How to Prepare for Your Concrete Staining Project

Over the past few years, the home improvement industry has given consumers many more options when it comes to concrete. No more boring old gray concrete. You can stain your concrete just about any color under the sun and offer a fantastic variety of design possibilities. Our CertaPro painters are experts in concrete staining. They will create the exact look you want. They’ll even help you pick the perfect colors.

But as with most home improvement projects, the most important part is the preparation. So while you are waiting for CertaPro to come and complete the job, we have some helpful hints to prepare.

Here are a few tips to help you prepare for staining your concrete:

The most important thing to remember is that you should take your time and work carefully because the outcome is permanent. There aren’t many ways to reverse the staining process on concrete so make sure that you are fully committed before beginning. Also, plan on the project taking several days because of drying time. So depending on where your project is located, you may want to have a way to re-route traffic for a while.

Before you start this project, you must first choose a concrete stain that fits your needs. There are two types of concrete stain to choose from: acid-based and water-based. Acid-based formulas are long-lasting and resistant to fading. They react chemically with the concrete to create a permanent chemical bond. This means it will not peel or chip and help produce a natural-looking finish.

Water-based stains are available in a wider variety of colors and are often easier to apply. This type of non-reactive produces color by bonding to the concrete surface, filling the pores, and making a colored film or coating. These formulas generally have fewer toxic chemicals, and they dry more quickly. CertaPro painters can help you choose the right stain for your project.

Assess the floor

The first step is to do a detailed once-over of the surface. The more knowledge you have going into a job, the better chance you have at avoiding errors and unanticipated challenges later in the job.

If you are an eco-conscious person, you may opt for a mix that includes recycled fly ash, this decision also decreases the amount of lime in the surface.

Your assessment should include the floor’s finish. A super-tight troweled finish can make it difficult for the stains to penetrate, while a more open finish may absorb your stains too quickly. All of these factors will have an effect on how you mix and apply your stains.

Protect the space

Protecting the parts of the room that are not the floor is probably the easiest step to overlook. But CertaPro painters take this step just as seriously as the rest. You may want to walk through the area after you have prepped, to make sure you have not missed any areas that need protection.

Make sure to shield finished walls. You can hang plastic sheeting first or masking paper. The plastic is usually more stain-resistant than the paper. However, any overspray stain on plastic alone could drip down onto the floor. The paper, on the other hand, will absorb the stain, keeping it from running. For unfinished drywall, you could just use a layer of paper. This will still protect the wall from the bulk of the stain.

The final consideration when it comes to protection is your baseboards. You can cover the baseboards in painter’s tape. But if your baseboards are already painted and finished, you may want to cover them with plastic also.

Conclusion

After completing all these steps, you are ready for CertaPro painters to come in and complete your concrete staining project. This may seem like a long, lengthy process that isn’t even a part of the actual project process. But as they say at CertaPro Painters, preparation is just as important as completing the actual project to get a great, long-lasting result.

When you’re ready to start your concrete staining project, give CertaPro of Rock Hill a call at 800-462-3782 or schedule a free estimate online today!