July 25, 2008
Busting Concrete Dust
A few days after we moved into our new house in January, 1997, my two youngest sons took over our basement. They made it their own personal hockey arena. By kids' standards, it was near-perfect; an 18- by 52-foot rectangular area with high concrete walls and a smooth floor. Indoor street hockey. In our house, for our boys, a dream come true.
It didn't take long, however, for Mom and Dad to realize a nightmare. The constant motion of shoes and sticks and plastic balls and pucks generated concrete dust (not uncommon with new concrete). It was all over. The first time the boys came up for a cold drink and were covered with dust, Mom and Dad suspended operations of AIHL (Awesome Indoor Hockey League).
This dust is disgustingly thick and covered virtually all our stored belongings (luckily much of it was still in sealed boxes). We tried everything to rid ourselves of it, including washing down the concrete walls and mopping the floors. It kept coming back.
Finally, in the spring, I remembered an old patio project I had helped a friend with years before. He stained his concrete patio, and the results were excellent. That was our solution: concrete stain.
In our case, we used the concrete stain as a sealer, a way to keep the concrete dust from driving us crazy and ruining our sons' childhood. ("Why can't we play hockey, Dad?")
Why not paint the concrete or even seal it? Unlike paint, which can chip, flake and peel, stain penetrates the concrete and gives nearly the same durable appearance as transparent wood stain. Paint is a film or coating that will break down. Water and moisture that pass through the concrete invariably cause the paint to separate from the surface. On the other hand, the stain might wear at the surface, but it won't peel. As for sealing, we wanted to brighten the basement, too. The stain solved both problems.
Stain can add designer color as well as seal and even strengthen several types of concrete applications, including garage floors, stairs and walkways. In fact, my next project will be staining some concrete scalloped landscape edging a bright white to set off some tree beds in the front of our home.
There are a couple of keys to getting a proper finish with a concrete stain. First is surface preparation. Surfaces should be free from dirt, dust and grime; some manufacturers suggest cleaning with power sprayer and detergent. Allow to dry thoroughly. To get proper adhesion and coverage, follow the manufacturer's instructions. Next, make sure you have the proper product. Translation: Check the makeup of the stain.
For our basement, we used a siliconized acrylic, an interior-exterior latex product. It was great, especially that soap-and-water cleanup. But if I were going to stain my garage floor or a high-traffic area, I would select a solvent-based stain, usually a combination of muriatic acid and metallic salts. These stains often can resist "hot-tire pickup" on garage floors (the tires won't wear off the stain). The solvents in these stains push the stain pigments into the top layer of concrete, and the pigments become attached to the concrete particles.
Some stains actually form a chemical bond with the concrete, creating a calcium carbonate coating near the surface. This reaction actually makes the concrete surface more dense.
Because of this chemical bond, acid-based stains are more expensive. An acrylic stain can cost about $20 to $30 per gallon; solvent-based stains can run close to $50. Some acid-based stains may even require another step or two (neutralizing and sealing). Neutralizing is a mild washing, and sealing is covering the stain with a protective coating.
The texture of the concrete surface also is important in the finished appearance of the stain. A slick, smooth surface is tougher to stain because the finer cement particles have been brought to the surface to create a seal through finish troweling. A slightly rougher surface, like that on a walkway or stairway, will generally provide a richer color.
Apply concrete stain like paint, with a roller or brush. It will be much, much thinner than paint, so there is a greater chance for the stain to splatter. If you've stained wood siding, the concept is pretty much the same; work slowly and apply the stain evenly.
There is an alternative, too. If you know you want a color on your concrete application, ask your contractor to add the stain right to the wet cement. For more information on this application, visit the Concrete Network (www.concretenetwork.com). The Web site is an excellent source for all types of concrete solutions, including cleaning, resurfacing and waterproofing.
Tips on staining concrete:
Clean the concrete surface. Remove loose cement particles or any other debris from walls and floors. Oil and grease stains can be cleaned with a trisodium phosphate solution.
A thick-nap roller works best. Gently put pressure on the outside edges of the roller first. This will minimize dripping from the edges.
Work in a ventilated area. Use fans and open windows.
New concrete should cure at least 90 days before staining.
Use the proper tools. Eye goggles and latex gloves are recommended protection for acid-based stains.
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