I have swirl marks in my stain. What can I do?

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   Q. -  I've stained my floors with a concrete acid stain project kit. I used a brush, mistake on my part. I noticed swirl marks as I was doing the post-stain clean up. I have neutralized and rinsed, but have not applied any kind of sealer. Can I do touch-up work with my remaining stain?

Hello Benny,

 

   A. -  Yes. You need to spray on another coat of stain, which will help quite a bit to cover and camouflage the brush marks. Use an all plastic pump up sprayer. You can add water to the stain that you have left if you need to, to ensure that you have enough for the entire area. Spray on a fresh coat of stain, spraying on enough to lightly saturate the concrete but certainly not enough to puddle it, or that it would run if it were on an incline.

 

   Note: The additional coat will darken the color.

 

Should I fill deep saw cuts when staining exterior concrete, like sidewalks and patios?

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   Q. -   What about sidewalks and concrete slabs with deep scores?  Can I keep them, but ensure that they are perfectly clear of dirt and dust before staining?  Would I need to fill the scores?  What do I fill them with?

Hello Cathi,

 

   A . -  I wouldn't suggest filling the scores, or saw cuts, unless that's the structurally correct thing to do. They could be expansion areas and any filler would just pop out later, or they could be water access points causing damage and need to be filled. 

   So first, ascertain whether or not and/or which ones should be addressed. If you do decide to fill them then you can use a concrete patching material, mortar, or crack repair material. Though you may want to consider using Deco-Seal. It's what they put between a pool deck and the pool coping at the inside edge of the pool. It allows for contraction/expansion, is custom colored at the time of application so it can be made to blend in or stand out artistically, is topped with a light sand covering which increases the attractiveness and the traction, and it's fairly inexpensive. Though it will usually need maintained about every two to three years, which can include repairs and/or complete removal/redo.

 

   Of course, you could also use hot oil, which would last longer, but would tend to be quite messy and much less attractive.

 

   If you use mortar or a concrete patching material and want to stain it as well, then you need to first know that it will likely stain a different color from the concrete, so you should make sample boards using a few potential filler materials, allow them to dry, and stain them to see what the colors will be, before doing the entire project.

 

   Once ready, you will clean the concrete well such as powerwashing and/or scrubbing with a stiff straw scrub brush and T.S.P. (tri sodium phosphate), rinse well and allow the concrete to dry.

 

   You can use leaf blowers to speed up the drying and also prior to applying the filler material to remove any dust.

 

   If you use a cement filler and want to stain it also, then apply the filler material before acid staining the project.

   If you use a non cementious filler like Deco-Seal or caulking, that can't be stained, or if you use a cement filler but don't want to stain it, then you should acid stain the concrete first, neutralize and rinse, allow to dry and then apply the filler.

 

   It is highly recommended that you seal the entire area, at least the first time, to help enhance and lock in your new look.

 

I hope this helps.

 

What's the difference between the artist grade and standard grade concrete stains? I want a marble look.

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   Q. -  i was wondering what the diference in artist grade and regular grade acid stain ? we want the marble look and was wondering witch one we needed to use ? it is a new construction with a slick floor. thanks

 

Hello Mike,

 

   A. -  Other than the different color choices, the Concrete Camouflage artist grade is a one coat stain and the standard grade is a two coat stain. Therefore, you will get twice the coverage from the artist grade, than from the standard grade. On your concrete slab, you would expect a maximum of 400 sq.ft. per gallon using the artist grade, and 200 sq.ft. with the standard grade.

   You can of course, do more coats of either stain if you choose, to achieve a darker color, different colors, or to do additional coats for artistic, highlighting, and/or camouflaging, etc..

 

   As your concrete stain project is new construction and slick finished, you will first want to be sure that there is no curing agent on the concrete. If there is a curing agent, then you'll need to strip and/or lightly sand the surface to completely remove it from both the concrete's surface and pores.

   Since you mentioned the desire to achieve as much marbleization as possible, you should be aware that the more you sand the surface the more that you reduce the marbleization. Therefore, you're better off to remove as much as you can with strippers, and keep the sanding to a light minimum, using more of a fine sandpaper, or a floor buffing machine with the fine sanding disks.

