EverStain™ provides a permanent color change to your concrete and is well-suited for almost any concrete surface. Smooth concrete typically results in a more distinctive marbleization of color than porous or brushed concrete surfaces.
If your concrete is badly weathered and you see a fair amount of sand and/or stone aggregate, be aware that EverStain™ will not color aggregate. In this case, consider either resurfacing with Direct Colors Concrete Overlay and then applying EverStain™, or use one of our other colorants such as Portico™ Paver Stain.
Quick Facts
Note: Since this is a made to-order-product, we cannot offer refunds, exchanges, or returns.
Due to DOT-ORM-D regulations, this product cannot be expedited and can only be shipped by ground.
How does EverStain™ Acid Stain work?
Everstain is a blend of metal salts, low acid content, and water. The formula of chemicals reacts with the mineral content (calcium/lime in Portland cement) of your concrete, causing it to turn a relatively predictable color.
There is no slab of concrete that has a perfect blend of minerals throughout, so whenever the mineral concentrations are lighter, the acid stain will be lighter. This is what provides that famous marbleization that we all love!
Note: All project images on our website have been provided by actual customers using Direct Colors EverStain Acid Stains. Use our project photos for inspiration but always test a small area before you embark on a full project to make sure your slab develps in the desired manner.
What Colors Are Acid Stains?
Acid stains typically come in 10 different colors. Acid stain colors are translucent and the overall effect has an element of unpredictability because the color outcome depends on the reaction between the stain and the components of your concrete slab.
We highly recommend testing small areas or samples prior to starting a project, since the final color may differ significantly from what is shown on the Color Chart due to factors, including, but not limited to, the age of the existing slab, mix design, finishing techniques, concrete base colors, and surface permeability.
Before Acid Staining: Know Your Concrete
Prior to staining, a slab must meet the following criteria:
- Older, excessively power-washed, or mechanically-profiled concrete may not react with acid stains
- Concrete acid stain does not stain rocks, sand or aggregate
- Exposed aggregate or otherwise depleted Portland cement may cause the acid stain to take irregularly, react weakly or produce a color inconsistent with the acid stain color chart
- Concrete must be free of debris, dirt and oils, paint, dry wall mud, adhesive, sealers, stains of any kind or similar materials. Acid stain cannot react properly with the concrete if these things are present. These areas will likely not accept the stain, leaving color imperfections, particularly in the case of mastic, drywall mud, and paint
- Newly poured concrete slabs and countertops should include less than 10% fly ash to insure a good chemical reaction with the acid stain. Check with your ready mix company or read the countertop mix Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for concrete additive information
- Newly poured concrete can be acid stained 30 days after the pour
- Concrete should not have been treated with a waterproofing agent, cleaned with muriatic acid or a heavy trisodium phosphate (TSP) solution. The acid stain reaction cannot occur on surfaces treated with these products
Applying Concrete Acid Stain TipsSafety First! Remember to use goggles, gloves and a dust mask while working with concrete acid stain.
- After cleaning concrete, you do not have to wait for concrete to dry to start the acid stain application
- Smooth interior floors such as basements should be etched with Hard Troweled Pre-Treatment before staining
- The appearance of the finished product is very much influenced by the manner in which you apply the acid stain. We recommend spraying the stain on the surface using an all-plastic pump sprayer. For smaller spaces, you can use a plastic spray bottle
- If you'd lile a darker, more even tone, brush the acid stain into the surface using consistent circular strokes
- If using a brush, spray on a second coat to eliminate any brush strokes on the surface unless that is the desired finish
- For a more diffuse look, spray the stain onto the surface without brushing
- For a multi-tone effect with distinct areas of color, begin with your lightest color as a base coat
- Base coats can either be a light acid stain color, such as Azure Blue, Malayan Buff, or one of the darker stains cut with water
- Apply one heavy coat of your base color and immediately apply accent coats while the stain is still wet to encourage a more natural appearance on the slab
- Continue to apply the lighter to darker colored accents until satisfied with the results
- If walking on wet acid stain, wear acid resistant spiked shoes, golf shoes, or similar cleats to avoid leaving foot impressions on the floor
To learn more about "Marbling Effect" technique using two or more acid stain colors click here
- For a veined appearance, spray your secondary or “veining” color on the surface first.
- While still wet, feather the primary color into and around the secondary color, allowing it to flow together at the edges.
- Be careful not to cover your secondary color completely, especially if it is a lighter shade.
For more details on "Veining Technique" click here
- No two finished floors are exactly same, as acid staining is an artistic process.
- Always complete small test patches on your surface or prepare sample boards to practice with the sprayer and determine which look you prefer.
- Each of our acid stain colors can be cut with water to produce an array of different colors and shades. Keep in mind that if the water content is too high, the chemical reaction between the stain and the concrete will be significantly reduced and may not be strong enough to produce the desired color, especially on older slabs.
- We do not recommend cutting our acid stains by more than 4 parts water to 1 part acid stain unless you are very experienced with this product.
- Some colors vary more than others when increasing the water content and many factors determine how dark the final stain color will be, such as age of concrete, cement content, and weathering.
- As the acid stain dries, a chalky residue will likely form on the surface of the concrete. This is a normal part of the staining process.
- Each stain has different activation times to fully color the concrete, generally from four to eight hours. However, the stains can be left on for longer if you want a darker color.
