KEMIKO CONCRETE STAINS
Concrete stain gives concrete the mottled look of natural stone.
KEMIKO CONCRETE STAINS
Concrete stain gives concrete the mottled look of natural stone.
A stain isn’t really a coating but a translucent decorative coloring that soaks into the concrete and creates a pigmented, marbled appearance that resembles natural stone. It typically requires two coats and is applied with a roller or sprayer and then immediately worked into the concrete with a nylon scrubbing brush. The stain itself doesn’t protect the concrete, so after it dries, you rinse the surface and then apply one or two coats of urethane sealer to protect against moisture, chemicals and stains (see “urethane sealer”). Depending on the traffic your floor gets, you may need to wax the sealer annually and touch up the stain and reseal the floor every two years.
Cost: 20¢ to 85¢ per sq. ft. for one coat (not including the price of the urethane topcoat). Available at home centers and online dealers.
Sealers are like floor paint, but tougher. After paints, they’re the least expensive coating and they’re very easy to apply with a brush or roller. They dry to a clear satin or semigloss finish depending on the product, and you can also get them tinted. There are water-based and solvent-based versions.
Like floor paint, acrylic/latex sealer is vulnerable to chemicals and isn’t as tough as an epoxy, so it’ll benefit from an annual protective waxing or reapplication every few years. Acrylic/latex sealer will stick better to a concrete floor than urethane sealer, which is why it’s sometimes used as a primer for oil-based floor paint or epoxy.
Cost: 20¢ or less per sq. ft. for one coat; at home centers and online.
QUIKRETE COMPANIES
Concrete sealers come in clear and tinted versions.
Urethane sealer is significantly tougher than acrylic/latex sealer, but it doesn’t bond well with bare concrete. It provides a clear, high-gloss finish that resists chemicals better than epoxy alone and is less likely to yellow in sunlight, which is why it’s used as a seal coat over epoxy and concrete stain. However, urethane sealer is more expensive than acrylic sealer, and solvent-based versions require the use of a respirator during application.
Cost: 25¢ to 50¢ per sq. ft. for one coat depending on the product. Available at home centers and online.