An increasingly popular floor treatment solution bringing life to concrete floors is concrete staining. Concrete staining – while being a harsh-sounding treatment option – can actually bring a unique look and feel to concrete that is one-of-a-kind. With the right type of concrete staining, you can enjoy concrete floors in nearly any part of your home – with a professional feel that you will love.
Read on to learn more about concrete staining, and how to bring this creative staining method to your concrete floors today.
What Is The Concrete Staining Process?
When it comes to concrete stains, there are two methods to consider: reactive and non-reactive.
Reactive Concrete Stains:
With reactive concrete staining, a water-based acidic solution is applied to concrete. Within the solution are metallic salts that interact with the lime content within the cement’s structure.
Once the acidic solution interacts with the concrete, a chemical reaction takes place that bonds the stain with the concrete – providing a long-lasting result that won’t fade away or wear down.
Non-reactive Concrete Stains:
The other option to consider is nonreactive concrete stains. These stains don’t depend on chemical reactions to complete the staining process. Instead, the water-based solution will penetrate the porous surface of the concrete and fill up any empty space with pigment.
Non-reactive concrete stains have become increasingly popular in the past few years due to the increased control of color and outcome possible. However, nonreactive stains don’t give that unique, translucent look that only a chemical reaction can offer.
Why Use A Concrete Stain?
When it comes to choosing concrete staining for your concrete floors, you are typically looking to bring increased character and life to your flooring. With concrete stain, you can not only add color, but you can also add character to the concrete through tones that uniquely cover the concrete surface.
One of the major benefits of concrete staining is the one-of-a-kind look and feel that you can get with this treatment method. Depending on the concrete floor’s age, porosity, and composition, the stain will set in a particular way. This will ensure that your floors have a special look that no other concrete stained flooring will have. The variability of the results of concrete staining are one reason why so many people are choosing this flooring method to give their concrete a fresh, new life.
The Factors That Impact Concrete Staining Results
To give your stained concrete floor that “variegated” and “mottled” look that is iconic to this treatment method, you need to know your floor’s current characteristics. There are several factors that will impact the final outcome of concrete staining. As the staining acid hits the surface of the concrete, the stain solution will interact with the free lime deposits in the concrete and the process of staining will begin.
So what factors impact the final outcome? Here are just a few of the elements of a concrete floor that may affect the final outcome of your stain:
- The properties of the cement
- Amount of cement being stained
- The admixtures applied in the process
- The finishing methods used on the concrete surface
- The age and moisture content of the concrete when stain is applied
- The weather conditions present when the stain is applied
- Any efflorescence
A key to note is that any cement that contains larger amounts of calcium hydroxide during the hydration process will result in more color appearing when stained. The type of applicator used to apply the stain to the concrete may also impact the final outcome.
Work With A Trusted Flooring Expert To Stain Your Concrete Floors
Choosing to stain your concrete floors can seem complicated and overwhelming, but with the right knowledge and strategy you can transform your cement into one-of-a-kind, jaw-dropping flooring. If you are ready to learn more, contact your local concrete staining expert.
A licensed and qualified team of experts will have the skills and expertise necessary to ensure that your concrete staining solution offers the results you desire.
