Sealing Your Concrete Patio
Sealing your concrete patio is optional.
However, it is highly recommended. Not only will it help you have an improved appearance on your concrete patio, it will also help you avoid future problems of cleaning it due to urine.
When applying any sealer, wear your gloves, face mask and trousers with long sleeves or shirts.
Make sure that the concrete is dry after washing it so that the sealer will stick properly.
You can dry it completely for 24 hours.
Sealers can be applied differently. Oil-based sealers are applied using a sprayer while water-based sealers are applied using a roller.
Whatever you use, just make sure you apply it properly and in accordance to the look you want to achieve.
The Sealing Process Protects Your Patio
The application of a stain and sealant does more than beautify your concrete. It actually protects your patios 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.
You Can Choose From A Variety Of Colors
Todays 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.
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How To Get Grease Off Concrete
This method shows you how to get grease off concrete using soda pop. No joke. While it may seem a bit odd, this process works quite well and can even get grease off concrete driveway. Be prepared to use some good old fashioned elbow grease during this process.
- Garden hose
Pour a thin layer of the kitty litter over the oil & grease stain and use the bottom of your shoes to grind the litter into the stain. You may want to wear old shoes for this. Sweep up the cat litter and dispose of it as you would any other hazardous material.
Pour the soda over the stain and work the area with the stiff brush. Do not allow the area to dry. Allow the soda to sit for about 20 minutes, adding more cola if needed to keep the area wet.
Rinse off the soda with a garden hose. You should see a gray spot where the grease once sat.
Mix the bleach, ammonia-free detergent, and hot water in a large bucket. Use the stiff bristles of the brush to scrub the stained area with the solution until the stain is gone. Rinse the concrete with clean water.
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Applying Acid Concrete Stain
You can use a pump sprayer or a paint gun to apply the stain. While the pump spray will require a bit more work, it will cost you much less than purchasing an air compressor that you will only use one time. Pump sprayers only cost $20-40 and can be stored away easily.
Spray slowly in a circular motion and make sure that you get an even layer covering all areas of the slab. You can use a push broom to work the acid stain into areas that are bumpy or not receiving the stain very well. Be generous with the amount of acid stain that you spray but dont create puddles.
Pump Sprayer from Home Depot.
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Diy Concrete Staining Vs Hire A Pro
To get the best results with concrete staining, it’s wise to hire a professional. Look for a concrete floor contractor in your area now.
DIY concrete staining can help you save money. However, you need to prepare the surface correctly to make sure the stain takes. If youre using an acid-based stain, youll need to consider how to air out the area properly to deal with the chemical fumes. Youll also have to finish the stain with a sealer to protect it against wear and tear.
Concrete Stain Concentrate Review
- The Shortest and Easiest Route…
- WRC stain is ideal for…
- Get Marbling Mottling…
- Offers multiple colors and sizes.
- Easy to mix and apply.
- Quick-drying time.
- Not too dark.
This particular stain is manufactured by Concrete Resurrection that offers several colors to choose from.
Using this stain is a breeze. You need to mix the stain with water, and you can use any pump-sprayer to apply it.
Its quite reasonably priced too.
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Concrete Staining Cost By Type
There are two basic types of concrete stains:
- Acid-based stains contain hydrochloric acid and metallic salts. These elements react with the calcium hydroxide in the concrete to produce coloring. Their color palette consists mainly of earth tones, and they produce a marble or mottled appearance.
- Water-based stains consist of water with polymers and pigments that are added to create the color. They have a more extended color palette and produce a uniform effect.
How To Make The Paint Last
There are a few steps you need to take in order to make the paint last longer. Here are some of the tips you should try to follow:
- Prepare the surface. As said previously, you should first clean the surface. After that, you should sand it. And if there are any damaged parts of the surface, you should fill and level them.
- While the paint has just been applied, make sure that the surface is dry for some time. Even if you use water-resistant paint, it is still best to leave the surface dry for a few hours.
- Take good care of your porch. Just painting it is not enough: you should also make sure that it stays in good condition for a long time. If something breaks, repair it right away and dont wait until it will be even more damaged.
Only a few steps are required to make your paint last longer, so it is better to do all of these things than to attempt to fix the floor later.
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How Do You Revive A Concrete Patio
Tips to Refresh Your Concrete Patio
Beginners Guide On How To Acid Stain Concrete Patios
Acid staining is one of the most popular ways of adding color to concrete. It can be used on both indoor and outdoor surfaces. Using it on a concrete patio guarantees a more appealing outdoor living space and a higher property resale value. If this decorative application is new to you, here is a step-by-the-step guide on the acid staining process:
- Step 1: Clean the Concrete Patio
It is important to remove any dirt, oil, or grease on the concrete patio as these could keep the stain from adhering to the concrete slab. Pressure washing is highly recommended as it is quite effective in removing tough and stubborn dirt.
- Step 2: Apply the Stain
Use a brush to apply the stain along edges, walls, corners, and hard-to-reach areas. Once those areas have been covered, use a spray to apply the stain to larger areas. If there are spots missed, use a brush to fill in those spots. Leave the stain to dry for at least 4 hours. Commonly, an acid stain requires another two coats to fully acquire the desired color effect. If you do decide to add more coats, make sure to let the stain dry in between.
- Step 3: Rinse the Stained Surface
Test one small area to check if the stain has adhered as it should. If the color stays, use a pressure washer to rinse the stain off of the patio. Keep rinsing until the water runs clear. If you must, use a broom to scrub lightly across the surface to make sure that all stain residue is removed.
- Step 4: Neutralize the Surface
- Step 5: Apply a Concrete Sealer
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Clean & Prepare Surface
Clean your concrete patio floors with an organic concrete cleaner and degreaser. The concrete must be free of debris, dirt and oils. Generally, a generous sweeping, scrubbing, and rinsing should do the job.