 

   Otherwise, if you don't have a curing agent, as slickened concrete tends to close off the surface pores, thereby reducing the effectiveness of concrete acid stains, you will likely need to use a floor buffing machine with the aggressive scrubber pads during the cleaning stage, to really open up the pores of the concrete well, so the concrete stain can get in completely and achieve maximum reaction.

 

I hope this helps.

Will re-sealing my stained floors and concrete countertops renew them, help with water spots, and be easier to keep clean and looking good ?

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Hello Luke,

   Q. -  I have a couple questions, if you would be so kind. We purchased a house a few years ago with concrete floors and concrete countertops. The concrete countertops appear to be a colored concrete sealed in either acrylic or poly.  My question on this is, can I strip off the sealant and apply one of the Artist Grade Concrete Stains (thinking the Island Sand color)?  Would I need to sand down the top layer or anything like that, or just apply the stain directly to the colored concrete?

 

   A. -  You will have to completely remove all the sealant, including out of the pores of the concrete, in order for the stain to soak in and work. Also, the color will be effected by the existing color, and you can't stain lighter, only darker. You can try to strip the sealer with strippers and removers, but a light sanding is usually inevitable.
 
   Q. -  Secondly, my floors are a stained concrete, again sealed with a poly sealant.  The problem we are having with the floors is they are a dark brown color.  Whenever even a single drop of water touches the floor, it puts a water spot on the concrete that can only be cleaned by stripping the sealant off. Would Concrete Camouflage decorative concrete sealer protect against this?

 

   A. -  If your floor sealer needs to be recoated then our Clear Shield sealers are great, but what you really need is a good floor wax to seal off and protect the sealer, by acting as the sacrificial coat, as well as providing scuff resistance and lasting a while before needing recoated. That's where our Top Shield mop on style floor wax works great.

   Q. -    I'd be looking to seal roughly 1,000 square feet and am in desperate need of something that is actually going to keep water spots away!

 

   A. -  Again, regardless of whether you reseal the floor or not, the wax is the best product to be on top, as it cleans easily. You can mop it with water only or you can use a mild detergent, like dishwashing soap, and then rinse. It should last for months between coats and then you just clean, dry, and apply a fresh coat to keep it looking fresh, looking new, and easy to clean.

Any help would be much appreciated so I can make an informed decision.

 

I hope this helps.

Will the cracks that I filled and patched, stain ok?

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   Q. -  I repaired a number of cracks in my driveway. Will the crack filler material take a stain, or be covered by it? The repaired cracks form a quite ugly pattern. Thanks,  Jim

Hello Jim,

 

   A. -  As long as the product used to fill the cracks was a cementious type product and not a type of caulking or silicone product, it should stain. However, the color that it will stain will usually be different from what the concrete will stain. We recommend putting some of the patching material on a piece of cardboard, to make a sample board. You can then stain a small test area on the concrete in an out of the way place, along with the sample piece of the patching material, to compare.

 

   It may be that a second coat of the stain on the patching will darken it up to blend with the concrete, or vice versa. Or, you may choose to do a second highlight coat of stain all over. You could also consider using the patching as an artistic component and even add saw cuts and/or scoring and perhaps even multiple colors, to complete a truly unique piece of concrete art.

 

I hope this helps.

Can I Achieve a Gloss Finish with Water Base Sealer and Wax?

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   Q. -  We are going to be using the Twilight color of standard grade acid stain by Concrete Camouflage and were wondering if we can get that Glossy look using the water based sealer and then waxing. If at all possible we would like to use the water based sealer as it just seems much more family friendly and less toxic.  We have 4 little ones and won't be able to easily leave the house overnight etc as solvent base sealers recommends. But we REALLY want to get a nice glossy look out of the floor so if we HAVE to use a less friendly product we will try and figure that out.

