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How the staining process works

Concrete acid stain is a water based liquid carrying mineral salts and acid. The acid mixes with the cement to force a chemical reaction, Which changes the color of the cement similar to a forced rusting. When highlighted with the proper sealer, this effect gives the natural rock glow that attracts so many people to acid stained concrete. Surface Preparation Surface prepartion is one of the most important steps of the acid staining process. The concrete must be free of debris, dirt, and oils. For old concrete, or exposed. Acid stain will only work on the cement portion of the concrete, and will not stain rocks and sand.Concrete that has been acid etched or washed with muratic acid CANNOT be acid stained. Often, surfaces inside an existing house will have dry wall mud, paint, wood stains, tile adhesives, carpet adhesives, grease pet stains, etc on the concrete. Acid stain is not an over coat, it is an opaque re coloring of the concrete. These spots will show through if not removed, especially mastic, dry wall mud and paint, as these get into the pores of the concrete and block the staining process. There are several products available at a local hardware store such as adhesive removers and lacquer thinners that can be used to clear these products from concrete in this circumstance. These types of distressed floors will nearly always yield a varied charactor of finish with a high degree of color difference area to area across the surface, and the distressed sections lend character and depth to your floor. Cleaning one of these floors to a stainable level is a considerable amount of work, but it is not impossible. If you desire a more even finish, you should consider an overlay resurfacing, especially on a floor that has had glued tile or glued plastic carpet.