How do I get my score lines up to the walls?

Ask a Pro

---

 

Q. -  I have drawn out my pattern (diagonal tile 18"x18" and I am ready to score.  I have the diamond edge circular saw blade. My question is, How do I score next to walls and under a small fence where the saw will not reach? Does someone make a hand tool that I can rub/scrape a grove  1/16" into the areas I mentioned? Thank you in advance for you reply.

Hello Jeff,

 

A. -  The best thing to do when scoring up to walls, and it actually looks much better as it adds additional decoration, is to score a border along the walls and then take your score lines to the border. Borders typically look best at about 8" +/- out from the wall.

When should I score it? Before or after the concrete staining?

Ask a Pro

---

Q. - How soon is too soon to clean m concrete patio before I stain. My order was shipped yesterday and I ma not be able to stain for about a week. However, I am not at work the next two days and would like to clean the surface now. Is that too soon? Must the surface be completly dry for a few days? 2nd question. If I were to etch a pattern in to the concrete, do I do that before the first coat, between the 1st and 2nd coat and how would I make the groves stand out and not look just like the rest of the patio. Does it naturally look different or do I NEED to trace it with different colors.

Hello Jeff,

A. - You can go ahead and clean it if you like. So long as it stays clean you'll be ok, even if you just rinse it off and allow it to dry before you stain it. It doesn't have to dry any long time before staining it, it just needs to be dry.
You would either score it before final clean and staining, or after it was stained and washed off, but before sealing it. If you score it before, then the stain will settle into the score marks and make them slightly darker than the rest of the concrete so they will still stand out. If you score after you have stained it then the score marks will be the color of natural concrete and of course stand out. It really just depends on your score mark color preference, whether you want the score marks to be colored (slightly darker than the concrete will be), or the color of natural concrete.
Most people score first and then stain and seal. However, the score lines will naturally stand out and have the 3D effect that you're looking for, regardless of which you select.
If you do score afterwards though, be sure and and neutralize and rinse off the residue and let it dry for a day or two before scoring so the stain will be locked in good, and also, be careful to not scratch it. Then rinse it off well, allow it to dry and seal it.

Also, if you get a few extra minutes and would like a smile and maybe a laugh or two, check out www.EarlWayne.com

Oh no! I rolled on the concrete stain and have roller marks! What to do?

Ask a Pro

---

Q. - It's me again. As previously stated, I'm working on a standard, exterior slab of concrete that is approx. 4 yrs old. Yesterday, I used a paint brush and lightly coated leather brown on the smooth border w/amazing results - love it! However, today I used a roller (afraid to use the sprayer b/c of wind) with my island sand. Not only do I have horriblle roller and brush (edging) marks, my patio is very distinctly 2 colors - beigy brown and bright yellow. I'm very scared. Is this normal? Any suggestions? Would lightly spraying the leather brown over the top help at all?

Hello Valerie,

A. - Oops. Unfortunately you found out why you never use a roller when applying concrete stain, and why you always brush in a circular motion. Not to worry though, you can still make it much better, and maybe even better than it would have been otherwise. When you neutralize and wash it off, be sure to use a scrub brush to try and scrub down the bad areas, roller marks, and brush marks as best you can to lighten those up as much as possible, and give it a good scrub overall. Then you can rinse it well and allow it to dry and do a second coat. What would really be best is if you just spray it on. You can either do the second coat with Island Sand or the Leather Brown, but the Leather Brown will darken it up quite a bit.
I would do the second coat with Island Sand. Then you could highlight it with either a third coat of Island Sand or the Leather Brown. Highlighting it with Leather Brown would probably look really good. To highlight it you do this: when you spray on the overall coat of stain you will hold the sprayer nozzle about a foot or so above the concrete, but when you spray on the highlight coat, you will hold the nozzle at waist high to shoulder high so you just lightly mist the concrete. You can even fluctuate the sprayer from waist high to shoulder high and back and forth to have heavier and lighter areas of the highlighting if you like. Doing this, you can really camouflage quite allot.

Also, if you get an extra few minutes, and could use a smile and maybe a laugh or two, check out this website, www.EarlWayne.com

What if I have a curing agent on my concrete?

Ask a Pro

---

 

Q. - Can I still stain my concrete even though it had a curing agent used?  If so what do I need to do and how? Thanks

 

Hello Noel,

 

A. - Many times, certain curing agents will wear off on their own, so first you need to determine if the curing agent is still present. You can do this by pouring water on it to see if it readily soaks in which means it is likely not a problem, or if it beads up and/or just kinda sits there a while which usually means the curing agent still needs removed. Another method is to get down on the concrete and use a pocket knife to scrape the surface of the concrete, a curing agent will scrape off and be like a waxy substance.

   If it does in fact still have the curing agent on it, you will need a citrus type stripper or our CSP stripper to remove the curing agent. If you do not get it all up with the stripping, then will need to lightly sand it using either a rented commercial floor sander or a floor buffing machine with the fine grit sanding disks. Then you can go forward with staining.

 

 

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

Ask a Pro

---

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?

Ask a Pro

---

 

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.

Ask a Pro

---

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)

 

Ask a Pro

---

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?

Ask a Pro

---

 

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?

Ask a Pro

---

 

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?

Ask a Pro

---

 

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.

Is concrete stain compatible with radiant floor heat?

Ask a Pro

---

 

Q. -  Is concrete camouflage application compatible with in floor radiant heat?  (water in tubes in concrete)  I'm concerned that the heat could impact or change the color after its applied. Also, want to make sure the heat doesn't cause the stain to emit an odor or affect the sealer finish.
Thanks. MJ

Hello MJ,

   Yes. Concrete Camouflage products are compatible with in floor radiant heat. There should be no issues at all. There are many floors with in floor radiant heat, all across America and beyond, that are stained, sealed and waxed with the Concrete Camouflage family of products.