Thank you so much!  We have done some test areas with just the stain and are loving what we see so far!
Kristin

Hello Kristin,

 

   A. -  The Clear Shield Advanced water base sealer will have a satin finish. However, the Top Shield floor wax will have a gloss finish. Most everyone uses the Clear Shield Advanced water base sealer, instead of using solvent base sealers, because it is so much safer, more family friendly, and also a green product. They then put the Top Shield floor wax over that to achieve the glossy finish. Unless of course they want a matte finish, which the Top Shield floor wax is also available in matte finish. But you stated that you want a very glossy finish, so let's proceed with some things to think about.

 

   Solvent base sealers are naturally a higher gloss sealer and has such a high gloss for a few reasons, but allot that has to do with it is the fact that solvent base sealers goes on so thick. When you apply water base sealer, you apply it in as thin of coats as possible, which diminishes the gloss achieved from the water base sealer. However, if you apply one or two extra coats of the water base sealer, then you can achieve somewhat of a higher gloss as the sealer builds up. Of course you will have to allow the sealer to completely dry between each coat, but that doesn't take too long, and still doesn't compare to the amount of time that you have to allow solvents to cure.

 

   Next, the wax also goes on in coats as thin as possible. It is glossy, but still, if you do two or three extra coats initially, you can build it up too, and achieve an even higher gloss. Of course you can also use a buffing machine to bring out more of a gloss but I think that really wouldn't be necessary. Again, you need to allow the wax to dry between each coat, but the wax dries quickly.

 

   In conclusion, using the water base sealer at the standard two coats and using the gloss finish wax over that at the standard two coats will give you a nice gloss finish. Though if you want more of the extremely high gloss finish that you would see with a solvent base sealer, you can simply do an extra coat or two of the sealer, and an extra coat or two of the wax. This should allow you to obtain the higher gloss look without having the hazards and trouble of using a solvent base sealer. I would suggest that you do a test in a closet or out of the way place first and then you'll know how many coats of each product to expect to have to use to achieve your desired level of gloss.

 

   A couple final notes about solvents vs. water base sealers. Solvent base sealers along with having a higher gloss will make the concrete look as it does when it is saturated wet. Many times this is simply too darkened and negates much of the color variances and nuances which makes stained concrete so artistic and beautiful. Water base sealers, or least the Clear Shield Advanced water base sealer, makes the concrete look as it does when it's lightly damp. The colors are still enhanced more than when the concrete is completely dry, but not darkened up so much as when it's saturated wet.

 

I hope this helps

 

Advice on Patching Concrete and Using Decorative Taping to Create a Border.

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Dear Earl,

Sorry, I have a few more questions.

 

Hello Kimberly,

No problem at all. We're happy to help all that we can.

 

 1) Would you recommend cleaning with the TSP prior to patching the tack strip holes or patch and then clean?

 

    A. -  You need to ensure that concrete is as clean and dry and dust free as possible to ensure the best chances for the patch to stay in place. The sealer and wax will help to hold it down, but if the patch loses its bond then it will pop out, so there is no replacement for good and adequate prep. Therefore, yes. I would use the T.S.P. and water to thoroughly clean the concrete to be patched first. Be sure and rinse it a couple times with clean water afterwards.

   NOTE: A little extra advice just in case you need it. After you apply the patching material and smooth it out as best that you can, you need to let it dry and cure for at least a day or two, more if it's curing slowly. Then you will use a concrete rubbing stone to rub it and smooth it out, which will feather it into the concrete. It's like sanding bondo on a car body repair to smooth it out, which helps it to disappear into the surrounding area. The rubbing stone can be found in the concrete tools area at your local lumber yard or home improvement store. If going to a local home improvement store then the concrete tools are usually down at the lumber end with the sacks of concrete and concrete patching materials. It looks like a small rectangular cinder block with a handle on it, and it will make the patch blend in and smooth down quickly and easily.

 

 2) Also which do you think would be the best method of applying the stain with the tape, using the brush method or the 2 light coats of stain?

 

    A. - If you're going to use a different color or do multiple coats on the border, or certain areas, then I would brush on the border and/or decorative areas, and then spray the rest of the floor. If you're using a darker color on the border, or say, opposing blocks - you can apply the darker color with the brush and then spray the entire floor with the lighter color, including over the darker brushed on areas because the darker color will overpower the lighter color anyway.

