Basic Decorative Concrete Staining Part 2
This is decorative concrete staining how-to at it’s very basic part 2.
This is part 3 of an on-going series on Decorative Concrete, and is a continuation on how to use Water Reducible Stains, and Reactive Acid Stains.
In some cases, darker colors can be applied directly over the top of lighter colors. Always test before trying this technique. Brushing, sponging, and ragging hand application of pigmented stains using various methods and tools can create nearly unlimited effects.
Dabbing in colors with natural sea sponges or rags leaves a faux or marbling look. The twist of your wrist during application creates yet another different effect. In reality, most faux finishing techniques will work well with water reducible concentrate stains.
An airbrush can be used to add shading, details, and features; and to create unique designs. Concrete Resurrection water reducible stains must be allowed to cure for a minimum of four hours before applying the first coat of clear sealer.
Spraying on Concrete Resurrection reactive acid chemical stain: Let’s start staining with a single color. With one color, we recommend using a pump sprayer. This is a simple way to apply stain to a large area quickly. Be sure to mask off any surrounding area or object. Do not forget vegetation.
The size of the sprayer needed depends on the size of the area. For projects under 400 square feet, the Engrave A Crete two quart pump sprayer is an ideal tool. When projects are larger, we suggest you use a three gallon pump sprayer.
RAC stains may be applied at full strength or diluted with distilled water to achieve a lighter color or hue. After thorough mixing, the stain solution should be strained when pouring it into your sprayer. To protect your equipment and work, you should strain everything that goes into your spraying equipment.
As you can see, the spraying process is simple. The stain needs to be applied in enough quantity to wet the surface of the slab. Heavier concentrations of stain or multiple coats can increase the color intensity. Variations and the appearance of texture can be achieved with broad and inconsistent spray patterns.
Multiple colors can be applied in many ways: simultaneous, wet on dry, or wet on wet. Each of these approaches will create different effects for color, shadowing, and color transitioning. If you use two sprayers with two colors simultaneously, the colors mix to create a distinctive effect. If you apply a second color on wet stain, the sharp demarcation line at the color transition will be reduced. With an application of a second stain color onto dried stain, it can be easier to control shadows and transitions, and effects are immediately visible.
The easiest method for producing a two toned or checkerboard floor is by using the same color, full strength, for the borders or individual squares, then applying a diluted version of the same color over the entire area. If the colors chosen for the floor are not similar, you must apply the different colors carefully as to not cross contaminate one another. For example, RAC stain in a small area could be applied using rags, sponges, or brushes.
If the area is large, the borders or tile squares would need to be stained, neutralized, and sealed. Then the main color can be sprayed on the remaining floor. If clear sealer is used as a barrier to the second stain color, any wet stain residue that gets on the barrier sealer must be wiped off to prevent discoloring freckles from appearing.
To purchase the entire DVD Mastering Concrete Engraving call 1-800-884-2114.
0 comments
Kick things off by filling out the form below.
Leave a Comment