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Q. - Ok, using another companies products, we acid stained our floor to the color we wanted. (neutralized, too.) First coat of water based sealer went on OK except for a few white bubbles which rollered out. Next coat of sealer had larger white areas. Told to use xylene, it worked. Disti said to apply a two part water based sealer now. First coat OK, final coat BAD!!! Huge areas of blisters. They supplied a steel wool pad for a rented machine and basically kissed off.
The pad has removed stain color as well as sealers (expected). What are our options? SHould we restain the places, and then try to seal the entire area? (Not all is blistered) We've read on your "ask" site that spraying is good, and we would like to avoid the sealer roller marks we had before.
SHould we just take it all down and start over? Are polyurethanes easier to deal with? This is an unairconditioned area, which I read makes for warmer concrete and issues. Any help you can give would be appreciated. THanks!
Hello Jacque,
A. - It has been a hot summer and too much heat can effect these types of products adversely. Anyway, on to the fix.
You should finish removing all the sealer and as much of the stain as you can first (if there is any left), which means getting the sealer out of the pores of the concrete as well as the surface. You can use a rented floor buffing machine with scrub pads, and even a fine grit sanding pad if needed. You will need to clean it with Concrete Camouflage C.S.P. - Degreaser, once. Then a final clean with T.S.P(tri-sodium-phosphate), and two clean water rinsings. Then let it dry.(Not bone dry - just dry.)
Once the floor is dry, you can apply the stain. Use the Concrete Camouflage Artist Grade concrete acid stain. We suggest that you spray it on rather than brushing it, especially since you're in a warm area, and it is important to work from wet edge to wet edge. Allow the stain to dry for several hours and even up to 24 hours.
Then neutralize the stain with ammonia and water, and do two clean water rinsings. Remember to change your water often.
Once the floor is dry, then you can apply two coats of Concrete Camouflage Clear Shield Advanced formula water base decorative concrete sealer. Roll on one coat as thin and as even as you can. It goes on white and dries clear. When it has dried completely, roll on the second coat as thin and as even as you can, and try to go in a different direction if possible, with the second coat.
After the sealer has cured out dry and clear, which we suggest you give it a couple of days at least, then apply two coats of Concrete Camouflage Top Shield mop on style floor wax. Apply it in as thin and as even of coats as possible also, though you will use a lamb's wool applicator and a paint pan to apply the wax. The wax usually takes about an hour to dry between coats and needs to cure for at least two hours, though overnight is best.
Important Note: The heat will cause these types of products to be less user friendly than in a cooler environment. Therefore, you should schedule to do each phase of the project in the coolest part of the day, which is usually early morning as the air and the concrete both have had all night to cool down.
To answer your last question, as polyurethanes are a two part/two phase product they would be even more difficult to work with in a warmer environment.
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