   If you're using the tape as a design in the floor but using the same color overall then I would just spray it all and forego the brush.

 

   NOTE: Be sure and rub the tape down really well, especially along the edges, and be sure to not saturate the tape too much because the stain will try to get underneath it, which is why you drag the stain up to the tape when brushing, and why you spray directly down over the tape with two lighter coats, rather than spraying at an angle or spraying heavier coats.

 

Thanks for all of your help!

Best regards,

I hope this helps,

ConcreteCamouflage.com

 

Questions about doing a floor that had carpet before.

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   Q. -  We are planning on staining a basement bedroom floor, using Concrete Camouflage products, and have a few questions.

 

Hello Kimberly,

   Answers follow the questions.

 

1) Is the only difference in the Artist grade and the standard (1 coat needed vs. 2)? How many coats do you recommend?

    A. - Yes, that is the only difference, The Artist grade is a one coat stain (although you can do additional coats for a darker look) and the Standard grade requires two coats minimum. Other than that, the only other difference is the color choices.

2) The concrete was poured in 1968, will there be enough lime left to stain nicely?

    A. - There should be, though you never know for sure without doing a test area first, like in a closet or an out of the way place. You could purchase some sample sizes first to test not only the chemical reaction, but also the colors. Due to the age of the concrete I would suggest only using the Artist grade concrete stain by Concrete Camouflage for sure. 

    When you do your tests, do one test with one coat and also one test with two coats, of each color that you're testing, to see if one coat will be adequate or if it will require two coats due to the age of the concrete.

3) What is the best way to remove some paint spots from the concrete?

    A. - You can use a citrus stripper, paint stripper, paint thinner, or Xylene(though it's very flammable and requires adequate ventilation), or you can use a heavy duty glue remover which also works well. You may still need to lightly sand the floor and if so, you can use a small belt sander, a rented floor sander like they use on wood floors, or even a floor buffing machine with the sanding disks.

   NOTE: If the paint spots are small and only a few, then you may want to just strip them as well as you can with a citrus or paint stripper, and then if you do still see the paint spots after staining, then you can use a children's water paint set (like you get at the dollar store for the water paint coloring books) so that you can mix the colors to blend with the stain and then lightly paint over the spots and feather it in to camouflage the spots. Then seal over it to lock it in and complete the camouflaging technique. Once the sealer and wax is on, then the colors will blend underneath and look natural. Simple and inexpensive camouflaging that works well.

4) Do you recommend the C5p32 degreaser instead of a local hardware store brand?

    A. - I would only use degreaser if the floor has oil or grease on it and/or in the pores of the concrete. Otherwise just cleaning it well with T.S.P. (tri-sodium-phosphate) will be enough. If there's no oil or grease, which you can usually tell by wetting the floor down to see if the water soaks right in or beads up or just kinda sits there awhile before soaking in, and also looking for discoloration. If you do decide to use a degreaser then I would suggest that you use Concrete Stain Prep (C.S.P.) by Concrete Camouflage, as it was designed to be used specifically when using concrete stain. It not only degreases but also cleans, strips, and removes dirt, light duty glues, water base paints, and more, that other degreasers can't touch. It can even be used to remove tire marks from rubber tires. It will outperform all other degreaser products, and it's inexpensive as well. Regardless of which degreaser that you use, you will still need to final clean with T.S.P. and then final rinse a couple times with clean water.

5) What is the best way to hide tack strip holes from carpet? We will be using concrete filler to fix the divets. We were thinking we would need to use a darker stain. Any suggestions would be great. We are debating between Canon or Maya stone for the main part of the floor but not sure what to do around the edges for the tack strips. We are also going to use the cc3mt tape to make lines.

    A. - Using a darker stain color is a great idea, and a common practice, as the concrete patching material will most likely stain a different color. You should use some of the patching material on a piece of cardboard to make some sample boards of the material. Then when you do the color tests on your concrete, you can also do color tests on the patching material sample boards. Then you will see how much, if any difference, the patches will be from the floor. It may be that doing a second coat on the patches helps it to blend, or vice versa, or it could be that a different patch material works out better, or you may see that you need to really darken out the border area. Also, you can always use the water color paint trick, mentioned above, on the divots if needed too.

