Concrete staining is an easy, affordable way to transform your dull concrete into an eye-catching extension of your living space. Whether your goal is to spruce up your patio or beautify your basement, the staining and sealing process can infuse life, color, and vitality into your drab gray concrete. Below is a look at the benefits of staining concrete and the key to ensuring you are pleased with your results.
How Does the Concrete Staining Process Work?
Before diving into the many advantages of stained concrete, it is helpful to understand how the process unfolds. On the surface, the staining process seems like it would be straightforward. However, there is much more to concrete staining than choosing a stain color and applying it to your patio. In a nutshell, the process can be broken down into four phases:
Phase One: Clean and Prepare the Concrete Surface
The path to beautifully stained concrete begins with a smooth, clean surface. Using the proper tools and prep materials during this step is essential to achieve beautiful results. For this reason alone, it’s best to hire an experienced concrete staining company to handle your project. Here are some ways a skilled professional can help prepare your surface for beautiful results:
- Use cutting-edge tools: Experienced professionals use a concrete diamond grinder and other cutting-edge tools to prepare your floors.
- Remove stubborn glue or drywall mud: Skilled pros know how to completely remove glue, mud, and carpet glue from your concrete.
- Repair wide cracks: While small cracks can give your stained concrete floors character, you may wish to have wide cracks repaired.
Phase Two: Apply the Concrete Staining
Once your existing concrete is fully cleaned and prepared, it’s time to apply the stain. Many stains feature a mixture of acid and color that produces a chemical reaction with the lime and calcium in your concrete when applied. It’s important to exercise caution during the staining process to avoid unintentionally staining nearby patio furnishings. Here are some steps a skilled technician will take to protect your property during the staining process:
- Carefully apply color samples so you know how your finished patio or floor will look with the stain you choose
- Mask off surrounding areas to prevent unintentional staining or damage
- Ensure weather conditions are ideal before applying your stain
Remember that staining is a permanent process. Once you apply the stain, you can’t “remove it” or start over if you don’t like the results. The safest path is to work with a professional who will apply color samples to give you an accurate representation of how your concrete surface will react to the stain.
Phase Three: Remove Residue and Clean the Stained Surface
Applying an acid-based stain to concrete can create a residue that should be removed once the chemical reaction is complete. The amount of residue you can expect will depend on the type of stain that is applied. Regardless of how heavy or light the residue is, it must be neutralized with water and an agent such as ammonia, T.S.P., or baking soda. Then, the surface must be rinsed with water and allowed to dry prior to applying the sealant.
Attempting to seal your patio without removing the residue can impact your sealant’s ability to form a strong bond with your stained concrete. Ultimately, glossing over this important step can lead to undesirable results.
Phase Four: Apply the Sealant
The final phase of the staining process involves the application of a sealant. Also called a clear coat, the sealant you apply will protect your stained concrete and help maintain its beautiful appearance for years.
Denver’s leading concrete staining companies typically use a high-quality Polyaspartic clear coat, urethane or an acrylic sealer to ensure that the sealant forms a strong bond with your newly stained concrete. Other options may also be available depending on the nature of your project.
What Are the Benefits of Staining and Sealing Your Concrete Patio?
“Stained concrete has become a mainstream flooring option embraced by both businesses and homeowners because of its design versatility and ease of maintenance. Concrete stains have expanded far beyond interior commercial spaces and are now commonplace in the home as well as outdoors.” – Chris Sullivan, Concrete Staining Today, ConcreteNetwork
Concrete staining offers many advantages that have enabled it to continue to gain traction among commercial property owners and homeowners. In particular, outdoor enthusiasts across the Greater Denver area are turning to concrete staining to revitalize their drab patios. Here are a few of the many benefits you can enjoy by staining and sealing your concrete patio:
1) The Sealing Process Protects Your Patio
The application of a stain and sealant does more than beautify your concrete. It actually protects your patio’s surface and boosts its longevity. A high quality Polyaspartic sealant can add years to the life of your patio by helping to prevent fading, moisture absorption, and even freeze-thaw damage.
2) You Can Choose From a Variety of Colors
Today’s homeowners have more stain colors than ever from which to choose. In fact, you can choose a different color for every room in your home and still have hundreds of options to consider for your patio. You can even bring your concrete stainer a picture or swatch of your dream color you have in mind for your patio and ask if they can customize a stain for you.
3) The Process Won’t Exhaust Your Budget
Staining your existing concrete costs a fraction of what you would pay to install a completely new patio surface. The price you can expect to pay will vary according to your location, the condition of your concrete, and the level of detail involved with your staining project. You can expect to pay between $3 and $7 per square foot for an outdoor staining project, though price you pay could be higher or lower depending on its complexity.
4) You Can Enjoy Gorgeous Results Quickly
If you’ve ever had a deck, tile, or new wood flooring installed, you may remember wishing the process would come to a close. While every project is different, many concrete staining projects can be completed in only a couple of days. This is a relief to many homeowners who are eager to begin using their beautiful, newly enhanced patio.
5) Stained Concrete Patios and Floors Are Low-Maintenance
Stained concrete patios are durable, water-resistant, and require little in the way of care or maintenance. You don’t need any special tools and can keep them looking sharp with just a broom and dust mop. Stained concrete is also known for its pet-friendly nature, making it a great choice for the estimated 99,000 Denver households with pets.
6) The Concrete Staining Process Can Help Mask or Enhance the Appearance of Cracks
A common question among homeowners is whether they should have existing cracks repaired prior to the staining process. While top providers will be happy to carry out any repair requests you may have before the staining process, be sure to give this some thought before you have any minor cracks repaired. The staining process can actually give minor cracks a striking appearance, bringing character to your patio.
7) You Can Stain Concrete Outdoors or Indoors
Concrete staining offers an unmatched level of versatility. Staining your concrete patio is just the tip of the iceberg of possibilities for you as a creative, cost-conscious homeowner. For example, you can stain your concrete countertops, a concrete bathroom sink, hallway floors, and your basement. You can even stain your garage floor to give it a warmer appearance.
8) You Can Customize Your Patio to Match Your Preferences
Concrete staining offers a high degree of customizability. For example, you may be seeking a special finish or texture for your concrete patio. Or, you may want your patio’s color to complement your existing hardscape designs in your backyard. Today’s top concrete staining specialists will welcome the opportunity to create the patio of your dreams.
What Is the Key to Your Satisfaction With Concrete Staining?
Concrete staining is an attractive solution to homeowners in search of a simple, affordable way to spruce up their patios. But not all staining projects turn out as planned. The key to your satisfaction with concrete staining is to seek the guidance of an industry expert to handle your project. While you could certainly attempt to stain your own concrete, your results may not meet your expectations.
As Denver’s most trusted provider of concrete staining services, Mile High Coatings has a proven track record of success beautifying concrete patios and floors across the area. Our outstanding reviews and an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) are a testament to our dedication to working with our customers to achieve five-star results.
We invite you to contact us today for a free onsite estimate. During your consultation, we will carefully evaluate your patio surface, review staining options with you, and tell you how we can help you realize your vision. We look forward to helping you transform your patio into your favorite living space!
