Always test PermaPro Acid Stain in a small area before using it on a large scale to determine the final color.
All concrete is different and therefore the chemical reaction will vary, this can and does lead to variations in the final color that can result. You should allow the stain to stand at least 4 hrs. Clean and rinse the area to see if you achieved the look you want. If necessary, a second application may be applied then, followed by a second cleaning and washing.
Test in an inconspicuous area. This could be in a utility closet, or where the cabinets will be installed in the kitchen, or in an area where you will have another floor covering. This could be tile, carpet, or a wood floor.
When testing, you must apply the stain in the same manner you intend to you when doing the entire floor. When the sample is wet, after cleaning, this wet look duplicates the look of the stain after it has a sealer applied to it. If your sample is not dark, rich enough, apply a second application. Understand that the way you apply the stain influences the subtleties of the color(s) you choose.
You can apply multiple colors of stains together. This is accomplished through the use of successive applications of the different shades of stains. Always start with the lightest color first, as a base coat and then add the darker color(s).
You can lighten/dilute the stain with up to 50% potable water. This depends on the color that is desired.
You MUST TEST in order to determine this. However, you can use the stain full strength, but always test it to be sure of the final color.
The color of the liquid reactive acid stains does not correspond to the color of the final product. The color in the bottle is from a coloring agent and the final color of the stain on your floor, is from the chemical reaction of the metallic salt(s) with the free lime of the cement.
Example: You may have a green color in the bottle that will give you a brown stain on the floor.
New Concrete : We recommend that the concrete should be at least 28 days old before it should be stained. If you must stain earlier than 28 days, you must dilute the stain more than usual with water to prevent burning the concrete. This dilution can range from 5-15 parts water to 1 part stain. Again, you must test first to determine the amount of dilution necessary to meet your expectations.
New Construction : Request that the building’s framers use blue or white chalk to snap out guidelines for the location of future walls on the surface of the new slab. They don’t like to use these colors because they do not last as well as red chalk, especially in inclement weather. The trouble is that their red chalk contains iron particles which react with the concrete to stain it. Red chalk lines can be difficult to remove and it used to require a lot of time and effort to do so. Most of these lines will not show, because the walls are built on top of them. However, they will show up across every doorway or opening in the house.
The best time to stain in a new construction is when it is the most convenient and when they are able to cover and protect the stained floor afterwards. Protecting your new floor during the construction process will make the job of cleaning prior to acid staining that much easier. All workers should be advised that the slab would be a finished floor. Any paint, drywall mud, will usually be removed through the use of water and a 60 grit sand screen. For the detail work along the walls, etc. use the scrappers.
Old Concrete :
A thorough cleaning of the concrete may be necessary. All dirt, grease, paint, sealer or curing agents will prevent the acid stain from reacting with the concrete. They MUST be removed. We recommend our PermaPro Cleaner-Degreaser and/or PermaPro Detergent.
If the concrete is more than 1 year old, and it is clean, it may be advisable to soak the concrete with water the day before you apply the stain. If the concrete is very dry, your floor can act as a sponge and soak up all the water from the stain and consequently minimize the stain reaction and color. As a result of this, it will require more stain to achieve the final color that you desire. If the absorption of the water into the slab is minimized, this will allow a better and more complete reaction of the stain and the more vibrant your color will be.
Renovation Applications:
Exterior Application
Your color selection may be limited when staining outside. We advise against using any blue or green reactive acid stain colors outside where standing water or vapor transmission is an issue. If water stands against the side of the slab or otherwise percolates through it and upward into the stain, odd black marks can appear over the blues and greens. This color change is permanent.
However, you can use the blue or green water based stains with none of these problems.
Pool decks present special problems because of the chemicals used to treat pool water. Since the sealers may be permeable, the chlorine used in swimming pools can go completely through the sealer and bleach out the stain underneath. This can lead to white spots and a weakened sealer film. We do not advise acid staining for pool decks unless specific measures are taken to use a sealer that is very resistant to these types of chemicals.
If you are staining a slab, you may want to cut/move away the grass built up along the edges of the slab or move gravel and plants aside, so that you have access to the edges of the concrete. This allows you to stain the edges of the concrete as well as the top. This extra step helps to give the impression that the color runs through the entire slab, which adds to the illusion that it is stone and not concrete. You should not use any floor polish over your sealer outdoors. Acrylic floor polish will not hold up under standing water and extremes of temperature.
Staining Vertical Surfaces
Concrete lawn furniture, columns, and stair risers can be stained to match surrounding floors, but extra care must be taken when staining them.
• Use a bristle paintbrush, or foam paintbrush and brush from the bottom of the area towards the top, using horizontal strokes.
• Do this multiple times, since the stain takes more lightly on vertical surfaces.
• If you are using any kind of patterning such as rags, veins, or plastic, it is a good idea to lay it into the wet stain. Plastic is especially effective at clinging to the vertical surface, obscuring drips, and as a result helping the stain to penetrate into the slab.
