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.

If your looking for a how to guide for stained concrete countertops , check out our step by step guide.

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.

Can I Wax my Driveway?

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  Q. -  I have  a driveway that was overlay , acid stained, a two coats of oil base clear. I mop it but still doesnt look like new 3 months ago. Can i wax it to keep it looking like new? or what do I do to make it look great all the time

 

Hello Vernon,

 

  A. -  The wax would help to keep it nice, just as a floor. And when it does start to scuff or dull, you just apply a fresh coat. However, while our wax has been used extensively in garages and on exterior porches and patios, to put it on a driveway would be the first time I've ever heard of it being done, and I'm not sure how it would hold up to the vehicular traffic.

 

   It sounds like the sealer is not holding up well. Perhaps you should consider applying our sealer over your existing sealer first to see if that would do it. Our sealer is quite good and holds up quite well. It's a water base acrylic and should be fine to apply right over your existing sealer.

 

   Regardless of whether you decide to apply our sealer, or go ahead with the wax, I would suggest that you first purchase a small sample size bottle and just do a small test area first to be sure that you'll be happy with the results. Of course the wax can be stripped off easily if doesn't work, but there's no sense in spending that much to do the entire project before you are sure that you'll get the results that you're after.

 

   The only cautions that I can think of in regards to the wax on the driveway are these. The wax will strip off with Simple Green, which means that oil drips, gas drips, harsh chemicals, etc will also strip it. Also, when there is standing water on the wax it will turn a milky white, though once it dries it will dry back to clear as it was before. Finally, I don't know about hot tire pickup. While we haven't seen any in the garages, a driveway is an entirely different thing as it has the direct sun and more traffic. So again, you should do a test area where you'll be driving over it before applying it to the entire area.

 

I hope this helps.

 

How many square feet does the project kits cover?

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   Q. -  I am interesting in purchasing a concrete stain kit, however, i would like to know the surface coverage to determine how much i would need for my project.

 

Hello Damion,

 

   A. -  The project kits are customizable to fit your square footage needs. When you click on the kit of your choice, then you will select your color, and then you will select how many square feet that you need to cover. Then the amount of products your ordering along with the price will adjust accordingly.

 

   Also, once you click on the project kit of your choice, whether it be interior or exterior, standard grade or artist grade, it will explain how much product you will be receiving, per each square foot increment.

 

I hope this helps