Protect surrounding areas from acid stain overspray
Tip: I used caution tape stretching from the trees to the house to try to keep the birds away during the project. This seemed to work pretty well, as the birds normally hang out on behind my house and make a mess.
For excessively dirty concrete patios read Surface Preparation For Acid Staining.
Add Curves With Pavers
A square concrete slab is standard, but you can add curves around your concrete patio with the help of pavers. For instance, you could add a half circle to one side to create a fire pit area. Or use pavers to border off a circular garden at one corner of your patio.
You can see how we added a curved retaining wall during our backyard patio project, plus a matching fire pit.
This is such a pretty way to make over a concrete patio.
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Add A Beautiful Outdoor Rug
The easiest way to make over a concrete patio is to invest in a large and striking outdoor rug. Heres a great example. The eye will instantly go to the rug and the concrete patio will disappear into the background. Put some great outdoor furniture on top of the rug and youve got yourself an outdoor space you can be proud of. If you like a beachy color scheme of blue and white, youll love this rug.
Gather Materials To Stain Concrete
Use the manufacturer’s color chart as a guide to selecting your color. There are different levels of coverage in the various stain options. For this project, we’ve used a semi-transparent stain that looks like watercolor when applied. For more coverage, go with an opaque stain. Do a small test area on the concrete to make sure you’re going to get the results you want. Always read the manufacturer’s instructions on the container for any special considerations when using their product.
Use the manufacturer’s color chart as a guide to selecting your color. There are different levels of coverage in the various stain options. For this project, we’ve used a semi-transparent stain that looks like watercolor when applied. For more coverage, go with an opaque stain. Do a small test area on the concrete to make sure you’re going to get the results you want. Always read the manufacturer’s instructions on the container for any special considerations when using their product.
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You Can Enjoy Gorgeous Results Quickly
If youve 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.
Concrete Stain And Sealer Patio Makeover
A few weeks ago we decided to restore the concrete stain and sealer on our stamped concrete patio. The acid stain was faded, there was a grid work of rust stains from a long-since removed hot-tub, and discoloration from planters were everywhere. It was high-time this stamped concrete patio received a facelift.
We live in San Franciscos East Bay community of Martinez, CA, where the intense summer sun takes a toll on decorative concrete stain colors. Maintaining concrete patios, pool decks, and driveways with a professional-grade concrete sealer ensures they stay as beautiful as the day they were poured. Unfortunately our patio and pool deck concrete had been so poorly maintained it would need more than a fresh application of concrete sealer wed need to perform a full restoration. This weekend challenge was to restore the 12 year old acid stained and stamped concrete to its original condition in two days. Like most of our home improvement projects we had a deadline to meet and this one happened to be a 4th of July BBQ.
It turns out that two days was more than enough time for this project and the professional-grade products we used gave us beautiful results at a great price. The total cost for a 600 square foot patio was just over $400.
Step 1 Deep Clean and Prep the Concrete
It took two of us a little more than two hours to entirely prep a 600 square foot concrete patio.
Step 2 Choosing the Perfect Concrete Stain Color
What We Used:
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Apply The Renewing Stain On Dry Concrete
Most patio concretes floors dry in about two and a half hours after pressure hosing. So once your patio floor is dry, its time to stain it. We use sprayers to work the stain into the concrete surface and rags to soak up excesses. Depending on the expected results, the application process and patterning might vary. All in all, you should ensure you are getting rich hues that wont fade after a few weeks. Also, dont leave behind stain pools. This process might take a few minutes to a few hours depending on the size of your patio and the staining work needed.
Apply Two Layers Of Concrete Sealer
To be sure your sealer can bond with the patio concrete, use a few droplets of water to test the porosity of the floor. If it absorbs the water, then the sealer will work well on it.
Its the concrete sealer that will help protect your outdoor concrete from damage. When you go with a high gloss sealer, you achieve a brighter surface that looks wet. A sealer is best applied when the temperatures are low. So, you should do this the following morning or evening after the sunset when the patio isnt hot. Again your sealer should be transparent to enhance the look of your concrete stain. You can apply the sealer using a nap roller with a long handle. Though this process looks simple, you must do it with utmost care so that the roller marks wont be left behind.
After you are done applying the first layer of sealer, wait several hours for it to dry. A day or less is enough for it to dry properly. Mix the second sealer with an anti-skid additive so that your patio floor is not just waterproof but wont be slippery as well. Then evenly roll the final coat of sealer on the surface. This might take a couple of hours to complete.
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Choose A Concrete Stain
As you learn how to stain a concrete floor, keep in mind that the outcome is permanent. You must work carefully for successful results. The amount of active depends mostly on the size of the area to be stained. Overall, plan on the project taking several days because of drying time.
Before you start this project, you must first choose a concrete stain that fits your needs. There are two types of concrete stain to choose from: acid-based and water-based.
Acid-based formulas for are long-lasting and resistant to fading. They react chemically with the concrete to create a permanent chemical bond. This means it will not peel or chip and help produce a natural-looking finish.
Water-based stains are available in a wider variety of colors and are often easier to apply. This type of non-reactive produces color by bonding to the concrete surface, filling the pores and making a colored film or coating. These formulas generally have fewer toxic chemicals, and they dry more quickly.
In some cases, homeowners select concrete paint as an alternative to permanent stain. For garages, driveways and porches, choose high-performance options that will withstand hot tires, automotive oil and UV rays.
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, its 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.
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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.
Clean Up & Neutralize The Stain
Once the stain has been applied, cleanup is required. Here is a standard cleanup process:
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