Technical Aspects of Concrete Staining

For those of you that have decided to use the concrete staining process, there is important information that you, the builder and the other sub contractors should know. Most of this material applies to new construction, and coordinating the project in such a way to minimize damage to the concrete floor before and after the staining and sealing process. Prior to pouring your concrete slab, contact us so that we can send you important technical information. We send information to:

The Concrete subcontractor(the most important)
The Owner and/or Builder
The Framers and other subcontractors.

Basically, treat the concrete floor as if it were an unstained wood floor. Anything that could or would discolor, bleach or stain a wood floor could effect a concrete floor. Note: We do not pour the concrete slab!

Concrete Floor Care

The majority of our clients prefer a five-sack mix(3500 psi). Do not use sprayed or dusted on surface curing compounds.
Limit the use of fly ash if possible.
IMPORTANT: Make sure your concrete subcontractor has enough help to keep ahead of the pour.
Do not walk on the slab before the surface is completely dry.
Power trowel the surface to achieve a hard, slick, marble like finish. Some like to burn it. Depends on how dark the client wants the floor.
To achieve a limestone like, slip resistant surface outdoors, the slab must have a heavy, rock salt finish. Make sure your concrete sub has the salt on hand!
Concrete is a porous material and is susceptible to discoloration. DO NOT WRITE ON THE SLAB WITH ANYTHING OTHER THAN A PENCIL. Metal objects will rust(nails). Also, beverages, grease, food, adhesive, caulk, poly seal, paint, solder, oils, flux, wax pencils and permanent markers wilt modify the stain.
Press board, and other forms of lumber, as well as items such as insulation and plastic will modify the moisture content of the concrete, creating a shift in color. Resins from the wood will also stain.
Warn everyone that the floor will be stained. Do it verbally. Do it often. Signs don't work.
Finish work is a critical time. Paints can bond with the sealer on the concrete floor. It's a nasty job to repair(expensive).

Areas of the floor that are stained must be completely protected. Use Masonite or hard board(4 x 8 sheets) to protect it. Overlap the edges; DO NOT TAPE TO THE FLOOR. Adhesives in the tape strip the stealer off the floor. Painters can use 24 hour tape and craft paper along the edges, and protect the field with drop cloths. TAPE MUST BE PICKED UP AFTER A DAY!

Call us if you have more questions!

Application Procedure

With new construction, we generally come in right after the dry-in, before sheet rock, masonry and stucco. Scoring can be done before the walls are up if you wish to have the pattern run under the walls. Otherwise, borders can be cut to mirror the path of the walls of the house. It tends to give the floors a more finished look. If this is what you choose, the scoring can be done at the same time of the staining.

We need to have electricity and clean water to complete the process. Usually, we score first, then clean and prep the floor for staining(the biggest part), then stain. The final step is the sealing process. Most houses take 4-5 days depending on drying time. Sometimes less.

Floors need to be covered after staining and sealing to protect it during the final stages of construction. Call us for recommendations.

Existing Concrete

Existing concrete that has been covered with tile or carpet is problematic. Adhesives used to hold these coverings on often prevent the stains from penetrating evenly. Carpet tacking leaves divots that need to be patched. These types of projects are bid individually and are more costly.

Sealers

For the majority of our projects, we use the manufacturer recommended (Kemiko) wax sealers. The wax hardens with time and is most durable for the toughest households. Often a popular choice for vacation homes, these sealers provide what we call a semigloss finish and are easy to care for.

For commercial and restaurant projects, we recommend a silicone based product that is impervious to the types of chemicals and high traffic problems occasioned by these situations. Use of this product does limit color choices, however.

We do not recommend the two step lacquer or acrylic finishes. Although it produces a high gloss and looks great at first, it wears off easily in high traffic and is high maintenance. It must be redone periodicaHy. Very costly in the tong run.

It offers a chance for the homeowner to make creative choices in color or pattern that simply do not exist for other surfaces, in addition, the color will not chip, crack or wear off, since the acid stain penetrates and colors the concrete surface and substrate. In addition, this system is environmentally sound, providing an allergy resistant, dust free living space and is economical!