Can you stain existing concrete patio

So, you'll want to order a little extra to ensure that you get a good saturating coat. While you do not strictly need to seal your acid stained concrete, we strongly suggest doing so. Applying sealer will help maintain the appearance of your stained concrete.

You can apply sealer once the stain has been neutralized, rinsed well and the surface is completely dry. We suggest using water based sealer rather than solvent based. You want to apply water base sealer in as thin and even of coats as you can. Apply one coat working north to south, allow it to dry completely clear, and then apply a second coat east to west.

If your concrete still has a patchy or dry appearance, you can apply additional coats to smooth it out. You do not want to over-apply the concrete sealer or you will get a cloudy or milky look to the finish. Once the sealer has cured for a day or two, for concrete floors and many outdoor surfaces as well, you're ready to apply the floor wax. See our guide on " How to Seal Concrete ". There's really no reason to be afraid to stain that old concrete.

Just be sure and do a small test spot first to be sure of what you're going to get, and if you have any questions about any step in the process or just questions about concrete acid staining in general, feel free to shoot us a message. We're happy to help! Our full concrete staining index includes maintenance tips, scheduling guide, checklists, color charts and much more. Login Search Cart. Toggle navigation Cart. Decorative Concrete Sealer.

Instructional Audio Guides. Main Takeaway. Once the stain reacts, it becomes a permanent part of the concrete and won't fade, chip off or peel away. The palette for acid staining is generally limited to earthy tones, such as tans, browns, terra cottas and soft blue greens. Water-based stains are good for going beyond the subtle drama of acid staining, since they come in a much broader spectrum of hues.

Most manufacturers offer dozens of standard colors, including black and white and even metallic tints. Like acid stains, water-based stains typically a blend of acrylic polymers and pigments penetrate the concrete to produce permanent color, ranging from translucent to opaque. Find more concrete stains from leading manufacturers. Prior to staining a patio, the surface needs to be prepped. Find a concrete staining contractor near you that will deliver professional results.

There are endless decorative effects you can achieve when using acid or water-based stains to spice up the look of your patio. Sometimes the best approach is to keep it simple, using just one stain color in a hue that will complement your home or landscape see this example. Or you can be more daring and use multiple stain colors to create custom looks. The most popular stain colors are natural earth tones.

Many colors to choose from, and the stain can be built up to a solid color. Easy to apply. Helps to create a reseal market. Cons: Completely topical, with no reaction to concrete. Requires sealer maintenance for the life of the project. Some areas may want to bubble between coats when in direct sunlight. Surface needs to be very clean and dry. Do not overapply! My company is doing real-time testing on this product as I write this article, but right now I definitely believe this type of stain will be around for a while.

This is a nonhazardous penetrating-type stain available in many colors. It contains no acid, no acrylic and no VOCs. What they have in common Here is what all of the above have in common: Regardless of your stain or coloring choice, none will cover cracks or chips.

Some existing stains may still be visible, although in a different final color. Prestained concrete must be unsealed, and I recommend testing the surface with a small amount of water to make sure the concrete is porous. Be sure to pressure-wash the surface so that pores are open and stain-ready. It is usually best to let the surface dry overnight before staining. The sealer used to lock in the color or stain will not like water, so be sure to control sprinklers and potted plants.

Concrete should also have been left to cure for a minimum of 30 days before staining. A final note about staining exterior work: I rarely used acid stains, solely because of their unpredictability. I also sense most states will institute special disposal requirements in the near future. In any case, there is no doubt outdoor concrete stains is a growing market and will continue to grow for some time.

Good luck and let me know how it goes. I am concerned that leaving them natural over time the look will become undesirable with dirt, stains, etc. Which product would you recommend for this application? Answer from Concrete Decor I will start by saying that slip resistance is an important element in the concrete sealing process. The best way to ensure this is to use a penetrating sealer. We offer two types of penetrating sealer products via the Concrete Decor Store, water-based and solvent-based sealers.

If your concrete requires a chemical etch Surecrete has a product called Super Concrete Renovator SCR which will profile the concrete surface to ensure concrete stain colors and sealer evenly penetrate to bond with the concrete. Since the original concrete sealer on our patio had long since weathered away and the concrete was heavily profiled, we opted to forgo etching the concrete and gave the patio a deep cleaning with a 4, psi pressure washer.

The 4, psi machines can quickly remove years of worked-in dirt and stains while also stripping away paint droplets left behind by a messy painter. For a few stubborn paint spots we relied on the environmentally-friendly soy-based paint stripper GL by Blue Bear. It took two of us a little more than two hours to entirely prep a square foot concrete patio.

Using Ecostain saved us time and gave us greater control of finished results than a traditional concrete acid stain. Once EcoStain has been applied you simply allow it to dry before moving ahead with sealer. Selecting the right concrete stain color for our project was easy.