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Stained Concrete Flooring
Stained concrete flooring can solve many flooring questions and issues. By being a hard surface, it collects less dust and dirt, agents that cause problems for people with allergies. You can create the look you want with the scoring patterns you select, and the color you choose for stain. As long as you have a solid, stable foundation, the flooring shouldn't crack or move either.
One of the newest ways to make your floor into a visually appealing space is to use stained concrete. Stained concrete flooring has become one of the most popular flooring approaches in both new construction and renovations. The unique character it adds to a home is one of the reasons people are choosing it, rather than another flooring option. It's durable, easy to clean, and is easy on people with allergies.
How do you get stained concrete flooring?
Start with a concrete floor. It must be smooth and uniform for the stain to make the flooring look the best that it can, so a newer concrete floor that is not worn is the best option for staining. If it is a newly poured concrete floor, it is important to allow time (at least three weeks depending upon the manufacturer's directions) for it to cure before you stain it. Now you are ready to stain the flooring. A stain is not actually used on the concrete floor, rather it is a chemical reaction that occurs between the minerals in the concrete, acid, water, and inorganic salts. This chemical reaction makes color, which is why it is called stained concrete flooring.
What colors are available in stained concrete flooring?
Acid stained concrete flooring will give your floors a marble-like, variegated color pattern. The colors that are usually seen in stained concrete flooring are browns, reddish browns, and even green. You can make your own color variations by mixing and matching or applying the acids at different rates. You can control how mottled or marbled it is by the process that you choose to apply it. If you enjoy the marbled look, simply spray the acid on the concrete, because this will give it the most variegated design. If you want to downplay the mottled look, use a push broom or other brush to go over the wet acid in a figure-8 motion to make it smoother and more even. Don't expect it to be a smooth color, though, because this process is translucent, which will cause areas of darkness and lightness naturally.
What tools do you need for stained concrete flooring?
There are very few tools that you need to complete the process of staining your concrete floors. After the concrete is poured and cured or the old concrete is clean thoroughly, you will need to gather the following tools for your acid staining process.
- Assorted Sprayers
- Brushes
- Saw with Diamond Blade
The sprayers and the brushes will help you to create the masterpiece on your floor. You can choose to do the staining simply by just spraying the acid solution on, or you can use a more complicated process, such as spraying the surface and brushing it, to add even more texture to your floor. The saw with a diamond blade can help you to score the surface your concrete floor. After you have completed the staining process, the floors will need to be sealed and waxed to help them stay beautiful for many years to come.
One floor I saw had a sun pattern scored into the concrete. Someone had gone to a lot of effort to glue gold glitter into the scores before the stain was applied. After the final "varnish" coat was finished, the solar pattern was enhanced but subtle.
If you are looking for a way to make your floors look more visually appealing, then this may be just the thing for you. Stained concrete floors are easy to take care of, are durable, and have a beauty that is unmatched. If you are looking for something different for you home, then consider stained concrete flooring. You will be glad you did.
Comments
Hi. I have carpet and linoleum in my home that I want to get rid of. Can I remove this and stain my concrete?
Shannon at August 7, 2008 10:05 AM
We just bought an old home and ripped up the carpet. It had really cool stained floors. However when we took out the carpet tack strips the concrete came with it. I would love to patch the holes. Can I restain the floor once i am done?
Tim at August 16, 2008 11:50 PM
Hi Shannon,
Wow, I'm sorry that I somehow overlooked your post.
Yes, you can stain your concrete, you just have to make sure you do what is necessary to get the concrete ready to accept the stain. You need to remove as much adhesive as possible and might need to rent a machine to kinda grind the surface of it and then smooth it afterwards. It has to be clean & dry. There's lots of resources on the internet to read more about what is involved - just hit up your favorite search engine (like Google).
The Flooring Lady at August 17, 2008 12:39 AM
Hi Tim,
Yes, you can patch the holes and stain what you've patched, but it might be difficult to match the color. So long as you can get a rather close match and you can live with it not being exact, then I'd definitely go for it.
The Flooring Lady at August 17, 2008 12:40 AM
My concrete floor was stained by my contractor when the house was built. They did a great job of making sure it was covered correctly to protect the stain. Then the painters came in and put tape on the floor. Now there are areas where the stain was pulled up and you can see tape marks. Any suggestions? Can I restain the floor by stripping the sealer and starting over? I'm confused. Thanks!
Debra at August 17, 2008 11:45 PM
Hi Debra,
How long ago has it been since all this happened (staining and then painting the walls)? Seems to me that the whoever is in charge of the painting crew should have to have your floor fixed - preferably by the contractor who stained it. If they're all part of the same 'team' then that makes it all the easier - the contractor should still have to fix it.
Another thing that strikes me as 'odd'.... you mentioned that the stain was pulled up off the floor by the tape that the painters used. This should not have happened since the stain is supposed to be a permanent thing. It sounds like the cement floor wasn't prepared properly for the stain to do it's job.
Any idea if the stain is acid based or acrylic?
You can try to re-stain the areas that lifted up yourself, but I don't think that you should have to. It shouldn't be possible to restain the floor - it's supposed to actually soak into the concrete some and you'd literally have to grind it out mechanically. (concrete scrubber) This is a terrible situation, just hope the painters were part of your contractor's crew to simplify things. I sincerely wish you the best of luck.
The Flooring Lady at August 18, 2008 07:53 PM
Yes, thanks it is a terrible situation. The floor has been down three years. It is acid etched. It seems as though it wasn't finished correctly with a sealer - wouldn't that have stopped the tape from lifting the stain? You mentioned that the painters/contractors would have to 'fix it'. What exactly would they do? Is the only solution grinding it down? Is there some sort of overlay that would work? Thanks for your help.
Debra Haber at August 25, 2008 11:10 PM
Hi Debra,
It's a bit difficult to tell what exactly is going on because I can't see it. I'm guessing the stain didn't adhere properly, it could have been the sealer, but I doubt it. The stain is supposed to....well, stain, right? Stains don't come out or lift off so easily.
Since it's been so long since it was stained, I doubt there's much that can be done on the contractor's end (unless you had some sort of warranty), but I still think that the painting contractor should have to get it fixed. A new thin layer of concrete can be applied and restained, but I'd really just try for restaining the parts that lifted up with the tape and hope that you can live with it. Grinding & sanding is an option too, but a pain in the butt. Only thing that worries me is if you lay a new thin layer to have stained that it may cause problems with doors and such.
I presume the painters noticed what had happened??
The Flooring Lady at August 27, 2008 05:42 PM
I have stained and scored concrete floors in my home. I am having a difficult time finding something that will get dirt/spills/pet accidents out of the scored areas. What will get down in the scores and really clean the dirt out without me being on my hands and knees with a tiny brush. I wondered if a steamer would do the trick???
Anonymous at August 31, 2008 08:39 AM
It might, but you need to be careful that the heat doesn't damage the finish. Sometimes the only way to remove dirt that has been in crevices for a while is to do just want you don't want to do (as I've found out this week here at home!). Ugh. Tip of the week: vacuum or damp mop on a regular basis to keep dirt from lodging in crevices........
The Flooring Lady at August 31, 2008 01:11 PM
