Acid Staining
Staining concrete is one of the most popular applications for transforming concrete slabs. Often referred to as colored concrete, homeowners, designers and builders are drawn to stained concrete because of the unique outcome that can be achieved combining colors, application techniques, etc., on cement flooring and other substrates. The results are limited only by the creativity of those involved in the stained concrete process. Because of concrete's porous qualities and neutral tone, it is the perfect blank canvas for topically applied color. Using acid-based chemical stains, decorative concrete contractors have been able to achieve rich, earth-toned color schemes resembling natural stone, marble, wood, or even leather, giving a completely custom look to cement floors, concrete driveways, patios, walkways, pool decks, concrete walls and more.
Most acid stains are a mixture of water, hydrochloric acid, and acid-soluble metallic salts. They work by penetrating the surface and reacting chemically with the hydrated lime (calcium hydroxide) in the concrete. The acid in the stain lightly etches the surface, allowing the metallic salts to penetrate more easily. Once the stain reacts, it becomes a permanent part of the concrete and won't fade, chip off, or peel away. Like stains for wood, acid-based stains are translucent and the color they produce will vary depending on the color and condition of the substrate they are applied to. Each concrete slab will accept the stain in varying degrees of intensity, creating natural color variations that bring character and distinction to each project. What acid stains don't offer is a broad color selection. You'll mostly find them in a limited array of subtle earth tones, such as tans, browns, terra cottas, and soft blue-greens. But newer products on the market such as water-based penetrating stains and water- and solvent-based concrete dyes are greatly expanding the artist's palette with colors ranging from soft pastels to vivid reds, oranges, yellows, and purples.
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Interior Floors
It has become the new material of choice for designers and homeowners across the United States. Concrete floors in stained, colored, painted, and personalized glory are popping up in retail stores, trendy restaurants, offices, and homes everywhere. A concrete floor offers numerous options for interior rooms including nearly limitless designs, colors, and even health benefits.
One of the most common places you'll see decorative concrete these days is under your feet. Whether it's acid-stained, painted, overlays, microtoppings, radiant floors, or a unique personal floor, concrete floors offer a range unlike any other material. Cement flooring no longer has to be gray and boring. Now coloring concrete, or applying textures, patterns, saw cuts, etc., can bring new life to this traditional substrate. Concrete can be so uniquely designed or so naturally colored that it blends seamlessly with other elements in a room--oftentimes, you don't even realize it's a concrete floor you're standing on!
Many are welcoming, embracing, and anxiously pursuing concrete floors for their own home projects. All it typically takes is one look whether it's in a magazine, on a home tour, a television show, or in someone's home and you're hooked.
Reasons why concrete is a popular material for cement floors:
- It enhances the integrity of architect's designs.
- They are easy to maintain.
- It's easy to change, especially if you sell your home; the next owner can place carpet or wood on top of the concrete slab.
- They are a good alternative to carpet if you have allergies
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Concrete Overlay
Want to permanently cover up surface imperfections in existing concrete? Or turn a plain-jane slab from drab to fab? With today's decorative overlays, it's easy to give almost any concrete surface, indoors or out, a complete face-lift and at a much lower cost than removal and replacement. The real challenge is choosing from among the many resurfacing products available and the diverse array of decorative finishes possible. There are multiple options available for achieving any look imaginable with a concrete overlay.
Although cement-based overlays have been around for decades, many of today's systems blend polymer resins with cement, sand, and other additives to improve performance, wear resistance, and aesthetic qualities. Polymer-modified overlays can be applied in layers as thin as a credit card or up to several inches thick without delamination or failure. They adhere well to existing concrete and resist damage from salt, chemicals, UV exposure, freeze-thaw conditions, and abrasion.
While most types of polymer-modified overlays offer similar performance benefits, each system has its own unique characteristics. Overlay manufacturers use different types of polymer resins, often blending them to produce proprietary products with distinct physical attributes. Many of today's decorative overlays use acrylics or acrylic blends because these resins provide excellent bond strength and UV resistance.
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Concrete Polishing
Polished concrete is fast becoming the ultimate no-wax flooring material. Thanks to recent advances in polishing equipment and techniques, contractors are now grinding concrete floor surfaces, whether new or old to a high-gloss finish that never needs waxes or coatings. Factor in the superior durability and performance of concrete, and it's no wonder why more retail, warehouse, and office facilities are opting for polished concrete flooring as an alternative to marble, granite, tile, linoleum, or coated concrete. Even homeowners are catching on to the appeal of these smooth, high-luster floors, which can be stained to replicate the look of polished stone.
