Staining your concrete is a great way to give an entirely new look to old concrete. While there are other ways out there to decorate concrete many of them are cost prohibitive. This is because most of them require the concrete to be removed or that overlays are used. Staining makes use of the concrete that already exists which saves you from either having to add new materials or remove it.
While it is not hard to stain concrete you will have to do some research and planning to get the correct type of stain for your application. The two main types of stains used for concrete are acid and acrylic. Each of these products works in a different way. Concrete acid stains work by reacting with the lime at the surface of the concrete to create color. Acrylic stains produce color by seeping into the pores of the concrete. The type of stain you use will determine the look you get. The type of stain you need will depend on the look you want as well as the circumstances of your particular job.
Acid stains are much more unpredictable than acrylic stains. Due to the way acid stains work it can be just about impossible to really know how it will look in the end. When you use an acid stain you will get color variations and a natural look. This can give you a real beautiful look with lots of style and charm. Acid stains will not always be your best choice. When working with concrete with imperfections acid stains can make them stand out. Some people will like this look while others will not. If your concrete is more than 15 years old you will want to use an acrylic stain. This is because lime washes out of your concrete over time and acid stain needs lime to react. Acid stain which is applied to old concrete may not give you the desired results.
