What is Acid
Staining? Acid
staining is a method of changing the color of cement by
creating a chemical reaction in
the concrete. The acid causes the chemical reaction.
Will my concrete appear like
the color shown on this web site? Due
the different make up of the concrete, the stain
may not exactly match the pictures shown. This fact enables
your job to become one-of-a-kind!
How long will the staining
last? If the stain is properly
installed, it will not wear off unless you wear off the
top layer of your concrete because the stain is in the
floor not on it.
Can I put a curing compound
on my slab? Remember that
anything that keeps the stain from making contact with
the concrete
will have a negative affect on the color.
What are the most common uses
for "Chemical Staining"? Commonly
used for residential floors, galleries, restaurants
and retail stores. It can also be used for patios driveways,
pool decks and retaining walls.
Why use a
chemical stain as opposed to other methods of coloring
concrete? Chemical
staining is accomplished after
the concrete is cured, therefore it can be applied to
new or old concrete. For renovations as well as new construction.
Floors can be saw cut and grouted to achieve the appearance
of slate, marble or terra cotta tiles.
Are stained floors cold? No
more than tile floors. However, a stained floor will be
cooler in the summer than an
unstained floor.
I have cracks in my concrete;
can I still stain my floor? Absolutely,
cracks enhance the look of stained floors.
Most stained floors use a combination of cut designs
and colors to add beauty. The cracks are complimenting.
Is stain like paint? No,
staining is translucent. It will appear marble or old age.
Paint is generally
more
uniform
and will peel.
Is all concrete acceptable
to stain? No, in rare
cases the existing concrete may not accept the
stain. Job
site samples are a necessity. The samples will
serve as a
close representation of what the stain will look
like on your
floor. The samples should be located under cabinets,
carpeted areas, or hidden locations.
What type of maintenance is
necessary for stained floors? Very much
like tile floors, a wet mop will take care
of most maintenance clean-ups. After the staining
is completed,
topcoats of sealer are applied. Twenty-four
hours later, two coats of floor wax are applied over
the sealer.
The wax will act as a bright, durable shield
to protect the
floor.
Do I need to re-wax my floor? Yes,
the Carlton Concrete Company will supply a wax to you.
Additionally, the
Carlton Concrete Company will re-wax your
floor as needed for
a small maintenance fee.
