Can I use the new water based sealer over the traditional solvent based sealer?

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Q. - For the last two years, I have purchased the non-water based, "old fashioned" sealer for our outdoor patio.  I need to reseal again this year.  Can I use the new, water based product even though I've used the other stuff in year's past?  Your products are awesome!

 

Hello Danielle,

 

A. - Yes you can. You can put water based sealers on top of solvent based sealers, but you can never put solvent based sealers over water based. Thank You for Your comment, you'll really like the new advanced formula water based sealer. It is a satin finish which is more natural looking on exterior applications, along with being a better yet less expensive, and also a "green product" sealer.

Will the concrete stain wear away off my pool deck?

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Q. -  The area is around our pool.  Not sure if I want to seal it and have the shinier finish.  if I don't seal, will the stain wear away?

Hello Sandy,

 

   The stain will not wear away unless the surface of the concrete wears away. The acid stain soaks into the concrete and permanently changes the surface of the concrete to the new color. It does not sit on top like paint or acrylic/transparent stains do. If you decide to seal it, then the Clear Shield Advanced has a satin finish which looks more natural outdoors.

   You may want to do a test area using your pool equipment pad. You could test different colors to decide which you like best and also you could test sealing part of the color tests and leave part unsealed to see which you prefer in that regards also. Not only can you check the stain color and the cosmetics value of applying the sealer, you can then pour some water on the sealed parts and check for any potential slipperiness as well.

A few questions about concrete staining and scoring my patio.

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Q. - Our home was new construction just under 4 yrs ago so my assumption is that the concrete is sealed. 

A. - Why do you believe your concrete is sealed? It is usually only sealed if it has been colored in some way. Here's a good test: pour some water on it. If the water beads up or just sits there a while then it is likely sealed. If it soaks right in then it is likely not sealed. 

Q. - If it is sealed, Our patio slab is 10'x10', can you please let me know how much of the product I need to buy to strip the sealer as well as the tsp? 

A. - If you do need to strip it then probably about 2 gallons of stripper is what you would need. Only 1 small box of TSP will be needed.

Q. - Everything else needed is in the Concrete Camouflage project kit, correct?  Also, how long is typical delivery?  Thank you, Val

A. - Yes. You will get the stain and sealer in the kit. If you want to purchase the tools that you will need then you will need to add a 1 gallon sprayer, an applicator brush if you want to also use the brush(just spraying only is what most people do), a paint roller, a roller cover and a paint pan.

   Delivery takes one business day to process the order and KS takes about 2 business days to ship. Which means you would have your order in just a few days(not including weekends or holidays)

 

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Q. - Thanks so much!  Looking forward to giving this a shot – although I'm a little nervous.  I also purchased the stain prep degreaser/cleaner.  I did contact our builder and you were right, the concrete was not sealed.  Everything seems pretty straightforward.  I'm surprised that more people don't do this.  And I was even more surprised that local home improvement stores don't carry "acid" concrete stain.  The reviews I read of acrylic concrete stain were not good. 

One last question.  We were going to use a diamond blade on a saw to cut a diagonal square pattern into our patio.  I read somewhere to do this very last that way the affect will be that of grout.  Any comments/suggestions? Thank you, Val

Hello Valerie

 

A. - No need to be nervous, concrete staining is straight forward and very simple. Just be sure to either read through the Concrete Staining guide at Concrete Camouflage, or listen to the audio book.

   The reviews about acrylic stains being no good is correct and you are wise to stay away from acrylic stains. Even if the locals did carry concrete acid stain it would be a watered down homeowner grade rather than an artist grade such as Concrete Camouflage, so it is actually a good thing that they don't carry it. You're much better off.