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Decorative Engraving
There are many decorative treatments for freshly placed concrete, including pattern stamping, exposed aggregate, and textured finishes. But what about an existing plain-gray concrete driveway, sidewalk, or patio that's in sore need of decorative flair? How do you give it a dramatic and lasting makeover, short of ripping it out and starting over?One answer is engraving—the use of special tools and equipment to cut patterns and designs into existing concrete. Unlike toppings or overlays, engraving is a permanent treatment that won't wear away or lose bond because the patterns are carved into the concrete rather than applied on top of it. When the concrete is further enhanced by staining, the decorative possibilities are truly spectacular.
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Concrete Dyes
For decorative contractors who use concrete as a canvas for color, the combination of chemical stains and concrete dyes is a perfect synergy. Although stains have received much applause for their amazing color transformations, dyes deserve equal kudos. These underrated coloring agents can achieve vibrant tones simply not possible with stains alone.
"Dyes can get the applicator into more vibrant colors such as yellow, blue, and purple to name a few," says Bob Harris, president of The Decorative Concrete Institute and author of Bob Harris Guide to Stained Concrete Interior Floors. The nice thing about working with dyes is that you can mix them at the jobsite to obtain your desired color. Dyes are often used in conjunction with acid stains to produce a variegated look and, in most cases, complement the already stained floor.
Les Davis, developer of BRICKFORM'S Dye-N-Seal had this important comment about concrete dyes: Translucent dyes penetrate the concrete drying in less than one minute in most climates with minimal cleaning required following the application. Therefore, the applicator completes the job about 60% faster than a typical acid stain due to reduced dry time and less cleaning. If you protect the surface with a topical sealer and/or wax you get a very vestal floor. Most water-based, solvent-based, or urethane-based sealers are compatible with dyes. In conclusion, dye is a powerful solution in virtually any application when the installer is seeking rich mottling effects with minimal installation time.
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Stenciling Concrete Floors
Developed more than 10 years ago, stencils offer decorative concrete contractors more options than ever for producing attractive yet economical color and texture combinations.
In addition to numerous available field patterns, custom stencils create new possibilities with decorative borders; to include corner accents, company logos, family crests, monograms and more.
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| Picture Courtesy of Modello Designs |
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Resurfacing Concrete
Conventional wisdom holds that old concrete, with cracks, surface discoloration, or surface imperfections, must be removed and replaced if improving the look of the concrete is the goal. Many times homeowners are discouraged by their cement flooring or other concrete areas, not realizing the option available to them to resurface their already existing concrete.
Resurfacing concrete with polymer-modified overlay systems is a viable way to improve existing concrete surfaces.
Resurfacing can range from simply making the concrete look like new again, or upgrading the surface with a variety of colors and patterns. Whether it's a concrete driveway, cement floor or patio, resurfacing options let you transform your old, often ugly, concrete into a new, smooth colored concrete surface.
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Vertical Wall Overlay
You've seen how decorative stamping can add beauty and drama to concrete floors, sidewalks, driveways, and other horizontal surfaces. Wouldn't it be great if you could use the same process to enhance vertical surfaces, such as the walls inside your home or building, a fireplace front, or an exterior privacy wall?
Now you can with a new cementitious wall overlay material called Flex-C-Ment. Only about one-third the weight of a conventional cementitious overlay, the material can be applied directly over primed drywall, wood, masonry, and other vertical surfaces, indoors and out. And it's specially formulated to go on thickly so you can create various rock textures and other designs using stamps or hand-sculpting techniques
With the Flex-C-Ment wall mix, you can create a deep relief, building the wall overlay out 3 inches or more without any sagging," says Andy Yoder of Yoder & Sons LLC, the inventor of the product. Yoder has been experimenting with specialty cements and concrete materials for more than 30 years. His innovative overlay products include a fiber-reinforced cement-based floor system that can be applied over wood, vinyl, and other surfaces and a countertop overlay that goes over existing formica or plywood. But the wall overlay material, which he perfected a few years ago, is the first product of its kind for vertical surfaces and offers more flexibility than manufactured stone.
"You can do more with Flex-C-Ment than manufactured stone because you can make the stone patterns any size and shape you want," says Yoder. "The material takes the impression of stamps well and is easy to sculpt or carve. You can also work it around corners and fit it into narrow areas. When compared with manufactured stone, our product costs 20% to 40% less to install."
Flex-C-Ment wall overlays also are fire-resistant, weather-resistant, and waterproof. And mineral pigments can be applied to the surface to duplicate the warm earth-tone colors of natural stone or rock. The result is a remarkably realistic stone-look facade that will last for decades.
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Informational content obtained from ConcreteNetwork
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