Acid Stained Flooring

ACID Stained Concrete Flooring is a unique process of transforming plain & grey concrete in a multitude of colors and a chemically reactive coloring method which gives a mottled variegated translucent and marble like look. Acid stained concrete floors are a low-cost design option that yield stunning results for commercial and residential flooring needs. Along with customizable color, acid staining and sealing ensures durability and adds life to any indoor or outdoor concrete floor. It is guaranteed to transform a concrete slab into a luxurious floor resembling marble or glazed stone. Staining offers a versatile and inexpensive flooring solution. Staining imparts a luxurious richness that can't be achieved by any other coloring medium. Rather than produce a solid, opaque effect like paint, stains permeate the concrete to infuse it with luminous, translucent tones that vary depending on the surface they are applied to and the application techniques used.

PRODUCT FEATURES:

❖ Great durability

❖ Elegance and beauty

❖ Offering a variety of finishes

❖ Less radiant heat

❖ Water resistance

❖ Economical

❖ Durable and Permanent

❖ Easy to maintain

❖ Versatile

❖ Elegant

❖ attractive finish

❖ Abrasion resistant

❖ Economical and Durable

❖ Good chemical resistance

❖ Excellent chemical resistance

❖ Excellent protective properties

❖ Good resistance to abrasion

❖ Resistance to thermal shocks

INSTALLATION METHOD:

1. Step 1: Prepare The Surface

● Surface preparation is the foremost critical step in learning how to acid stain concrete floors. Before staining, an area must meet the following criteria: The concrete must be free of debris, dirt, oils, paint, drywall mud, adhesives, sealers, stains of any kind, or comparable materials. Acid stain cannot respond appropriately with the concrete in case these conditions are present.

● The area should not be treated before with a waterproofing agent, cleaned with muriatic acid or an overwhelming trisodium phosphate (TSP) solution. If you are serious on mastering how to acid stain concrete floors, keep in mind that the acid stain reaction cannot happen on surfaces treated with these products.

1. Step 2: Clean The Concrete

● Rinse the surface with water and vacuum it. After that wash, vacuum once more to ensure you've cleaned the entire residue.

● Let it dry for 24 hours or longer.

1. STEP 3: APPLY ACID STAIN

● Prepare your room by concealing all surfaces and walls that you don't need to get acid on them. You'll find diverse widths of masking paper in the painting segment at home improvement stores. Utilize tape to attach this.

● Put the acid stain directly into your clean pump sprayer. The application method will be much less demanding with two people, but it isn't necessary

● If you've got two individuals, one individual should spray on the acid stain, in a semi-unpredictable design, going back and forth in completely different directions while the second individual follows behind with the broom, scouring the acid stain into the surface. The sprayer can subsequently go back over as required to cover any brush marks or spots that show up to have less coverage

● In case you're doing this on your own, apply on a small area first, approximately 3 feet by 3 feet. You can then go over and brush it in and subsequently respray to cover brush marks and move forward, once more in a changing pattern across your floor

● Keep in mind to plan for an exit strategy where you won't have to step over your acid stain. Any steps will appear through the stain so in case this occurs, ensure to brush and spray over the footprint.

● If a darker, more even tone is preferred, brush the acid stain into the surface using consistent circular strokes.

● If employing a brush, spray on a second coat to get rid of any brush strokes on the surface unless that's the wanted finish.

● Though new concrete may not always need a second coat of acid stain, older concrete does need two coats of stain for total coverage.

● For a more diffuse look, spray the stain onto the surface without brushing.

● Apply one overwhelming coat of your base color and quickly apply accent coats while the stain is still damp to give a more natural appearance on the slab.

● Continue to apply the lighter to darker colored accents until fulfilled with the results.

1. STEP 4 :Neutralize the Stained Concrete floor

● Once the floor is dark enough, utilize a mop and scrub brush to scour it with an ammonia/water solution. (You can utilize a cup of ammonia to a gallon of water). Make one application of the ammonia & water, and then rinse it 2-3 times with new water until the wash water is mostly clear. Once more, this is repetitive but essential.

● Neutralizing is the most misunderstood and ignored step of the process. To better get the significance of neutralizing, you can think of it this way: By having an acid stain, you bring concrete from a basic pH state to an acid state. You would like to return the concrete to a basic state while expelling any unreacted stain and stain buildup.

● This step includes an excellent old-fashioned cleaning and scrubbing with an alkaline cleanser that can break down stain residue and neutralize the surface. Utilizing water by itself isn't sufficient. Once more, use a broom or walk-behind scrubber. Usually, numerous scrubbings are required, particularly with terracotta and dark brown stains. Take a pH test to ensure that you appropriately neutralized the surface. At that point, wash the surface with clean water and permit full dry time before sealing.

● Let it dry totally (24 hours or more), and then you're ready for the final step.

1. Step 5: Seal The Acid Stained Concrete Floor

● You can apply your clear coat with a roller with a long handle. The smoother the roller nap, the better.

● Make smooth strokes with the roller, and attempt not to "overwork" the clear coat. You can apply two coats. The sealer may look white and smooth when you first use it, but then it dries to a clear finish.

● Let it dry, and then done! You can also wax your acid stain concrete for additional shine and protection

INSTALLATION MATERIALS:

❖ mop

❖ bucket

❖ rubber gloves

❖ rags

❖ pump sprayer with fine tip

❖ funnel

❖ surf prep

❖ Acid stain

❖ Sealer

❖ Broom

❖ sanding block or grinder with concrete surfacing pad

❖ safety glasses

❖ painter's tape

❖ concrete dye

❖ sealer (liquid floor wax or high-gloss, water-based)

❖ solvent (according to dye instructions)

❖ masking tape

❖ painter's plastic

❖ TSP cleaner (Trisodium Phosphate)