Surface-Applied Stains Deliver Customized Color For The Life Of Your Concrete

When it comes to coloring decorative concrete, stains are one of the most popular options. Using a stain to add color to your cured concrete or decorative overlay is a great choice for a variety of reasons. One reason stains are great is that they provide permanent color and become a part of the concrete slab or overlay itself. For this reason, you never have to worry about adhesion or watching your beautiful color peel away from the concrete. Stains can also be layered which allows you to customize the look of your concrete, offering virtually limitless style and color possibilities. With stains, you’ll enjoy variegated or mottled results that are truly unique.

Additionally, stains can be applied to interior and exterior concrete surfaces of all ages and types. There are several different stain types available here at The Concrete Décor Store. Here’s a little bit about each.

You’re The Artist With Poly Stains

Are you looking for a stain that offers vibrant, virtually limitless pops of color, and is forgiving, consistent, and easy to match? Poly stains deliver! With poly stains, you can be as creative as you want to be – the sky is the limit! From nearly translucent effects to solid stains, with just a little tweak of the colorant, you can control the process and get the results you dream of.

Poly stains are coloring mixtures made up of polymers, co-solvents, and other agents. Packs of pigment are mixed into the blend during the application process, giving the applicator complete control over the results. Using a sprayer or sponge and layering poly stain can help you achieve unique and customized results.

Poly stains are most commonly used to accomplish these results:

• Achieve vibrant colors (options include both standard colors & accents)
• Lighten or soften colors
• Repair a concrete surface that needs a color touch-up
• Eliminate color mismatch problems
• Add a layer of translucent color
• Achieve an antique look
• Modify or enhance the color of an acid-stained surface

If you’re looking for that perfect shade or hue and just can’t seem to find it, there’s a good chance that a poly stain is the answer.

Achieve Vibrant, Long-Lasting Color With Acid-Stains

Acid-stain refers to an acid and metallic or coloring salt mixture that can be used to impart permanent color to the entire cementitious surface or as an accent here and there. Acid stains work by chemically reacting with the lime in the concrete to become a part of the concrete itself. Because different areas of the same floor will have different levels of lime, you can expect unique color variations. For residences, acid-stains are most commonly used to enhance pool decks, landscaping walls, walkways, patios, countertops, and interior flooring.  Our acid stains have the highest concentration of coloring salts and metallic salts and deliver the most beautiful and rich translucent tones and hues. If you’re looking for natural-looking results in earthy tones, an acid-stain may be just right for you.

Acid-stains are popular for a variety of reasons:

• One of the best things about acid stains is that they can be professionally manipulated to create the most stunning and unique, even marbleized results. You can also create three-dimensional effects by combining a variety of techniques during the application process. However, it’s important to remember that acid stain will not cover or mask flaws within the concrete because of their translucent nature.
• Because acid stain becomes part of the cementitious surface itself, you never have to worry about your color peeling or cracking. In fact, you can expect your color to last as long as the cementitious surface lasts.
• These versatile stains can be used on a variety of cementitious surfaces, including stamped concrete, textured concrete, overlays, and micro-toppings.

After installation, it’s imperative that you thoroughly clean and neutralize the surface before applying a sealer.

Achieve A Consistent, Uniform Look With Acrylic Stains

Acrylic stains are a popular choice because they offer a relatively consistent, unvarying end result. In fact, acrylic stains produce results that perfectly match the color in the bottle. They provide a somewhat translucent finish and are oftentimes used to subtly blend and cover cracks and other flaws found on older concrete.  These stains are suitable for interior and exterior use, and can be used to color patios, walkways, steps, interior flooring, driveways, and more.

Like other color options, acrylic stains can deliver multiple different effects when different techniques, like misting, sponging, blending, or scoring, are implemented. Of course, they also look great on texturized concrete overlays.

Enjoy The Control & Easy Cleanup Of A Water-Based Or Penetrating Stain

A water-based or penetrating stain differs from an acid-based stain in that no chemical reaction occurs upon application. Instead, the color lightly penetrates the surface of the concrete slab or decorative overlay, much like a paint, resulting in a much more consistent coloring. One major perk of a water-based stain is that as soon as the product is dry, the surface can be sealed. There’s no cleanup or neutralization required! The advantage to using an acrylic or water-based stain over an acid stain is that they both will provide a more complete coverage and are more effective at hiding or masking flaws within the concrete. Additionally, these types of stains are        solvent- and acid-free and tend to be low VOC.

Whether you’re refreshing an old concrete interior floor, coloring a freshly poured patio, or enhancing a precast concrete countertop, a water-based stain can deliver truly beautiful results.

Solvent-Based Stains

Solvent-based stains can be mixed with epoxy and polyurethane coatings to provide a nice, long-lasting solid color on a concrete surface. Unlike acid stains and penetrating stains, solvent-based stains adhere to the coating as opposed to the concrete itself, so it will need to be protected if it’s to stay fresh in appearance. Although these types of stains can be used on residential floors or exterior surfaces, they are typically used on industrial, highly-trafficked floors.

Maintaining A Stained Concrete Surface

When choosing a coloring technique for your concrete or overlay, it’s important to consider upkeep. As mentioned earlier, stain penetrates the surface of the cementitious surface it’s applied to, so you won’t have to worry about peeling or flaking color. However, the color does not penetrate down to the bottom of the slab, so if the cement surface itself is allowed to wear away, you will notice the color wear away as well. The best way to prevent this is to keep the surface sealed. Additionally, you’ll want to wax interior floors and mop or dust the cementitious surface from time to time.

For More On Our Stains, Give Us A Call!

If you’d like to learn more about the perks of coloring your concrete surfaces with any of our Floric Polytech, Americrete, LifeDeck, or Alabama Pigment stains, please call us at 210-617-7565 or visit us. We’d love to help you determine which coloring method will best enhance your home!

Using one of several available dye types will result in long-lasting color for any concrete overlays around your home, so ask us for all those important details today!