I have two sections. One darker and one lighter. Will they stain the same?

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Q. -  I have 2 sections of concrete, 2 different colors at time of pour. I would like to apply a color to all of it and try to blend or make compatable. I hope for a more blended interesting shade. Is this doable? 
Thanks

Hello Darlene,

 

   The darker section will stain darker and the lighter section will stain lighter. However, you can stain the entire area, then you can apply a light second coat to the lighter area to darken it up and help blend it in.

 

Thank You for Your interest in Concrete Camouflage.

 

I'm tired of using paste wax! Is Top Shield mop on wax a good alternative?

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Q. -  I'm tired of waxing with paste wax.  Would your Top Shield liquid wax be a good alternative?

Hello Julia,

 

A. -  Top Shield mop on style liquid wax by Concrete Camouflage is an excellent alternative to paste wax to say the least. It was designed for a grocery store chain, and is also used in malls, restaurants, hospitals, and all kinds of commercial and industrial applications. It is also used very extensively in homes all across the U.S. and worldwide. Using a lamb's wool applicator, you simply mop on two initial coats. It lasts for months in high traffic areas, and when it does start to scuff or dull, you simply mop on one coat which replenishes it and brings it back to like the day you did it. It has a traction additive which makes it less slippery and it comes in either gloss or matte finish. We're sure that you will be quite pleased with Top Shield's ease of use, durability, and low maintenance costs.

   However, you will need to strip off the existing wax. You can do so with a commercial wax remover, or the Marine's tells us that Simple Green strips wax very easily and effectively.

 

Thank You for Your interest in Concrete Camouflage.

 

Can I stain a floor that had on overlay product on it but is now removed?

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Q. -  Hello, we had several rooms in our house concrete stained by a contractor 2 years ago.  He sanded the existing foundation, applied two coats of hybrid concrete overlay, scored it, texturized it, then stained, sealed and waxed it.  It has since cracked and peeled in several areas.  After deciding not to get new flooring, I realized I can peel off the affected areas, since it is scored, like big tiles, and just restain the concrete underneath.    Would I still have to clean the concrete underneath, as it looks pretty good?  Recommendations?  Thank you.

 

Hello Shirley,

 

   A. -  You will need to do a small test area to be sure. If the overlay was a cementious product, and the floor has had any and all sealers, glues, and/or bonding agents completely removed then it should be ok. But again, a small test area should be done to be sure.

 

Thank You for Your interest in Concrete Camouflage.

 

Will the concrete stain fade on exterior concrete in full sun?

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Q. -  DOES YOUR PRODUCT FADE? IF SO, HOW LONG WILL IT LOOK NOT FADED? THE STAINED CONCRETE WILL BE IN FULL SUN AND SHADE ON THE SAME PATIO. WILL THIS BE A PROBLEM? AGAIN FADING? THANK YOU, ROB

Hello ROB,

 

   The Concrete Camouflage brand of concrete acid stains will not fade. However, if you leave the concrete unsealed then the area exposed to the sun and elements will experience surface erosion, which will eventually cause the exposed area to appear as if it's fading or going away. Because as concrete stains are a surface treatment, when the concrete's surface slowly erodes away, the stain will go with it. If on the other hand, you do seal it and maintain the sealer as needed, (which is typically every few years +/- on exterior and exposed concrete), then the concrete's surface will remain intact and the colors will remain indefinitely.

 

Thank You for Your interest in Concrete Camouflage

 

Should I use a Concrete Acid Stain or an acrylic stain on my painted porch?

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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

I have slippery sealer. What can I do?

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   Q. -   Hello, We live in MN and have a stained and sealed patio that is VERY slippery. With 3 little grandchildren it has become a major concern for me.  Even if the patio is dry and they run across it with wet feet after playing in the pool or sprinkler they will go flying. How can we roughen this up to make it safe?  Thanks!

