Chris Dreyer - How To Stain Concrete Floors

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All contents copyright 2012 by Chris Dreyer , and www.HowToStainConcreteFloors.com . All rights reserved. No part of this document or accompanying files may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, electronic or otherwise, by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher.

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Acid stained concrete floors are the newest hot flooring option. Acid stained concrete first started gaining steam in the late nineties, and what many people thought would only be a passing home decor trend turned into a full blown flooring revolution.

Photo Courtesy of: Prw eb.co m

Stained concrete floors appeal to many different groups of people, from the earth conscious thirty-somethings to the interior designer who likes to stay on top of every trend, to the stay at home mom who is trying to save the family some money on a new floor. Stained concrete has advantages for everyone and for every home.

One huge benefit of stained concrete flooring is the totally unique look you will achieve. There are no two floors that are alike. Some floors will have the appearance of smooth, glassy polished marble, other floors may resemble a piece of tanned leather, and others may look more like a natural stone floor, or even like a stained hardwood.

You will never have two stained concrete surfaces that look exactly alike. There are several different variables that contribute to the finished look of your floor. The proportion of ingredients used to mix the concrete, the current age, the texture, surface pores, and varying environmental conditions will all change the look of your floors.

In this book you will learn the information needed to create the floor of your dreams. If you are looking for an antiqued or vintage look, we will discuss the steps you can take to achieve that result.

If you are looking for a free-style mottled or variegated look we will cover techniques that produce that result.

Acid stained concrete floors require imagination, patience, and also a love for the unexpected. If you are hoping to produce a uniform, perfect looking floor, this method may not be for you. What you can expect is a warm, glowing floor with character and uniqueness that will be a conversation starter for the life of your floor.

Why Choose a Stained Concrete Floor?

Most people choose a stained concrete floor because of the unique look that it adds to the home. But once you start learning more about concrete flooring options, you will find there are many other benefits.

The beauty of an acid stained concrete floor is undeniable. Stained concrete has a warm ambiance that makes your home glow. There are many different acid stain color options available, so you can choose something that complements any dcor.

Concrete floors are one of the most durable options on the market today. A properly maintained concrete floor will last you just as long, or perhaps even longer than the structure built around it.

These floors are a cinch to keep clean and germ free. Unlike carpet, which tends to hold onto dirt, germs, pet hair and stains, a concrete floor is completely sterilized with a good sweeping and a disinfecting mopping.

If you happen to suffer from allergies, you already know the benefits of hard floors for eliminating allergen build-up in the home. Sweeping or vacuuming, and then a quick damp mop will quickly clear out all of the hair, dander, pollen and dust that keep your allergies riled up.

Your acid stained floor will be 100% unique. Even if you used the exact same stain and the exact same sealer on different floors, you will get a unique result each and every time. Consider your floor to be a canvas, and you will be turning it into a work of art. Your floor will never be replicated by anyone else. Try to get that same result with tile, or hardwood!

If you stain your floor yourself, you can also expect to save money over the cost of tile or hardwoods. A tile or hardwood floor will cost several thousand dollars after installation. If you already have the concrete laid underneath your current flooring, then you will only end up paying out a few hundred dollars in supplies and some sweat equity.

Chapter 1:
Is Your Concrete Floor a Good Candidate for Staining?

The first thing you need to decide before acid staining your concrete floor is whether or not your floor is a good candidate for acid staining.

Lets take a trip back to your basic high school science class and understand just how the acid staining process works. Dont worry, Ill make it simple, short, and there will be no quiz at the end.

Acid staining is a reactionary process, meaning that the acid reacts with the concrete creating the color stain. In most concretes you will find free lime.

Lime is the ingredient that reacts with the acid. We are talking about the organic material that is calcium based here, not the fruit.

Concrete is a porous material, and when the acid seeps through and reacts with the lime, it causes the beautiful stained coloring.

Concrete Staining May Not Be Right For Your Floor

There are two essential requirements that your concrete floor must have in order to correctly use an acid stain.

The concrete mix that was used must include lime.

The concrete floor must be porous.

Most of the time, your concrete floors will have lime and be porous. However, if you had your floor laid by a contractor, he may have added in some chemicals that affect the porosity.

He may have also used a custom mix that did not include lime. So, before proceeding with the staining, contact the person who laid your floor and find out if the mix contained lime, and if it is a porous floor that is compatible with acid staining. Alternatively, you can try the concrete porosity test listed below.

If you poured your own concrete with a standard concrete mix, there should not be any question and you can proceed with confidence that your floor will accept an acid stain.