Do It Yourself Staining concrete is the cheapest and easiest way to improve the appearance of your concrete surfaces. The alternatives, tearing out the existing concrete and replacing it with new or decorative coatings, are not recommended for the DIYer and can be very expensive. But before you start your staining project, there are a few things you need to know.
There are two types of concrete stains to choose from, acid stains and acrylic stains. Acid stains work by chemically reacting with free lime on the surface to produce a translucent, natural-looking color. They create a mottled, variegated and multicolored coloration. Each concrete surface reacts differently to acid stains, making each job unique. Acrylic stains are water-based and have pigments that seep into the pores and adhere to the concrete, thus creating a more consistent semi-translucent color like that of a stain. Acrylic stains will help mask blemishes and discolorations, while acid stains will accentuate them.
For many surfaces, acid and acrylic stains will work equally well, but which one you choose will depend on the look you want. However, there are situations where one type will work better than the other. For older exterior concrete (over 15-20 years old), acid stains may not work because much of the free lime has leached out. Acrylic stains are great for old concrete due to its increased porosity over time. Acid stains work well with newer concrete due to the availability of free lime. If repairs are necessary, such as patching overhangs or scaling, acrylics may be the best option to help disguise the repairs. Any patching material will stand out against acid stains. For trowel-smooth interior surfaces with less porosity, acid stains are often better because they do not require as much penetration to color the concrete.
Before you begin, it’s also important to have realistic expectations. Stain can turn dull gray concrete into a beautiful, colorful finish, but it’s impossible to know exactly what the finished product will look like, especially with acid stains. Every concrete surface is different and will accept stains differently. The exact same stain will have two different appearances with two different tiles. Even experienced professionals cannot predict the exact outcome of a stain job. For this reason, it’s not a good idea to try to exactly match the color of the concrete to anything else, like brick or siding. There is a great chance that you will not succeed. Instead, choose a complementary color or shade for your concrete. For example, if you have light brown siding, choose a dark brown stain.
The most critical part of staining is preparation. Take your time deciding how you want your concrete to look and preparing the surface for staining. You have one chance to get it right unless you want to do a major overhaul of the surface. Do It Yourself Staining concrete is not a difficult process, but it does require honest effort to be satisfied with your finished product.