   We do recommend that you not only use the artist grade of concrete stain and seal the floor, but also that you wax it with our Top Shield mop on floor wax.

Can I use a snow shovel on stained concrete outdoors?

Ask a Pro

---

 

Q. - Hello, I live in Wisconsin and we get quite a bit of snow. I was wondering, is it ok to shovel snow if I have stain my concrete?

Thanks, Greg.

 

Hello Greg,

 

A. - Concrete will scratch just as easily as a wood floor will. Therefore, when you know you're going to need to shovel snow, there are two points to keep in mind and you should be ok.

 

You should purchase a hard plastic snow shovel. The metal shovels will scratch concrete much easier than a hard plastic shovel.

 

You may want to seal the concrete with at least a couple and maybe even three coats of a good concrete sealer. This will act as a barrier which will help protect the concrete's surface from scratching as easily. Remember though, sealed concrete is usually more slippery than unsealed concrete. When using Clear Shield solvent base sealer, or any solvent base sealer for that matter, you should use a traction additive such as Clear Grip by Concrete Camouflage. If you use Clear Shield Advanced water base sealer, you can forego the traction additive if you choose, as it is typically less slippery than solvent based sealers.

 

 

Which sealer is best?

Ask a Pro

---

Q. - Patio approx 14 x 20. dogs paws leave hard to remove mud prints!!!! Need advice if sealer application will allow easier cleanup with hose? Type of sealer? Ease of application is important since I'm an elderly female. Confidence it will achieve my objective. Thank You.

Hello Joyce,

A. - Sealing the concrete with a quality concrete sealer will definitely help. The mud is hard to clean because it is getting into the pores of the concrete. If you seal it then it will be much easier to clean. Cleaning with a hose should work out fine then.
The solvent base sealer would be easier to use, however, your state has outlawed solvent base sealers, so you have to use a water base. Don't feel bad though as 1 most states have either outlawed solvent base sealers or are about to, and 2 fortunately Clear Shield Advanced by Concrete Camouflage has been released and will actually outperform solvents in many ways, while being less expensive as well. I don't know of any water base sealer that is worth using other than Clear Shield Advanced. Old technology water base sealers are just junk. The advanced formula in CSA makes it well worth your time and money, though it was designed for decorative concrete, it works on all types of concrete and cultured stone.
You will need 2 gallons. You will apply 2 coats. You will first thoroughly clean the concrete and allow it to dry. You can power wash it to clean it, or you can use a brush and bucket with TSP and water,( or at least a good strong soap/detergent and water.) Scrub it clean with the brush and then flood rinse it really well a couple of times to ensure you get all the TSP/soap out of the pores and completely rinsed down. Use plenty of water when rinsing. Allow it to dry (you can tell it is dry by looks) and apply the sealer. You will pour the Clear Shield Advanced into a paint pan and use a paint roller to just paint roll it on. Use a minimum 1/4" nap and a maximum 3/8" nap roller cover. Apply the concrete sealer as thin as possible. Spread it out as thin and as evenly as you can. Allow the first coat to dry a couple hours +/-, until it is dry and no longer sticky. Clear Shield Advanced goes on a milky white which lets you clearly see where you've sealed, and then dries clear. Anyway, after the first coat dries, roll on the second coat. Try to go opposite directions when applying the different coats. For instance, you could go North/South on the first coat and East/West on the second. That is if it's possible to do that and still work your way backwards so you're not walking in wet sealer. Be sure to let dry until completely clear and for at least 10 to 12 hours (24 hours is better), before allowing any foot or pet traffic on it.

Should I remove old stain before applying new? How do I tell between acrylic and acid stains?

Ask a Pro

---

Q. - I have a porch & two small pieces of sidewalk that have been stained. The stain is flaking off and I want to restain it. Do I have to completely remove all the old stain or can I prep the surface with something and go over the existing stain?

Hello Kerri,

A. - Acid stain would not flake off. Therefore the flaking must either be because the stain is an acrylic stain aka water base stain (aka concrete paint using the name "concrete stain" with the sole purpose of tricking you into painting your concrete while separating you from your cash), or it could be that you do have an acid stain and only the sealer is flaking.
So, if you know it's an acrylic stain, then yes, it must be completely removed in order to properly restain it with an acid stain which will not peel or flake. If you go over it with an acrylic stain it will only become an even worse issue down the road.
If you don't know if it's an acid stain or acrylic, then you can test it by pouring some water on it. If when it is wet, the areas that have flaked still have the color as the rest of it, then it is likely an acid stain and only the sealer is flaking, which means that you only need to remove the sealer and reapply some fresh sealer. If it remains the color of concrete when it is wet in the flaking areas then it is likely an acrylic stain and must be completely removed.

How do I do a border? Should I sand the floor?

Ask a Pro

---

Q. - I had glue down carpet and have stripped the glue off. Do you recommend a light sanding with a floor buffer and if so, what grit should I use.

Also, I wanted to do 1 foot border around the room that would be darker than the middle. What would be the best way to accomplish this? Would I tape off 1 section while the other is being sprayed and then seal it and then do the other section once ther sealer has cured? Or would I need to seal both sections at the same time?

Hello Juan,

Normally I would not suggest sanding if the floor is clean and contaminant free. However, since you had glue down carpet then I would suggest a light sanding using the finest grit they have available.
You should brush on the border first and then spray the entire floor after the border dries. When brushing on the border, set your brush down in the center of the border or near the wall and in a circular motion, work the brush towards the edge that meets the other color. Then you will be dragging the stain to the edge which will help prevent from coloring over the line.
Let it all dry. Neutralize and rinse it all together, and then seal it all together, then apply the floor wax.