from the floor a concrete overlay may be used to create a floor that you can design to your liking.

How thick is a concrete overlay?