Staining concrete is a great way to give it new life, and it’s something you may be able to do yourself. Whether you want to change the look of concrete outside or inside your home, staining is a great option, but there are a few things you should know before taking on this task. Here are some tips to ensure your concrete staining project is a success.
- Clean surface
In projects like staining, painting or adding adhesives, it’s always important to thoroughly clean the surface as a first step. In many cases, this is because particles of contaminants could prevent the paint or stain from bonding to the surface, which would make it easy to chip off or crack. In the case of concrete stain, it’s also important to remove defects or stains on a surface because the stain often highlights these imperfections much the same way wood stain looks on imperfect surfaces.
- Color charts
When shopping for concrete stain, you probably go to great lengths to try to match the color with what the room or area calls for. This likely includes consulting color charts provided by the stain’s manufacturer. Unfortunately, these color charts aren’t perfect. Stain reacts differently to each surface so you can’t know for certain the exact shade of the stain until you apply it and let it dry. With that in mind, don’t attempt to stain your entire surface right away. Find a small test area to try it on to see if the color matches what you’re hoping for.
- Technique
You may think the technique of applying stain would be fairly simple. For the most part, you’d be right. However, knowing the stain’s coverage rate and how much stain you’ll need to use can make things difficult. Again, each surface is different. The more porous the concrete surface, the more stain that will be needed to cover it. The key is to continue applying stain until the surface is covered, but to stop before puddling begins to occur.
- Neutralize
After you’ve applied the stain, you can’t just sit back and wait for it to dry if you want the best results. First, you’ll want to remove any excess stain and residue from the surface. Then, you’ll need to neutralize the surface, which will help seal the stain to protect it from damage and ensure that further staining doesn’t occur.
- Seal
The final step before your concrete surface is ready to go is to apply a sealant coating. Without sealing the surface, the stain is likely to show signs of wear soon, flake or crack and will also collect dust and debris. You’ll want to be prepared for these last two steps as soon as you apply the stain to the surface even though they come later.
If you have a concrete staining project at your home, or you’re a contractor who regularly works with concrete, Maxwell Supply in Tulsa is here for you. Stop by and see us for help choosing the products you’ll need to make your project a success, or browse through our inventory online.