Using concrete floors is a very popular choice amongst corporations, designers, architects, homeowners and business owners due to the wide variety of designs they offer. Using concrete floor finishes allow individuals to get creative and get the exact results they are looking for. With the recent focus on sustainability and organic designs, chemically stained concrete flooring has achieved huge popularity. Staining produces a unique surface that's attractive, cost effective, and easily maintained.
Staining is, by far, the most popular method for enhancing both commercial and residential concrete floors. Staining imparts a luxurious richness that can't be achieved by any other colouring 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. The results can mimic everything from polished marble to tanned leather to natural stone or even stained wood. Stains can be applied to both new or existing concrete floors and work equally well with concrete overlays.
Stains for concrete come in two general categories: acid-based chemical stains and water-based acrylics, each with their own advantages and disadvantages.
Most acid stains are a mixture of water, hydrochloric acid and acid-soluble metallic salts. The mixture penetrates the surface of the concrete and opens the pores, allowing the salts to react with the hydrated lime (calcium hydroxide) in the concrete producing colour. The acid stain produces translucent earth-toned colours with colour variations, resembling natural stone, marble or wood. The stain becomes a permanent part of the concrete that will not fade, peel or crack. Acid stains may be used on interior or exterior surfaces. Since the stain is translucent, the concrete slab's surface textures and variations are visible, making each surface unique. Acid stains produce a limited selection of colours in earth tones of brown, tan, terra cotta and light blue-green. After staining the concrete, the surface must be washed with a solution to neutralize the chemicals and remove acid residue.
Water-based stains are non-reactive solutions that deposit pigment into the open pores of the concrete, producing opaque colours that are more intense than acid stains. Almost any colour is achievable with water-based stains, from soft pastels to vibrant tones. Because the colour doesn't depend on reaction with the concrete, the end result is more uniform and predictable. After the application of water-based stains, the surface does not need to be neutralized and there is little clean-up necessary. Most of these products are also low in VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and safer to apply because they are free of solvents and acids.
Both types of stain can be applied to new or old and plain or integrally coloured concrete. They are especially effective for revitalizing dull, lacklustre surfaces. Because they penetrate the concrete surface, most stains have excellent UV stability and wear resistance, permitting their use on interior or exterior concrete. Applications range from walkways, driveways, pool deck and patios in outdoors to family room floors and kitchen countertops in residential applications, and indoor floor finishes in commercial and institutional buildings. With their earthen hues, seamless appearance, and distinctive textures, stained concrete floors appealingly anchor looks from casual to classic.
As a mainstream flooring option, stained concrete is known for its beauty and functionality. Because the stained concrete can be stamped, painted, stencilled, scored, and patterned with saw cuts, the material offers a wide array of decorative options. It is easily customized to match or complement other surfaces and colour schemes in the building. Stained concrete floor can be highly energy efficient in certain applications. It transfers heat well and works nicely with radiant floor systems. Its other benefits including being environmentally-friendly, helping to reduce allergens, and ease of maintenance.
Although a stained concrete surface is resistant to weathering and damage from daily use, the colour only penetrates the top surface of the concrete. Outdoor surfaces should be sealed with a clear sealer for protection. Indoor floors should be coated with floor wax. The sealer and wax provide protection and shine, as well as enhancing the colour. Stained concrete floors should last for years to come, but proper maintenance is essential to keeping them looking great. Indoor floors only require regular dusting and damp mopping. Outdoor surfaces should be swept regularly and rinsed with a garden hose. Sealer or wax should be reapplied every year or two as the shine begins to dull.
Like stains for wood, concrete stains are semi-transparent and are intended to enhance rather than disguise the surface. They will not hide cracks, blemishes or other flaws in existing concrete. Nor will they completely mask an underlying colour or conceal the texture of the surface. An existing concrete slab with major cracks or spalling is usually not a good candidate for staining because any patchwork is likely to show right through the stain. Because stains must be able to soak into the concrete to achieve full-colour saturation, they shouldn't be applied to surfaces covered by anything that can inhibit stain penetration, such as dirt, grease, glues, coatings, curing membranes and sealers.
Stained concrete floors are becoming increasingly more popular in commercial, industrial, and residential projects because of the variety of benefits and advantages that these floors offer. From initial cost savings to lasting durability and low maintenance, stained concrete floors are an ideal choice in nearly any building or renovation project. Additionally, stained concrete floors can incorporate a number of decorative applications and elements in order to increase the look and aesthetic appeal of this flooring.
