acid stained concrete

[melwynnd]

Hi,

Does anyone have any experience with acid stained concrete?

I am hoping we'll get our slab poured this fall for the Victoria's Cottage.  I was thinking it would be great to acid stain the floor before adding the walls so I wouldn't have to do any masking and I could just hose the thing off when I was done.  But I'm not sure the surface is durable enough to take the subsequent building.  

I don't mind a few dings(perfection is boring anyway ), but how durable is the sealed floor really?

Thanks,

Sherry

[Sherry]

Sherry-Check this out
www.ourcoolhouse.com
great looking stained concrete floors w/ instructions
Good luck in your project.  
(I have the same name)  Sherry

[spinnm]

This was discussed not too long ago.

I've used it several times.  A sacrifice sealer is crucial.  The acid doesn't penetrate that far.  I'm not a fan of water-based sealers.  I don't think they last and the price of alkyd is about the same.
If you're lax, you'll see wear in the traffic patterns.

It is normally done at the end for just the reasons you mention.  Cleanliness is important until that happens.  Red rosin paper or at least builder's paper until you're ready.

I prefer colored concrete.  The upcharge will be around $14-$28 per yard depending upon the intensity of color.  The color will be darker than the color chart.

The plant in my new town uses Davis colors.  Lots of cool ones.  We couldn't decide.  So, we took the color chart to the land and flopped it on the ground.  Picked the one that most closely matched the dirt.  Works for me

To get that mottled, not-one-color look of stain, have the concrete finisher "burn" it with a power trowel.  Sonneborne Cure-n-Seal, applied just after the pour is an amazingly tough sealer.  You may not even need a second application.

To investigate stain, check out www.fauxrealfloors.com

She has instructions for contractors on her web site.  What do do between pour and acid.