One of the ways in which people attempt to bring life into their concrete at home is through staining concrete. This is especially true if your home or environment is guilty of having a dull surface.While the staining concrete process may take a little over 48 hours to complete, it is a process which is not overly expensive and which can be done correctly with a bit of guidance. If you are interested in staining concrete either by yourself or using specialized assistance, here are some things or steps which you would have to follow;

•   MATERIALS YOU ARE GOING TO NEED:

the first thing that you would have to get are the materials which are going to be needed for the job. There are a lot of materials which would be needed to make the goal of staining concrete possible. They include a concrete stripper, sealer, stain, gloves, scrub brush, mask, neutralizer, concrete cleaner, buckets preferably plastic, etching solution and so much more. Once you have been able to get the materials together and ready to go, you are ready for the next step.

•   DEALING WITH THE SURFACE:

due to the fact that stains which are made from acid are considered to be translucent, you might need to prepare the surface before staining concrete. Another reason why this is necessary is to make sure that the residue which may be on the surface would rear its ugly head when the staining concrete has been finished successfully. It is important to note that the surface reparation can be completed in two ways. This can be achieved through a mechanical grinding process or through the use of a cleaner which has been formulated especially for this purpose.

•   APPLICATION OF THE CONCRETE STAIN after the surface has been prepared properly, the next step would be to apply the stained concrete. If you wish to protect nearby areas which may be affected, you can choose to mask off those areas. You should try to dilute the paint next with water as this would make it lighter. You should brush the stain after you have first applied it. This is to allow it to settle down properly. You should then allow it to dry properly.

•   THE CLEANUP PROCESS:

the next step would be the cleanup process. You can choose to rinse out the concrete with clean new water. Next, you can set out to neutralize the stain which you have created. This can be done using baking soda. However, it is important to note that it is only to be done when the paint is acidic in nature.

•   PROTECTIVE COAT:

the last step would be to ensure that a protective coat should be placed on it to seal it and also to increase its durability. This would be the last step and once this is done the stained concrete is ready.

You can also get a professional to do the hard work for you but a little knowledge could come in handy at some point,