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Combining different colors of acid stain.

by Paul Robinson
(Fortuna, Costa Rica)

Q. I am currently building cabins in costa rica and would like to stain the floor instead of using tile. I've seen photos of floors that have been done using different colors like brown,orange and red...I think. What process do I have to follow in order to achieve this marbled stone effect?

A. You can't combine different colors of acid stain in one container and get the multicolored look. You get that effect by spraying the different colors while trying not create a pattern. Start with one color and spray in a circular motion, but randomly leave spots unsprayed. Then follow with the second color and fill in the dry areas. Do it with a third or fourth color, but each time leave some dry spots except for the last color. You want to overlap so they blend. The key is to be random, so there are no visible patterns. It helps to have one person for each color applied, and wear spiked shoes so that walking through the wet stain is not a problem.