Decorate Your Concrete Surfaces with Dyes and Stains

henry gerstel • February 12, 2019

Decorative concrete flooring has completely ascended over the years. Homeowners and a multitude of businesses, big and small, have shown a keen interest in coloring their concrete surfaces. Your concrete floors provide you an opportunity to become creative and absolutely transform the surface of your floors to appeal any style or pattern that you may desire!

What Are Concrete Dyes/ Stains?

Concrete dyes  and  stains  produce earth tone and vibrant colors on concrete surfaces. There are a few important factors to consider when you  dye  or  stain  your concrete floors. Some of these factors include determining the type of concrete your coloring, selection of pigment, water content, mixing, and finishing techniques to achieve a beautifully decorated surface. Listed below are different types of decorative styles you can choose from for your concrete floors:

Stamped Concrete

  • This is an extremely popular flooring choice because the process consists of the concrete surface being patterned or textured, which ultimately provides you with your own individual style.  Stamped concrete  is able to resemble other building materials making it a less expensive alternative to those other authentic materials.  Stamped concrete  is commonly used for patios, sidewalks, driveways, pool decks and even some interior flooring.

Acid Staining & Water-Based Staining

  • Acid staining  is not a dyeing or pigment-base coloring system, but a chemical reaction. A mixture of water, mineral salts and a slight amount of muriatic acid is applied to the concrete surface. This chemical reaction creates earth tone colors on the concrete. Acid staining creates a variegated or mottled appearance that is unique to each slab.  Water based stains  are similar to  acid based stains  in the sense that one can still achieve a translucent look like acid. Some stains are able to achieve an opaque color and/or a translucent effect. The main difference is that  acid stains  react to the concrete and change the physical makeup of the concrete material, whereas  water based stains  are more of a “coating” that bonds with the concrete. There are many variations of  water based stains  that have come into the decorative concrete industry that perform in a number of different ways.

Dry-Shake Color Hardeners

  • Dry-Shake Hardeners are hand broadcasted on the concrete surface and come in a wider array of hues and integral colors, including various shades of blue and green. Because the color is concentrated on the surface, it tends to be more vibrant.

Integral Coloring

  • Another popular method for coloring concrete is  integral coloring  admixtures. These  admixtures  infuse the top layers of the concrete with rich, long-lasting, fade-resistant color. This layering of color is what enables them to replicate multi-tonal appearance of natural stone.

Resources, Guidance and Support

Concrete all around the world has long dominated industries, particularly flooring, because of its exceptional durability, low maintenance and simply pleasant appearance that it delivers. Xtreme Polishing Systems supplies the industry with innovative and professional concrete polishing and decorative concrete products , equipment , chemicals and so much more. Our professionals are specially trained with our products and will deliver the fundamental guidance and customer service when preparing and executing a concrete floor.

The experts at  Xtreme Polishing Systems understand that every surface can variate in properties, therefore each slab must be treated differently. We’re here to guide you in the proper direction, so call us at (877) 958-5732 with any questions regarding how to ‘ Decorate Your Concrete Surfaces with Dyes and Stains ‘ or visit our website and browse our extensive selection of products today. Whether you’re a new business owner, flooring subcontractor, DIYer, craftsmen, artist, existing business or homeowner, our exquisite product selection and extensive industry experience will assist you every step of the way, from start to finish.

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