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Q. - Hi, I am interested in staining my exterior concrete front porch. It is protected by an awning and has been stripped and painted. It was recently stripped of oil based primer and paint and is clean and ready to go-do you recommend additional cleaning for painted and stripped surfaces? I have been comparing acrylic and acid based stains and am looking for a permanent color that will not peel! The porch surface is old and smooth-will acid stain penetrate? I am looking at the Artist Grade Coffee or Brownstone. Thanks! Kathy
Hello Kathy,
A. - Acrylic stains are only disguised concrete paints and they will peel. Acrylic stains are using the term "concrete stain" to peddle their junk products and are only intended to extract your cash. So, if you use an acrylic stain, no matter what anyone tries to tell you, you will eventually end up with a mess to deal with and they will have successfully separated you from your cash both now and later.
Concrete acid stain is the only true "concrete stain". It is to concrete like wood stain is to wood, and it will never peel. You must have removed all the paint and mess from your concrete, including out of the pores, in order for concrete stain to work. A good test is to pour water on it. If the water soaks right in then the stain should also. If the water beads up or just kinda sits there a while without readily soaking in, then so will the stain. Once you have it ready, you can final clean with a power washer or a hose and scrub brush. You should final clean with a good soap and water, like T.S.P.(tri-sodium-phosphate) and then final rinse a couple times and allow to dry.
I hope this helps
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