Navigation

First try with acid stain; way to light

by Crystal
(Nebraska)

1st try - pre sealant

I decided to take the leap of faith and try acid staining our back patio a Cola color. I ordered 2 gallons of color from Direct Color, enough to cover our 400 square foot patio. I diluted the solution one part water to one part acid per the instructions.

Application Method:
I applied the first coat. Allowed 2 hours to dry and then applied a second coat per the instructions. The stain was yellow colored and our cement turned an orange color. Not the beautiful reddish brown color in all the photos we had seen for Cola. Once dry we neutralized the acid with a baking soda/water solution and rinsed. The coloration is greatly varied over the patio (which I like), but still way too light. I wetted the surface to see how much it darkened (to simulate the sealant), but it was just a darker orange color.

Future:
I am going to try one more coat of the acid stain, full strength and call it good before sealing up the cement. Wish me luck. I'll post photos under my next post which I'll title "2nd Try".