Concrete staining is fast becoming the finish of choice for homeowners and businesses looking for a long lasting, durable floor finish. The best stained concrete can be acheived by a professional decorative concrete company. This is not to say a handy homwowner couldn't DIY; however, without the experience and proper tools the finish can quickly become a mess and turn out completely different than what you might have expected.
Here are the different options and overviews of how concrete staining is done:
These acid-based stains are applied to perfectly clean and reactive concrete substrates. They can be applied to floors, walls and other cement-based materials. The acid stain is either sprayed, mopped, ragged or brushed onto the surface, after which a chemical reaction takes place and leaves a permanent color deposited deep into the concrete. The residue from the acid etching must be removed with mops, and requires a lot of scrubbing and a wet vac.
Once the floor is thoroughly clean and left to dry overnight, a sealer can then be applied.
An acrylic or latex stain is applied similar to as a paint or wood stain is applied. They come in a variety of shades, colors and tints. Each stain can either be installed with more or less transparency depending on the opaqueness chosen and the amount of product applied. These concrete products rely on a clean, well prepared substrate on which they bond to. Acrylic or Latex stains can be sprayed moped , ragged or rolled on to a concrete surface, and do not require a wash down phase. Because these stains are one color and do not have a chemical reaction it is important to apply multiple colors and layers to acheive depth and realism.
More complete details on Concrete Staining visit this how to stain concrete article.