 

   If you score it first, then the stain will settle into the score lines and be a little bit darker so it will look like colored grout, that is darker than the concrete. If you score it afterward then it will be the color of natural concrete and look like uncolored grout. Either looks good. Most people score first, though many do score afterward. Just be sure to use a diamond blade as masonry blades get smaller as they cut and you would be constantly adjusting the saw to stay consistent. Also remember to only score about 1/16" to 1/8" deep. Any deeper and you are only creating a dirt trap.

 

Have a Good Day

Is concrete stain toxic to pets?

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Q. -  Is concrete stain toxic for small pets?  We are thinking of using it on our concrete in our backyard.

 

Hello Donna,

 

A. -  It does have a diluted acid in it, the same kind used in swimming pools though much more diluted down. So it is toxic while the stain is in the bottle, during use, and while the project is in process.

   However, once you have completed the project, and neutralized and rinsed off the residue, and allowed it to dry, and sealed it, and allowed that to completely dry, it is no longer toxic. So be sure to keep your pets away from the project until it is complete and completely dried.

Will the floor be slippery?

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Q. -  after the concrete staining process is complete, is the floor going to be slick or slippery?

Hello Christine,

 

A. -  If you stain it only then it will be the same as it is now. If you stain it and seal it only, then the sealer can make it more slippery, especially when wet. The solvent base sealer is definitely more slippery and the new advanced formula water base sealer is not near as slippery as the solvent base, but since it is still a coating on the surface it will usually be slightly more slippery than if left unsealed, when used on very smooth concrete such as a floor.

   However, It shouldn't be any more slippery than it is now, and possibly even less slippery than it is now, if you wax it with the Top Shield floor wax after staining and sealing it. Top Shield floor wax was designed for commercial applications originally and it has traction characteristics built in.

Can I use Top Shield floor wax over existing waxes?

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Q. -  Hi, we used another manufacturers concrete stain on our concrete floor, their sealer and then their wax - well the wax has worn off AND the finish is beginning to chip and peel in some very high traffic areas which we were told would NOT happen but anyway, we are looking for a wax to stop this from happening - what I want to know is is it okay to put Top Shield floor wax over our sealed floors that still have some of their wax on?  their wax had to be burnished on - big mess - and I don't know how much of it is left on the floor - obviously it isn't doing its job b/c of the chipping- what is your suggestion for our application - what do we need to clean with first and do we need to strip? I'm afraid if we strip whatever wax is left it will strip the sealer too - also we have a toddler - how much fumes/odor does your mop on wax have? Their wax claims to also be a sealer by the way -- don't know if that makes a difference but you could use the wax only to seal the floor - we used the wax on top of spray on sealer b/c it scratched so easy so they recommended waxing on top so it was "double sealed" Thanks for your help.

 

Hello Angel,

 

 A. -  Typically you should strip any existing waxes before applying Top Shield floor wax. You can do so with a commercial floor wax remover. If you would like to try using Top Shield floor wax over theirs, it may be worth a try, though it is not recommended. If you choose to do so, I highly recommend you test it first. In the event you still had to strip it then it would be no big deal and if you didn't then you could apply more.

 

   I know that Top Shield floor wax currently out sales all our other products because it is being used by just about everyone that knows about it, both residential and commercial, so I feel confident that you will like it too. You never need a buffing machine and it lasts for months before scuffing or dulling and when it does scuff or dull, you just apply a fresh coat and it's back to like it was when you initially did it.

   I'm just not sure about putting it over another wax. We are instructed to always tell our customers to strip any other manufacturers wax prior to applying Top Shield, but in all honesty, you never really know how it will react. It may work and it may not. That's why if you are really resistant to stripping your old wax, you should at least give it a test first.

 

   I understand your concerns about if you try to strip what's existing then you will have to reseal it. However, if you did completely strip the wax and sealer then you could use our new Clear Shield Advanced formula water base sealer to reseal it and then use Top Shield floor wax over that and you would definitely be happy with the performance from here on.

 

   The wax is a green product as is the new sealer. They both have the lowest VOC's available and so odor should not be a problem at all.