Do It Yourself Concrete Staining: Things to Know Before You Begin

Article by: Kirk Muhlhauser

Do it yourself , Top Ten Remodeling Tips concrete staining is the cheapest and easiest way to enhance the appearance of your concrete , How to achieve optimal sleep quality with a tempurpedic foam mattress surfaces. The alternatives, tearing out existing concrete , Solar Energy Systems for Pools and replacing with new or decorative overlays, are not recommended for do-it-yourselfers and can be very expensive. But before you begin your staining project there are a few things you need to know.

There are two types of concrete , Protect Your Floors with a Sealant! stains to choose from, acid stains and acrylic stains. Acid stains work by chemically reacting with free lime in the surface to produce a natural , Being Creative And Develop Your Own Design looking, translucent color. , Choosing the Right General Contractor They create a mottled, variegated, multi-hued coloring. Every concrete , Top Ten Remodeling Tips surface reacts differently to acids stains making each job unique. Acrylic stains are waterborne and have pigments that seep into the pores and adhere to the concrete, , Discontinued Tile: Remodeling with Discontinued Ceramic Tile therefore creating a more consistent, semi translucent color , Top Ten Remodeling Tips like that of a dye. Acrylic stains will help mask imperfections and discolorations whereas acid stains actually accentuate them.

For many surfaces, acid and acrylic stains will work equally as well, but which one you choose depends on the look you want. However, there are situations where one type will work better than the other. For older, exterior concrete , Curved Stair Lifts – An Overview (more than 15-20 yrs old) acid stains may not work because much of the free lime has leeched away. Acrylic stains are great for old concrete , Finding Affordable Furniture because of its increased porosity over time. Acid stains work well with newer concrete , Adding Sofa Slipcovers Is A Quick And Easy Way To Give Your Home A Makeover because of the availability of free lime. If repairs , Burners: Up Close and Personal need to be made such as patching pop outs or scaling, then acrylics may be the better choice to help disguise the repairs. , How To Measure Your Room For Laminate Flooring Any patching materials will stand out with acid stains. For smooth trowelled interior , Relocate or Renovate? surfaces with less porosity, acid stains are usually better because they don't require as much penetration to color , How To Choose House Style Mailboxes the concrete. , Make Your Room Magical And Fascinating With Rustic Curtain Rods

Before beginning it's also important to have realistic expectations. Staining can turn dull, gray concrete , How To Choose House Style Mailboxes into a beautiful , Making A Preventive Stop With Pool Covers and colorful finish, but it's impossible to know exactly how the finished product , Designer bathroom sinks and basins will look, especially with acid stains. Every concrete , An Introduction To Garage Door Openers surface is different and so will accept stains differently. The exact same stain will have two different appearances with two different slabs. Even seasoned pros can't predict the exact outcome of a staining job. For this reason, it's not a good idea to try to exactly match the color , The Health Benefits Of Drinking Water - Is Bottled Drinking Water Healthier Than Filtered Tap Water? of concrete , The Right Bathroom Light Fixture Will Brighten Up Your Bathroom to anything else such as brick or siding. There's a very good chance you won't be successful. Instead, choose a complimentary color , Polishing Granite or shade for your concrete. , How to achieve optimal sleep quality with a tempurpedic foam mattress For instance, if you have light , Fixing Old Wooden Chairs brown siding, then choose a dark brown stain.

The most critical part of staining is preparation. Take time in deciding how you want your concrete , Tips On Buying Ceiling Fans to look and getting the surface ready to apply the stain. You get one shot at getting it right unless you want to do a major overhaul to the surface. Do it yourself , Polishing Granite concrete staining is not a difficult process but does require an honest effort to be satisfied your finished product. , Polishing Granite

Kirk Muhlhauser offers ideas and instructions for enhancing your home's concrete , Hardwood Floor Refinishing - For The Faint of Heart surfaces. Find information , Tips On Buying Ceiling Fans on concrete , Great information on bed linens, linen fabric and table linens stains, paints, , The Finnish Sauna - 16 Steps to Total Pleasure and sealers at http://www.all-things-concrete.com

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