Concrete is not just for driveways. A few years ago, concrete flooring started showing up in some of the most luxurious homes in the country. I was shocked at first.
Who would have thought of concrete in the home? However, it isn’t the same concrete in your garage. No longer is concrete seen as a drab, matte, grey driveway. Today’s concrete is beautiful, shiny, artistic, and can often resemble marble flooring. We are going to talk about how to stain concrete indoors as well as outside.
Making concrete a stunning part of your home is all about staining it to bring out its natural beauty. Best of all, it’s easier than you think. Whether you have an uninspiring porch, a drab walkway, or your considering creating a beautiful concrete floor in your new home, here’s everything you need to know about creating a stunning surface.
Start off right
If you’re pouring fresh concrete, it should be allowed to cure for 1 month to 1 year before you stain it. If you’re looking to stain an older concrete patio or walkway, you’ll need to repair any cracks of holes first.
Concrete stain will not do you any favors, so the concrete surface needs to be cured, level and smooth before you get started. If your concrete is beyond simple repairs, you might want to consider a solid color paint or stain instead.
The next step is to clean your floor with soap and water, don’t use bleach – it may create a deadly gas when reacting to the chemicals in the stain. Just sweep or vacuum and give it a good mop job. You can find specialty concrete cleaners, but be sure they do not include bleach or a bleach agent.
Time to Stain
Concrete stain is a specialty product, so make sure you’re not trying to use wood stain on a concrete floor. You can use a sprayer, brush, or roller to apply the stain. For outdoor jobs, a garden sprayer does a wonderful stain job.