 

Hello Sue,

 

   A. -   You could of course strip the sealer off, which may be the best in this case. The manufacturer of the sealer used could tell you how best to strip it off, but basically you can use a citrus stripper and straw scrub brush and/or a power washer. Also, you could rent a sandblaster and blast it.

   You could also put a new coat of sealer on that has a traction additive mixed in it. Our Clear Grip traction additive has a sandpaper finish but sealed concrete is still slippery regardless. You should do a test area before doing the entire project.

 

   Another thing to think about is this: if you used a solvent base sealer then it will be much more slippery than a water base sealer because you put solvents on as thick as you can which totally covers over the texture on the surface of the concrete and completely smoothes it off, as to where a water base sealer is put on as thin as you can which allows the the texture in the concrete to still come through, thereby being less slippery.

 

   Again, any sealed concrete can be slippery, especially when wet, so do a test area of whatever you decide to do.

 

I hope this helps

 

I have a variance in the sheen of my sealer in places, should I apply a third coat?

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   Q. -  I just put 2 coats of sealer (clear shield advanced from concrete camouflage) on my floor last night. When i checked it this morning you can still see a variance in the sheen it a few places. Do you recommend a third coat or will the wax take care of this? BTW the artist grade concrete stain by concrete camouflage did a great job on the acid etched floor. Thank you.

 

Hello Bob,

 

   I would go ahead with another coat of sealer to smooth it out, before applying the wax. The wax may take care of it, but if it doesn't then you'd be removing the wax and applying more sealer anyway.

   However, if you don't have enough sealer to do a third coat, you should do a test before ordering more. You can put a two foot square section of wax down, that half of it covers a smoothed out part and half of it covers a lower sheen part. If it works out then you can go ahead and apply your wax. If it doesn't work and you see you'll need to apply more sealer, then strip off the wax with Simple Green and go forward with your third coat of sealer.

 

   Tip: Now that we're in Summer time heat, it's important to remember that the sealer will try to dry faster which can cause sheen variance and/or roller marks much more easily. Therefore, try to do all sealing in the cooler part of the day, and preferably in shade, if possible. Early morning is really the best because the concrete isn't heated up from the day, as it's had all night to cool off.

 

   Also, thank you for the report on the artist grade concrete stain working well on your floor, which had been previously acid etched. While acid washing or acid etching concrete renders standard grade concrete stains useless and unable to work, it's nice to hear the Artist Grade Concrete Acid Stain by Concrete Camouflage is still doing the job that the others can't.

 

I hope this helps.

 

My floor looks cloudy after I waxed it, what went wrong?

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   Q. -  I recently resealed and waxed my floors with Concrete Camouflage concrete sealer and floor wax. I applied the sealant (2 coats) based on the instructions. I then waited about 12-14 hours until beginning to wax.  The floor was completely dry and no issues that I could see. I put one coat of wax on the floor. After about 8 hours, we checked on the floor. In the right light and right angle, it had an extremely cloudy look to it. However, its not cloudy all over.  There are some spots where it looks perfect.  As we talked and moved around the house, it seemed like the cloudiness was moving across the floor?  The more places we looked, the more it cropped up?

   Can you fathom what I could've done wrong? Any assistance or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Hello Luke,

 

   A. -  It sounds like the sealer may have not cured enough before you applied the coat of wax, which allowed moisture from the wax to penetrate the sealers surface and make it cloudy.

 

   You should first give it a day or so to see if the moisture escapes and the problem corrects itself. If it does, then you can apply your second coat of wax.

   If it doesn't clear up in a couple (low humidity and warm) days, then the wax is preventing the moisture from wicking out and escaping, meaning you will need to strip the wax (Simple Green works well) and then let it sit for a couple days or so. The Clear Shield Advanced concrete sealer by Concrete Camouflage will allow the moisture to wick through and escape. Once it does, then you can re-apply the wax.

 

I hope this helps

 

Will the acid stain still work on an Acid Etched Floor?

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   Q. -  If my floor has been acid etched can I still stain it.

