Acid-Stained Concrete
 

Acid Stain is not a paint or coating agent, rather, it's a coloring process involving a chemical reaction on a cementitious material. A solution made with water, acid and inorganic salts reacts with minerals already present in the concrete, the result of this reaction is permanant and lasting color.

Acid Stain transforms an ordinary concrete slab into a luxurious floor that resembles marble or glazed stone. When the concrete is stained and scored, we can create the appearance of expensive flooring at a fraction of the cost. Unlike paint, Acid-Stain reacts with the minerals present in the concrete giving it the look and feel of natural stone.

It works very well on new or old concrete, and we can create impressive results with decorative polymer overlays. Acid Stain is a very durable product if properly protected with sealer or wax, and it can be applied to both interiors and exteriors.

What makes Acid Stain so attractive? Acid Stain gives concrete a mottled, variegated, marble like look. It creates beautiful colors on concrete, mostly earth tone browns, reddish browns and greens. You can also create your own shades by mixing and matching your available colors, or applying them at different rates. Never expect Acid Stain to be uniform or have an even tone, you'll get different reactions from slab to slab, and even on the same job you may see different coloration patterns.

Acid Stain can be applied to loft spaces, walks, entrances, driveways, living rooms, bathrooms, patios, high traffic areas and even vertically to any cementitious surface

Is your concrete stainable?

Not every concrete floor is eligible for Acid Stain, though age is not an issue, the shape it's in is. A smooth concrete surface will yield more attractive results than an old worn one. If the concrete is spalled, the aggregate is exposed or has previously been acid etched, the stain may not "take in" and will not look as desired because the aggregate does not react with the stain, only materials in the concrete paste do. On some applications where the surface is textured, as in stamped concrete or stamped stained, Acid Stain provides even more depth of color, larger selection and realistic look to the surface.

How we Prepare:

Preparations for Acid Staining will depend on the condition of the slab, on new concrete the only thing needed is to allow time for curing, and some rinsing and scrubbing to remove laitance. For old concrete, a thorough cleaning is necessary; any dirt, grease, paint, sealer or curing agent will prevent the stain from penetrating and reacting.

Is your concrete sealed?

In the event that your existing concrete is sealed or was cured with a penetrating curing agent, we would have to lightly grind or sand the surface to prepare for the staining process.

It is always a good idea to do a small test area first. So before applying, preparation and thorough planning the job is a good starting point.

A good test is to drop some water on the floor and see if the floor is absorbant or if it just beads off.

Decorative Scoring:

You can go from a simple design to a very sophisticated project. The more complicated your design, the more labor intensive it will become, but the end results are simply stunning. We specialize scoring custom and elaborate geometric patterns into acid-stained floors.

Protective Sealing:

After the Acid Stain is applied, the floor should be sealed and or waxed to protect the stain and add shine and depth.

The Decorative Concrete Design Group has been growing very rapidly for the last few years, and Acid Stain has been a big part of this growth. More homeowners, architecs and designers are asking for it.