Monday, October 24, 2011

Oh No! I got stain on concrete I didn't intend to stain! How do I deal with it?


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   Q. -  Thank you so much for re-sending the download!  Also, despite our best efforts, some stain leaked on to the concrete under our taped plastic leaving a stain outside the intended area.  Any advice on how to lighten it? Thanks again!
Hello AnneMarie,
    A. -  We've written a post on how to fix accidentally stained concrete 

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Do I need to seal after staining? Is the temperature a factor when concrete staining?

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   Q. -  My project is covered porch.  Will I need to seal after staining?  Is outside temperature a factor in concrete staining?
Hello Evelyn,
 
    A. -  You do not need to seal the concrete if using the Artist grade concrete acid stain, though it does add to the look.
The temp needs to be a minimum of 35 degrees F to stain and not going to get below freezing for at least 4 hours, preferably for 12 hours.
   To seal, it has to be 45 degrees F and not going to get below freezing for at least 12 hours and preferably 24 hours.
 
   There is no real maximum temp but you should try to not stain and/or seal in extreme heat, such as 95 degrees F and above. Rather, try to do it in the cool part of the day when in summertime or in very hot areas.
 
I hope this helps.
 

Friday, October 14, 2011

What's best to remove paint before staining a floor?

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   Q. -  what would be the best thing to use to remove the paint and sealer off the floor a floor grinder or chemical it is approx 4600 sq.ft and a restuarant

Hello Brett,
 
    A. -  The best thing is to use paint strippers, glue removers, or Xylene. What helps the most though is a stiff straw scrub brush like sold at www.ConcreteCamouflage.com. It takes about 90% of the work out of stripping. Use painters shields as scrapers because they're about 2' wide or wider which helps. Use square end shovels and buckets to scoop it up and carry it out. You may need to go over it a couple times.
   You can use a good degreaser to help lift it out of the pores of the concrete after stripping it if you like.
 
   Once you've stripped all you can with the strippers/removers, use a rented floor sander, like they use on wood floors, or even a rented floor buffing machine with the sanding disks on it to lightly sand it the rest of the way down to a good smooth finish and completely back to concrete.
 
   Be sure and do a test in a closet or out of the way place with the stain before doing the entire project.
 
I hope this helps.