 

Hello Bob,

 

   A. -  Not with a standard grade acid stain. However, the Artist Grade from Concrete Camouflage is very successful at staining acid etched floors, when all the others can't, though it won't be as rich of a color as it would have been. You should order an 8 oz bottle and test it in a closet or out of the way place.

 

   Apply the stain and allow it to dry and sit for 24 hours. Easily neutralize and rinse it off. If you want the color darker, then after it dries apply another coat as before.

 

I hope this helps

 

I have flaking sealer and faded areas on some old stamped concrete. How can I fix it?

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   Q. -   I have a Large area of Stamped Concrete, Grey in color around my pool.  It is about 10 years old.  I have sealed it every other year.  It is starting to pit / flake in certain areas and the color is very faded.  What product should I use to paint or stain it to give it a fresh look.  Thank you

Hello Michael,

   If it's the sealer that is flaking off, then what appears to be faded concrete color may simply be an unsealed surface that would come back to life once the sealer was re-applied. Check out our article on concrete sealer problems for a full walk through. 

I have swirl marks in my stain. What can I do?

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   Q. -  I've stained my floors with a concrete acid stain project kit. I used a brush, mistake on my part. I noticed swirl marks as I was doing the post-stain clean up. I have neutralized and rinsed, but have not applied any kind of sealer. Can I do touch-up work with my remaining stain?

Hello Benny,

 

   A. -  Yes. You need to spray on another coat of stain, which will help quite a bit to cover and camouflage the brush marks. Use an all plastic pump up sprayer. You can add water to the stain that you have left if you need to, to ensure that you have enough for the entire area. Spray on a fresh coat of stain, spraying on enough to lightly saturate the concrete but certainly not enough to puddle it, or that it would run if it were on an incline.

 

   Note: The additional coat will darken the color.

 

Should I fill deep saw cuts when staining exterior concrete, like sidewalks and patios?

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   Q. -   What about sidewalks and concrete slabs with deep scores?  Can I keep them, but ensure that they are perfectly clear of dirt and dust before staining?  Would I need to fill the scores?  What do I fill them with?

Hello Cathi,

 

   A . -  I wouldn't suggest filling the scores, or saw cuts, unless that's the structurally correct thing to do. They could be expansion areas and any filler would just pop out later, or they could be water access points causing damage and need to be filled. 

   So first, ascertain whether or not and/or which ones should be addressed. If you do decide to fill them then you can use a concrete patching material, mortar, or crack repair material. Though you may want to consider using Deco-Seal. It's what they put between a pool deck and the pool coping at the inside edge of the pool. It allows for contraction/expansion, is custom colored at the time of application so it can be made to blend in or stand out artistically, is topped with a light sand covering which increases the attractiveness and the traction, and it's fairly inexpensive. Though it will usually need maintained about every two to three years, which can include repairs and/or complete removal/redo.

 

   Of course, you could also use hot oil, which would last longer, but would tend to be quite messy and much less attractive.

 

   If you use mortar or a concrete patching material and want to stain it as well, then you need to first know that it will likely stain a different color from the concrete, so you should make sample boards using a few potential filler materials, allow them to dry, and stain them to see what the colors will be, before doing the entire project.

 

   Once ready, you will clean the concrete well such as powerwashing and/or scrubbing with a stiff straw scrub brush and T.S.P. (tri sodium phosphate), rinse well and allow the concrete to dry.

 

   You can use leaf blowers to speed up the drying and also prior to applying the filler material to remove any dust.

 

   If you use a cement filler and want to stain it also, then apply the filler material before acid staining the project.

   If you use a non cementious filler like Deco-Seal or caulking, that can't be stained, or if you use a cement filler but don't want to stain it, then you should acid stain the concrete first, neutralize and rinse, allow to dry and then apply the filler.

 

   It is highly recommended that you seal the entire area, at least the first time, to help enhance and lock in your new look.

 

I hope this helps.

 

What's the difference between the artist grade and standard grade concrete stains? I want a marble look.

