Before to start anything, you need to check the surface of the floor to see if there are any sealers or contaminants that would prevent the absorption of the stain.

Apply a small amount of water on the concrete in several locations. If it is absorbed quickly into the concrete, it should be acceptable. If it beads up, there may be some contaminant/barrier that needs to be removed.

If it is determined that there is an acrylic sealer or coating on the floor, it can be removed through the use of our acrylic stripper, PermaPro Acrylic stripper.

DO NOT acid wash the surface to be stained with muriatic/hydrochloric acid ! This process will eliminate the necessary component (free lime) that is the essential to the reaction and therefore you will not be able to stain the floor.

Protect all areas NOT to be stained. Cover and mask all adjacent surfaces with painter’s tape and plastic or paper. You can use plexiglas or a coated cardboard as a handheld spray shield while applying the stain.

We highly recommend to use always our PermaPro Preparator to help to increase the process of staining. 

Treat the entire concrete slab with PermaPro Preparator.  

If the floor has a hand trowel finish, PermaPro Preparator conditions the concrete and helps to increase the probability that the entire slab will stain more consistently.  

Apply the Preparator with a pump sprayer and then brush it with a broom or a floor polisher.

Then, wash the floor with our PermaPro Cleaner-Degreaser to remove all the dust and the stain.