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| Achieve better results with Concrete Stain Prep Concrete stain which was once a specialty flooring product and found primarily in commercial applications has quickly become a residential product as well. Now found in many homes and gaining popularity, it has become today's alternative to traditional flooring, being used both indoors and outdoors. Concrete stain promises to give beautiful results while being very simple to use. The cost savings as compared to other flooring products is substantial, and the extremely low maintenance of concrete 'acid stain' is being enjoyed by all who have it. It tends to marbleize the concrete when used on smooth concrete and gives it more of a stone appearance when used on rougher concrete. It also has many other uses, such as garden statuary, retaining walls, water features, and more. Along with homes and many commercial applications, such as restaurants and malls, anyone who has been to an amusement park has seen concrete stain. The boulders, waterfalls, and cave walls are usually made of concrete and then stained. Certain major cities have began to use concrete acid stain for curbing and cross walks. This a great idea. Once the other states and cities catch on to this, you'll finally start to see much less peeling paint. Concrete stain can be sprayed on, brushed on, and some stains are rolled on. It can be sealed and/or waxed, or just left in a natural flat state. However, as great as concrete stain is, anyone that has seen and recognized very much concrete stain has inevitably seen a bad job as well. One that has spots, blemishes, or patches of trouble areas. Many blemishes and even hairline cracks are usually considered character and are actually desired to some extent, for the added character and uniqueness. Although the obvious 'job gone wrong' blemishes are not at all desired and can ruin an otherwise beautiful project. So you have to ask yourself, if concrete stain is so simple, then why and where are these bad jobs coming from? Well, that's easy. Incorrectly cleaning and preparing the concrete to be stained, is definitely the primary cause, hence the creation of Concrete Stain Prep. When staining concrete, or when applying any decorative concrete product for that matter, cleaning and preparing the concrete is all important. If the concrete has not been adequately cleaned and prepared, then inferior results will ensue. If you were to look at concrete under a microscope you would see that it looks like a sponge. Though it appears to be a smooth surface to the eye, it is actually very porous. The need to clean the surface is obvious and fairly easy, it's what stays trapped in the pores that will work against you. This is the piece of the puzzle that makes the difference. 'Concrete acid stain' which is by far the best concrete staining product, works by penetrating the concrete surface and pores, and reacting chemically with the cement and minerals within. Thereby permanently changing the surface color, it tends to mottle and give you the darks and lights, highs and lows, naturally. Obtaining the marble or stone look. 'Acrylic concrete stain' or other types of topical stains, which are similar to paints, come in solid colors, transparent, or semi transparent and still needs as clean of a surface with as clean of pores as they can get, to grab on. Without clean pores, no type of stain can work or perform as well. Even when staining new concrete, oils, glues, curing agents, and other undesirables can be found. Many times you do not even realize that they are present, until after you have stained the concrete. Then you definitely know where your oils, paints, and trouble spots are, because acid stain simply will not take as well in those areas or spots, if at all. And acrylic stain or topical stains will not stick as well as they need to, leading to premature failure. Trouble spots can be caused by many different foreign substances, and once you've stained the concrete, it's a little late to go back to the cleaning stage. Some suggest acid washing the concrete first, however, acid washing the surface greatly diminishes the effects of concrete stain and should definitely be stayed away from, along with cleaners that contain heavy alkali's. And besides, acid washing will simply not work on many substances. Especially if your dealing with an older floor or one that has been covered in glues, paints, or muck. That's why Concrete Stain Prep was developed. The latest product by Concrete Camouflage, it is sure to revolutionize the concrete stain industry. Concrete Stain Prep is a biodegradable concentrate formula that you mix with water, and that replaces the need for multiple cleaning and stripping products. It deep cleans the concrete. Getting into the pores and lifting oils, dirt, and grime, as well as stripping contaminants. It leaves the concrete and it's pores squeaky clean and ready to stain. Finally you can clean and prepare concrete adequately, easily, and economically. Though formulated to mix with water, you can also use Concrete Stain Prep straight if needed, but beware, it will soften or melt rubber tires when used straight. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Construction News :: home page |