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Summary: Concrete is considered to be the best surface to stain in order to make it look like Terra Cotta. You can stain your concrete surface to make it completely look like Terra Cotta. Concrete looks really attractive when stained in a proper way. You can give customized stains to the concrete stain according to your liking. You can even stain the driveway or your basement floor in order to mimic Terra Cotta.
When applied properly, concrete stain can really improve the appearance of your concrete surfaces. You have the option of applying various patterns and various textures in order to give a newer and fresher look to the concrete surface. It is always advisable to involve experts when staining the concrete since they know better about this job. However, you should keep in mind that the concrete needs to be cleaned before staining. There is another important question that comes in mind when planning to stain the concrete surface; can all concrete be stained? Let us start our discussion by answering this question.
Can all concrete be stained?
There are two types of stains; reactive and non-reactive. Both of these types of concrete stains can be applied to new/old and plain/colored concrete. The most important factor that should always be considered is the condition of the concrete surface. If a concrete surface is porous then it is perfect to be stain. But if the surface of the concrete is covered with any material like glues, sealers, coatings or grime etc then the stain won’t penetrate fully into the surface; making the stain not doing its actual task. How to check if the stain would be able to penetrate in to the surface or not? Its fairly simple, just sprinkle water on the concrete surface. If water just beads up and if it doesn’t penetrate into the surface, it means that the surface is not suitable to be stained. One thing that you should always remember before applying the stain is that stain is not meant to be used as a mask against cracks, discoloration, blemishes or any other flaws of the concrete surface. If a concrete surface has huge cracks on it then it is not an ideal surface to be stained. You can cover the cracks using thin overlays (cement-based) in order to make the surface eligible to be stained.
Cleaning the concrete before Staining
All the stain manufactures always put stress over the importance of having a clean concrete surface for the purpose of staining. The surface of the concrete should always be cleaned before applying the stain to ensure that the stain properly penetrate the concrete surface. Even a light layer of dust can affect the outcome of the stain. If you neglect the process of cleaning the surface of the concrete, then it will bring adverse effects to the result of applying the stain. There are various concrete surface cleaning products available in the market that can be used to clean the surface of the concrete before using the stain. You should spend enough amount of time on cleaning the concrete surface.
If the concrete surface is lightly covered with dust then you can scrub it using various general purpose cleaners. For more stubborn contaminants like mastics, rust or oil stains, you have to take the advice from stain manufactures that will guide you in buying appropriate products for removing those contaminants. If you are intending to use acid-based stains, then don’t ever try acid wash to clean the concrete surface. Instead, using sand or diamond grind can be a handy option for cleaning.
How to stain:
First of all, make the list of things that will be required for the staining process. Consult any stain manufacturing company for better advices. Following are some of the general items that are required for concrete staining.
· Concrete stain in your desired color
· Water
· Concrete Stain Sealant
· Broom
· Roller Brush or mop
· Plastic Gloves
· Muriatic Acid
· Non-residue cleaner
· Respirator
· Pressure washer
· Plastic sheeting
· Safety goggles ( as a safety precaution)
After making sure that you have all the things required for concrete surface staining. Then you can follow the following general steps for concrete staining, however, you should always consults experts before moving towards your concrete staining project.
· First of all, you will be required to prepare the surface area, to be stained. Properly lay down plastic sheets in order to prevent staining other areas accidently and to prevent spills as well. Not to mention that you have to clean the surface before moving towards your staining project. Cleaning is the first step of staining; properly clean the surface that is to be stained and make sure that the area has been cleared from all debris.
· After proper cleaning, apply the stain with your desired color in the manner you like. You have the option of using a mop or a roller or a brush or even a sprayer to stain the concrete area. Each of the option given above may result in different results. So the choice solely depends on your interest.
· Whatever method you have chosen to stain the concrete, re-apply it to make a second make of concrete stain. If you want a darker shade then repeat the process third time as well.
· The acidic residue can be removed when the stain dries. The manufacture of the stain recommends when to remove the acidic residue in its manual. Prepare a mixture of water and baking soda and then completely spread this mixture to cover your project. Then you can remove reside from the concrete surface using mop or brush. After this, you can use water to remove remaining remains.
· The last step would be to seal the concrete. Use various sealants available in the market for this purpose. You can use sprays, rollers or a brush for sealing the concrete.
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