   Just a personal opinion, but when using Canyon or Island Sand, the Honey Oak or Leather Brown looks great with it. The Coffee also works well for a much darker color and camouflaging or darkening out.

   If you do use tape to make lines for the border, then it's important to try and keep the stain from getting under the edge of the tape, which it will try to do. So, brush on the border color using a brush and bucket. Dip the brush, tap out the excess stain in the bucket, and then place the brush in the center of the border area or near the wall. Brush in a circular motion towards the tape so that once you reach the tape, the stain is out of the brush and you are dragging the stain to the tape. Additionally, if you spray over tape, then be sure to not spray at an angle, but rather spray directly down over the tape. Also, it's better to do a couple light misting coats than one heavy coat. Remember that the stain is liquid like water and will want to get under the tape if possible.

   Finally, you can do the border first in a darker or even the same color, and then spray the entire floor, including the border, with the lighter color.

6) If we seal the concrete after the stain, will we need the wax?

    A. - You should certainly still wax it. The wax is the best part. It's the sacrificial coat. Top Shield by Concrete Camouflage lasts for quite a long time in high traffic areas and when it does start to scuff or dull you just apply a fresh coat and it's back to new. It makes the cleaning a breeze and maintenance easy and inexpensive, while ensuring that your new stained floor stays looking new, and when maintained properly will ensure that your stained floor lasts indefinitely. Also, the Top Shield floor wax comes in gloss or matte finish.

   Also, by sealing and waxing both, you are layering in clear coats that will add to the depth, luster, and appearance of an expensive floor.

Thanks in advance for your help. We are excited to get started but we need to get our questions answered first so we know what to order. Kimberly

 

I hope this helps,

Earl.

www.ConcreteCamouflage.com

800 650 1157

Earl Choate, Ph.D.

 

Will the stain penetrate a thin layer of paint on the floor?

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   Q. -  Hello- I am wondering if the stain will penetrate a very thin layer of paint...I have pulled up the carpeting from my lower level and it appears that the developer let some paint hit the floor when he was spaying the walls. It is very random and I don't mind it. I was thinking of just sealing and waxing the floor but I think I want it to be a bit darker. Please let me know when you have a chance. Thank you.

Hello Mark,

 

   A. -  The concrete stain will not stain nor penetrate paint. You need to strip and/or lightly sand the paint to remove it first. You can use paint strippers, or citrus strippers, or even heavy duty glue removers which work very well. For sanding you can use a belt sander for small areas, or you can rent a floor sander like they use on wood floors, or you could even use a floor buffing machine with the sanding disks which keeps it inexpensive and easy to do.

 

My older and painted floor is peeling. What should I do?

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   Q. -  It seems that most over your tips are about new concrete. I wanted to know how and what products to paint an older floor that is painted but the paint has pealed.

Hello Harriet,

 

   A. -  You should completely remove all the existing paint, and then use the concrete acid stain, sealer, and wax, using Concrete Camouflage products, and the directions and tips online at ConcreteCamouflage.com 

 

   The paint can be stripped off using a citrus stripper or a heavy duty glue remover, and then, if there is still any paint left, including in the pores of the concrete, you can sand it with a rented floor sander or a floor buffing machine using the sanding disks. Then you should be ready to go forward with the concrete acid stain, sealer, and wax.

 

   IMPORTANT: You should not use paints or acrylic stains(which are just disguised paints) because it will just peel again. Only concrete acid stain is real concrete stain, like what wood stain is to wood, so don't let anyone fool you.

 

I hope this helps

 

Can I use your sealer on a kitchen concrete countertop where I prepare food?

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   Q. -  I am looking to use a sealer for concrete counter tops.  Is your sealer safe for kitchen counter top use, food handling, etc.?

 

Hello Kim,

 

    A. -  Clear Shield Advanced concrete sealer by Concrete Camouflage is a pure acrylic water based sealer made for all types of concrete. It is approved for use in FDA inspected facilities. Many people have used it on their concrete countertops for years now, and we have had no complaints at all.

