06.26.09
Important Guide For Deciding Which Concrete Stain Is Best For You
Staining your concrete is a great way to give old concrete a makeover. Many of the other ways of decorating concrete are simply too much money. This is because most of them require the concrete to be either ripped out or that overlays are applied. Staining utilizes the concrete you already have which saves you the expenses which would be involved in removing it or adding new concrete.
While it is fairly easy to stain concrete you will need to do some planning to make sure you have the right product for your needs. The two most common types of concrete stains are acrylic and acid. Both of these types of stains work differently. Concrete acid stains create color by reacting to the lime on the concretes surface. Acrylic stains work by seeping into pores in the concrete. You will get a different look with each type of stain. Your personal preference and the particulars of your application will determine which type is best for you.
Acid stains are much more unpredictable than acrylic stains. Due to the way acid stains work it can be just about impossible to really know how it will look in the end. With an acid stain you will have variations in color and a surface with a very natural look. This will give you a charming look which is very attractive. You will not always want to use an acid stain. If you concrete has imperfections acid stains can actually accentuate them. Whether you like this look or not is a matter of personal taste. Your best bet may be an acrylic stain if your concrete is more than fifteen or twenty years old. Lime will wash out of your concrete over time and acid stain needs lime to react. Acid stain which is applied to old concrete may not give you the desired results.