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   Q. -  i was wondering what the diference in artist grade and regular grade acid stain ? we want the marble look and was wondering witch one we needed to use ? it is a new construction with a slick floor. thanks

 

Hello Mike,

 

   A. -  Other than the different color choices, the Concrete Camouflage artist grade is a one coat stain and the standard grade is a two coat stain. Therefore, you will get twice the coverage from the artist grade, than from the standard grade. On your concrete slab, you would expect a maximum of 400 sq.ft. per gallon using the artist grade, and 200 sq.ft. with the standard grade.

   You can of course, do more coats of either stain if you choose, to achieve a darker color, different colors, or to do additional coats for artistic, highlighting, and/or camouflaging, etc..

 

   As your concrete stain project is new construction and slick finished, you will first want to be sure that there is no curing agent on the concrete. If there is a curing agent, then you'll need to strip and/or lightly sand the surface to completely remove it from both the concrete's surface and pores.

   Since you mentioned the desire to achieve as much marbleization as possible, you should be aware that the more you sand the surface the more that you reduce the marbleization. Therefore, you're better off to remove as much as you can with strippers, and keep the sanding to a light minimum, using more of a fine sandpaper, or a floor buffing machine with the fine sanding disks.

 

   Otherwise, if you don't have a curing agent, as slickened concrete tends to close off the surface pores, thereby reducing the effectiveness of concrete acid stains, you will likely need to use a floor buffing machine with the aggressive scrubber pads during the cleaning stage, to really open up the pores of the concrete well, so the concrete stain can get in completely and achieve maximum reaction.

 

I hope this helps.

Advice on Patching Concrete and Using Decorative Taping to Create a Border.

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Dear Earl,

Sorry, I have a few more questions.

 

Hello Kimberly,

No problem at all. We're happy to help all that we can.

 

 1) Would you recommend cleaning with the TSP prior to patching the tack strip holes or patch and then clean?

 

    A. -  You need to ensure that concrete is as clean and dry and dust free as possible to ensure the best chances for the patch to stay in place. The sealer and wax will help to hold it down, but if the patch loses its bond then it will pop out, so there is no replacement for good and adequate prep. Therefore, yes. I would use the T.S.P. and water to thoroughly clean the concrete to be patched first. Be sure and rinse it a couple times with clean water afterwards.

   NOTE: A little extra advice just in case you need it. After you apply the patching material and smooth it out as best that you can, you need to let it dry and cure for at least a day or two, more if it's curing slowly. Then you will use a concrete rubbing stone to rub it and smooth it out, which will feather it into the concrete. It's like sanding bondo on a car body repair to smooth it out, which helps it to disappear into the surrounding area. The rubbing stone can be found in the concrete tools area at your local lumber yard or home improvement store. If going to a local home improvement store then the concrete tools are usually down at the lumber end with the sacks of concrete and concrete patching materials. It looks like a small rectangular cinder block with a handle on it, and it will make the patch blend in and smooth down quickly and easily.

 

 2) Also which do you think would be the best method of applying the stain with the tape, using the brush method or the 2 light coats of stain?

 

    A. - If you're going to use a different color or do multiple coats on the border, or certain areas, then I would brush on the border and/or decorative areas, and then spray the rest of the floor. If you're using a darker color on the border, or say, opposing blocks - you can apply the darker color with the brush and then spray the entire floor with the lighter color, including over the darker brushed on areas because the darker color will overpower the lighter color anyway.

   If you're using the tape as a design in the floor but using the same color overall then I would just spray it all and forego the brush.

 

   NOTE: Be sure and rub the tape down really well, especially along the edges, and be sure to not saturate the tape too much because the stain will try to get underneath it, which is why you drag the stain up to the tape when brushing, and why you spray directly down over the tape with two lighter coats, rather than spraying at an angle or spraying heavier coats.

 

Thanks for all of your help!

Best regards,

I hope this helps,

ConcreteCamouflage.com

 

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.