 

   However, with that being said, we do not condone or recommend it's use on surfaces where food will be prepared directly on the sealed surface. Therefore, if you choose to use it on your countertop(s), we suggest that you prepare any foods on cutting boards or other such countertop coverings. Both to protect the sealer from any damage when preparing foods and of course to ensure that you do not take any chances when it comes to protecting yourself and your families health.

   We make this suggestion not only in regards to our sealer but with any sealer, and with all concrete countertops, regardless of what any particular manufacturer or sales person might say.

 

I hope this helps

 

I don't want a glossy finish on my floor. Do I have to seal it and wax it?

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   Q. -  My concrete floor has been done really badly.
Now I want to give it a colour to make it more equal,
but I don't want this shining sealer layer on top of it.
Is it necessary to use the sealer or can I can skipp that part.
Best,

Hello Marleen,

 

   A. -  While you don't absolutely have to, it's a really good idea to seal it and then wax it. This will protect and thereby greatly extend the life of the floor and make cleaning and maintenance much easier, and less expensive in the long term. Fortunately for you, Concrete Camouflage has a satin finish sealer and also a matte finish mop on style wax available. So you can have the best of both worlds. A protected and easy to clean floor along with not having to have the glossy finish that you want to avoid.

 

I hope this helps

 

I have milky white areas after applying the mop on wax. Why and how can I fix it?

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   Q. -  I recently purchased some no buff wax (matte) and applied it this past weekend. I applied two coats, with it being over 24 hrs. I know have a milky film on 60% of the floor. The question I have is how can I fix this?
thanks,

 

 

Hello Eric,

 

   A. -  It's most likely caused by moisture which is either trapped under the wax or trapped in the sealer.

 

   If you applied it to a floor that has been sealed with a solvent base sealer, and the sealer hadn't cured well enough, then the water in the wax can penetrate into the solvent base sealer and cause it to turn milky as the water becomes trapped in the sealer. If this is the case then that would mean having to strip the wax and sealer, and then start over with new sealer and new wax, allowing the solvent base sealer to completely cure before applying the wax. Solvents take several days to cure out, and that is just one of several reasons why solvents are quickly becoming the dinosaurs of decorative concrete.

 

   If you applied it to a cured floor, then the floor must have not been completely dry when you applied the wax, or you didn't allow it to dry completely enough between coats. If this is the case, then you should allow it to sit for a couple more days to see if the moisture will escape and thereby correct itself. If not, then you will have to strip the wax and re-apply it, ensuring that the floor is completely dry before re-applying it and ensuring that wax dries completely between coats. You can easily strip the wax off with Simple Green.

 

   While rare, it could also be that moisture is wicking up through the concrete. This can be the case on certain exterior applications and also on certain basement floors, though it can also happen on house slabs too, if the concrete company didn't use a vapor barrier (plastic on the ground) when pouring the concrete.

 

   Finally, if you stained the floor and did not seal it prior to applying the wax, then that would mean that it is either one of the above situations, or the stain was not properly neutralized and is having a reaction with the wax. Which would mean stripping the wax, further neutralizing the stain, applying sealer, and rewaxing. Of course ensuring that the floor completely dries between each step and coat of product.

 

I hope this helps

 

Do you have teaching seminars? How long does your products last? Good for high traffic?

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   Q. -  HELLO , I WANT TO KNOW IF THIS PRODUCT IS GOOD FOR HIGH TRAFIC AREA.HOW LONG DOES IT LAST.DO YOU CONDUCT TRAINING.

 

Hello Jessey,

 

   A. - Concrete Camouflage products are great for high traffic. The stain is permanent, the wax last for months, and if you properly maintain your Concrete Camouflage stained, sealed, and/or waxed surface, then they'll last indefinately.

 

   We don't take advantage of people with expensive training seminars. We simply sell an audio guide cd that has more info than dozens of dvd's and/or several seminars combined. We follow that up with both email and toll free telephone assistance as needed.

 

I hope this helps.