For a complete list of Acid Stain Color Activation Times click here
Summer Tip: Hot, dry conditions can cause acid stain to prematurely dry before properly reacting with the concrete. For best results, slightly dampen the surface before applying acid stain to outdoor concrete. Sealers should not be applied to concrete over 90 F. For outdoor projects, apply sealers either late in the evening or early in the morning when concrete temperatures are at their lowest.
Notice Check your stain’s activation time before beginning the job. Stains can be left on the surface for longer, but not less, than the activation time. - If you are working on a concrete countertop project or attempting to stain separate rooms the same color, use a timer to insure equivalent activation times for each countertop section or room.
- Remember to spray a second coat of stain over the dried residue of the first coat to assure complete coverage.
- Do not walk on wet residue.
- If you must walk on the processing surface, use acid stain resistant spiked shoes to prevent marks or shoe impressions on the surface. You can use golf shoes, football cleats, or plastic bags over stocking feet.
- We do not recommend Avocado, Azure Blue, Seagrass, or Shifting Sand concrete acid stain for outdoor use.
Keep in mind that all concrete surfaces are not alike. Although acid staining overlaid surfaces generally produces similar results to that of new concrete slabs, variation between products can occur. To assure the desired results, always prepare a small test area prior to beginning any acid stain project.
How Long Does Acid Stain Take To Dry?
Different stains require varying amounts of time to activate and fully color the concrete, generally from 2 – 8 hours. See our Acid Stain Color Activation Times Chart for details. Be sure to check the acid stain color activation time before starting a project to ensure full surface coloring. For the most color from a given stain, spray another coat over the dried residue.
Neutralizing TipsOnce the residue has dried and the stain has been given at least the recommended minimum time to react, the surface should be neutralized and all debris or excess stain removed in the following manner:
- Thoroughly spreadProClean Neutralizer™ solution across the slab, scouring with a nylon scrub brush where needed to remove residue.
- You can also use a wet/dry vacuum for indoor projects.
- For applications including Penetrating Hardener/Sealer, consider repeating this step to be absolutely certain all concrete acid stain has been neutralized before cleaning.
- Wash the surface carefully using clean water until nothing but clear water is visible.
- All residue and excess color must be removed from the floor BEFORE leaving to dry.
- For stubborn residue or porous surfaces, use a floor soap or organic degreaser to aid in the removal.
- The clean, wet surface will be the approximate color of the final sealed surface.
- Leave to dry.
- After the surface has completely dried, the floor should be ready to seal.
Sealing TipsAfter the surface has been neutralized, cleaned and has thoroughly dried, the acid stained floor must be sealed with an appropriate concrete sealer. See how-to guide specific to your sealer purchase. DO NOT apply masking or duct-tape to a stained and sealed surface. The tape will adhere to the sealer and damage the acid stain finish.
Waxing Tips (Indoors Only)- After sealing, applying Concrete Floor Wax and Polish to your surface is a critical final step in maintaining interior decorative concrete.
- Wax protects the finished surface but does not replace the need for sealer on your floor.
- While sealer penetrates into the pores of your concrete and maintains your floor’s color, wax is a topical coat designed to serve as a barrier between daily wear and tear and your floor’s sealed surface.
- If properly waxed and maintained, you’ll never need to seal again! Remember, floor polish is intended for interior applications only and should not be applied outdoors.
- Allow for 48-72 hours dry time for floors sealed with solvent based sealers before applying Residential or Commercial Wax.
- Before waxing thoroughly clean all dirt and debris from the surface using warm soapy water or water mixed with a light organic degreaser.
- Do not use harsh chemicals such as xylene, lacquer thinner, adhesive remover or similar products. These chemicals will remove your sealer and ruin the finish on your decorative concrete.
- First mop the floor with the cleaning solution then mop again using water only. Finally, leave the floor to dry making certain all residue has been removed from the floor.
- After the surface has dried, apply either the residential or commercial wax with either a sponge mop with wringer attachment, floor coater or trim pad. Pour the floor polish into a paint tray and use the ridges to purge the applicator of excess polish before applying.
- The thinner the coat, the stronger each layer of floor polish will be.
- For the first application, apply 2-3 thin coats floor polish allowing each coat to dry completely before applying the next.
- To limit the possibility of streaking, apply the first coat "east to west" (across the width of the room) and the second coat "north to south" (down the lenght of the romm from back to front).
- Before allowing traffic on the floor, test the wax by applying pressure to the surface with your fingernail.
- If the surface dents the wax will require more time to dry. Select commercial wax over residential wax if large dogs will routinely be on the floors.
- Buffing in this instance would be optional.
- Depending traffic, the floor should be waxed approximately every 3-8 months.
- Before reapplying, walk the surface of the floor to determine if spot waxing will suffice.
- Always clean the floor thoroughly before application.
- Cold Temperature Warning: DO NOT apply water-based concrete sealers or floor waxes when surface temperatures are below 65°F (18°C)
- Turn on the central heat and air and set it to 75°F (24°C) to raise the floor temperature before applying.
- Lay a flat thermometer covered with a towel on the floor for 5-10 mins, or use an infrared thermometer to confirm floor temperature.
- All heating sources and overhead fans must be turned off during application.
- In-floor heating should be set at 60 to 65 (16 to 18°C ) before and turned off during the application process.
- Fans and heat can be turned on after application to aid with drying.
- Do not allow wax to freeze.
Disclaimer: Direct Colors does not warrant or guarantee results (outcomes). Concrete variations or improper application may cause unintended results. Test product on an inconspicuous or small area and allow to fully cure to ensure compatibility and desired result.
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