Faux Grout Lines When Concrete Staining

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Q. - When staining a concrete floor is it better to score the concrete or use 1/4 inch tape to create faux grout lines?

Hello Michael,
A.- Scoring the lines will look more realistic. It gives it the separation and the 3D effect to look more real. Just be sure to score them only a 1/16th" to 1/8" deep. If you cut deeper into the concrete you'll create dirt traps. Here's a link with some quick and simple instructions with tips: http://www.concretecamouflage.com/score_concrete.cfm
Taping the lines does works well also, especially if you don't want to use power tools. The lines will have a flatter look as they have no depth for the 3D effect as the scoring does, though it still looks quite good. The trick to taping the grout lines when concrete staining is to use packaging tape. The packaging tape that is kinda clear but thick, like a heavy duty scotch tape, and has the strings running through it. Be sure to really rub the edges of the tape down well and try to spray the stain more directly down, rather than at an angle, over the taped areas.
I hope this helps.

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Removing scratches from waxed concrete stain floors

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Hello Michael,

Q. - How often does the top coat of wax need to be replaced? Also what is the best way to remove animal scratches from one of your waxed floors?

A. - Top Shield mop on floor wax by Concrete Camouflage does not need to be stripped and re-applied like other waxes. Once it needs maintenance, whether it be from scuffing or dulling which usually takes months, to scratching from animals, furniture, etc., simply clean and allow to dry and then apply a fresh coat of Top Shield. This will re-emulsify the wax, thereby effectively erasing or removing any dulling, scuffing, or surface scratching. Typically you should plan on rewaxing every 6 months +/- on higher traffic areas.
You can re-apply Top Shield Floor Wax up to 100 times before you should need to strip it and start over. When you do decide to strip it, use a commercial floor wax stripper which you can usually get from tool and equipment rental stores, or we have been told by the Marines that they use Simple Green. You may want to rent a floor buffing machine to make it quicker and easier, depending on the size of the area to be done.

I hope this helps.

Paint spots needing Camouflaged

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Hello Brandi,

 

We love your product and recommend it to everyone. We stained a whole house floor several months ago. We have a few spots that we got lazy and did not get up all the paint off of the floor before we stained. Is there a way to fix this, can we strip and redo, maybe? Thanks,
 

   If it is just random paint spots and not too many, then the following technique should work fine. For huge areas, let us know and we'll advise as needed.

• Strip off the wax using either Simple Green, or a Commercial Wax Stripper. Allow to dry.
• Use water color paints, like found in a children's water color paint book set. Mix the colors to match the area that the paint spot is located. Using the water colors, paint over the spot, being sure to feather it out into the surrounding area. Paint on a second coat if needed. Sometimes using a second coat to add highlighting of a different color that is also found on the floor, can help to more naturally camouflage the area as well. (You could also use a shoe polish in the liquid sponge bottle, if the colors match up correctly.)
• Allow to dry, and roll on a fresh coat of sealer. This will make the "paint over" look more natural, as it is under the sealer, with everything else.
• Allow the sealer to cure, and apply two coats of floor wax. The floor wax will not only protect the sealer and make maintenance an inexpensive breeze, but it will also give the floor added depth and luster, to help finalize the camouflaging technique.

I hope this helps.