Can You Stain Existing Concrete? Is Staining Concrete a Good Idea?

The characteristic dull and cold look of concrete floors snuff the life of any space, be it a garage or a workplace. Most people dread the aesthetically unappealing look of concrete floors that always makes them look unfinished. On the other hand, people who owned commercial spaces, warehouses, and industries never considered the dull concrete floors until recently.

More people desire to see their commercial spaces looking sharp and full of life. That’s why we have concrete staining in Richmond, TX, to add character to your floors. Concrete stains don’t just add color to your floors as a pain or a colored would; it gets into the concrete to produce a more dramatic look.

What’s more, staining will ensure that your floor lasts much longer without repairs. Let’s peer into the benefits of going for staining and how to stain old concrete.

Benefits of Concrete Staining

For a long time, people had to endure the cold and dull look characteristic of concrete floors. But since staining stepped into the scene, residential and commercial floors have never been the same. Here’s why concrete staining is gaining popularity:

• Fire Resistance

Isn’t it amazing that your floor could be fire resistant? This feature could be highly beneficial for industrial and commercial environments. Factories usually use many highly flammable materials such as timber, oils, and spark-creating machinery.

When your floor is fire resistant, you will decrease the spread of fire if there is a breakout. The floor will play a role in the building’s passive fire resistance setup.

• Energy Efficient

If you wish to increase your energy efficiency, you will have to increase the overall levels of heat insulation. Stained floors will help you achieve this goal since they can absorb and release coldness or heat.

So, they are more energy-efficient than floors covered with hardwood, carpet, etc. In other words, the stained flood will reduce your reliance on heating and air conditioning systems.

• Durability

Concrete is a considerably sturdy material that can withstand a lot you throw. However, the surface is constantly subjected to foot, and machinery traffic is vulnerable to damage such as cracking, buckling, and warping.

If the floor is covered with an acid stain, it will be protected against most surface damages. The concrete floor will resist peeling, chipping, fading, and discoloration. You can also bid farewell mold and mildew growth because of water ingress.

• Low Maintenance

Besides protecting against damage, stained floors are very easy to clean. A simple mop and sweep will be enough to remove debris, and your floor will be as good as new. Moreover, the floor is resistant to scratches from mold growth and brooms.

Carpets fade with time and might need replacement. But a stained concrete floor only needs simple polishing and its back to its former glory.

• Aesthetics

One of the things that will blow your mind with concrete stains is the aesthetics. The stains permeate the concrete and produce a more dramatic finish that adds life to your floor. Your floor will have a rich and translucent tone.

Another interesting thing is that no floor surfaces are the same when using concrete stains. Irrespective of using the same color and shade, every floor will have its color. This is because each floor’s composition, age, and even environmental factors will affect the shade of the stain.

How Can Existing Concrete Be Stained?

Staining an old concrete floor is no different from staining a new one, but few exceptions exist. Here’s a glimpse of how to stain old concrete:

• Check the Old Concrete Floor Before Staining

You should check your concrete floor to ensure that it is fine and doesn’t have any contaminants such as paint, glue, sealers, waxes, grease, or anything that will prevent the stain from soaking. You can pour water on the floor to see if the water soaks in.

• Strip the Concrete Before Staining

Even if the floor lacks contaminants, you must clean it to ensure that the stain permeates into the concrete.

• Test the Old Concrete

Use a small area to test the stain to see if you cleaned the floor correctly and if the concrete stain reacts properly.

• Stain the Floor

You can proceed and stain the concrete floor. However, old concrete floors can use more stains than new floors.

• Seal the Concrete

Applying a sealer to the stained concrete floor will help maintain the appearance of the stained concrete.

Old concrete floors could be revamped. Contact us at Concrete Kote if you need concrete staining.