Direct Colors DIY Home Improvement · Episode 33
Listen to this episode
If a whole-house project feels overwhelming, start in the smallest room. Shawna Turner on why a bathroom is the right size to learn on — including a customer who had already botched one attempt at staining his floor, was about to give up and buy vinyl, and finished with something better than he had imagined.
6 min 12 sec · Download MP3 (8.5 MB)
For this job you need: EverStain™ · ColorWave® · HydroCryl™
Not sure which is right for your slab? Send us the details — the free project consultation is a person, not a form letter.
The written guide on this topic, with photographs: Acid Stained Concrete Bathroom Floor.
Editor’s note. This episode was recorded some years ago. The transcript below has been corrected where the facts have changed; nothing about the technique has been altered.
- ⚠ Several products central to this episode are discontinued. Direct Colors no longer sells a concrete overlay (white or otherwise), a white countertop mix, a metallic epoxy, or a countertop refinishing kit. The Direct Colors product names and codes have been dropped, but the generic material names remain in the transcript — so Shawna is heard recommending “the metallic epoxy” and “the countertop refinishing kit”, and quoting its 50 sq ft coverage, as she did at the time of recording. Neither is sold today and neither has a Direct Colors equivalent; read them as the method, not as a current recommendation, and see “What to use for this today” below. Her line “we offer white in both our overlay and countertop mix” is likewise historical. The technique and the reasoning are unchanged, and a cement-based overlay from a concrete supplier will still do the job described.
- “Coffee Brown” is still a current EverStain™ color, and diluting it in varying ratios — the technique that made that bathroom floor work — still applies.
- The WordPress photo caption for the vanity project named “Black” acid stain. That caption was dropped with the rest of the gallery text, but it is worth flagging: EverStain™’s darkest color is Blackish, and “Black” is a DecoGel™ color. Check which line you are ordering from.
- The customer review quoted in this episode is genuine, posted by the customer on the Direct Colors Facebook page and read out on air. It is reproduced word for word, including his own quotation marks around “a botched job”. “Mr. Thomas” speaks for himself; he is an independent customer, not affiliated with Direct Colors, and his review refers to staff and products of the time.
- Shawna’s pointer to Ken Lazenby of Ken’s Custom Designs is kept, because Ken is interviewed in his own episode — but the how-to videos she sends you to are no longer published, and the URL given on air has been dropped. Ken speaks for himself and is not affiliated with Direct Colors.
- The consultation URL given on air, /resources/design-consultation/, no longer exists. It is now the free online project consultation page.
- Housekeeping, applied to every episode in this archive. The spoken sign-off has been rewritten to point here rather than at the old directcolors.com/listen address. The RSS-feed line, the social-media list and any pointers to retired photo-gallery, blog or video pages have been dropped, along with pointers to pages that have since been retired or superseded by the links under What’s Next — in some episodes that removes a whole sentence or a short exchange. Every speaker says “design consultation”; the service is now called the free project consultation, and we have used the current name throughout rather than send you to a page that no longer exists. Run-on speaker turns, duplicated intro lines and obvious transcription slips have been repaired without changing meaning. Nothing bearing on technique, safety or product choice has been altered; those changes are itemized above.
Still accurate: a bathroom is the ideal size for a first project; a vanity is smaller and cheaper to refinish than a kitchen top; diluting one acid stain color at different ratios is a genuine design technique; and white concrete remains hard to source locally.
What to use for this today
The overlay, white countertop mix, metallic epoxy and refinishing kit are all discontinued. A bathroom is still the right first project — here is what does the job now.
- Bathroom floor
- EverStain™ Acid Stain (Coffee Brown diluted at different ratios is exactly the technique described), or EasyTint™ Tinted Sealer if the slab will not react.
- Vanity top color
- ColorWave® Stain, AcquaTint™ PRO Colored Sealer or Vibrance™ Dye.
- Seal a bathroom floor
- AcquaSeal™ then ProWax Polish™ — low odor matters in a small room.
- Start small and prove it
- EverStain™ Trial System, or the EverStain™ 3-Step Complete Kit for the whole room.
Vanity tops are worth checking before you buy — use the free project consultation.
Full transcript
Tommy Carter: You’re listening to Direct Colors podcast Episode 33: Bathroom Remodeling is a Snap with Decorative Concrete. If this is your first time listening, then thanks for listening. I’m Tommy Carter, Sales Manager and Technician with Direct Colors. If you’re thinking of starting a home remodeling project but are overwhelmed by the idea of tackling your whole house, why not begin in the bathroom? Bathrooms are an ideal size for a first time project, and our General Manager, Shawna Turner, is here to discuss why and tell us how to get started. Welcome, Shawna.
Shawna Turner: Thanks, Tommy.
TC: So why is a bathroom remodel such a good introductory project for homeowners?
ST: As you mentioned before, it is often the smallest room in the house, so refinishing the floors or bathroom vanity doesn’t seem like such a daunting task. We had a customer a few years ago with a particularly challenging bathroom remodeling project. He had basically gutted the room and was starting from scratch. The floor was heavily stained and in such terrible condition that, after some discussion, Mr. Thomas decided to use a concrete overlay to create a brand new floor surface — a wise decision in this case. The floor was less than 50 square feet, so he only needed one box for the project, and after watching our videos and reading over the how-to application guide, he felt ready to proceed. I think the results speak for themselves.
TC: How would you say decorative concrete compares to other interior design options?
ST: It’s true that there are a lot of options out there. I know Mr. Thomas appreciated the ways in which he could customize his overall design outcome. For example, he chose a white overlay and followed with various dilutions of Coffee Brown acid stain. Though we offer white in both our overlay and countertop mix, white concrete can be difficult to find locally. He selected that option because it provided the color contrast that complemented the other elements of the bathroom well.
ST: Here’s the review he later posted: “I had what I called, ‘a botched job’ at an attempt to stain my floor. I panicked and contemplated vinyl flooring. I called your toll free number and you recommended that I start over with a concrete overlay and apply diluted acid stain in various ratios based on my intended design. I really appreciate your patience. The floor came out far better than I could have ever imagined. My wife and I owe it all to the great advice from Justin and Shawna of Direct Colors Inc.” I also think that people like to be creative and have something beautiful in their homes that they actually did themselves. Acid staining in particular offers our customers a one-of-a-kind finish, and that’s very appealing.
TC: What about countertops? Remodeling existing countertops, or adding a new poured concrete top in a bathroom, also seems like a manageable project for homeowners.
ST: That’s absolutely true. Concrete countertops offer endless customization options for any bathroom design. In fact, I think refinishing bathroom vanities is one of our most popular projects at the moment. Vanities are typically smaller than kitchen countertops and require less time as well as money to remodel. An overlay does a wonderful job of putting a brand new finish on a properly prepared surface, which allows customers to start over in the bathroom with any look they wish, affordably. It’s important to point out that remodeling doesn’t have to break the bank.
TC: What’s the top selling product for refinishing bathroom vanities?
ST: Without question, it’s the metallic epoxy. For a bathroom vanity project, the countertop refinishing kit is perfect, because each kit covers up to 50 square feet and that’s about the size of your average bathroom countertop. If you’re really thinking about using a metallic epoxy for a countertop project, I recommend watching Ken Lazenby with Ken’s Custom Design — he has several excellent how-to videos that do a great job of demonstrating the process step by step.
TC: Any final thoughts for our listeners about taking on a bathroom remodeling project?
ST: I’d say plan everything out carefully before you begin. Direct Colors has hundreds of project photos categorized by product, or by project in the case of concrete countertops. Make a note of what pictures appeal to you. Use the search bar on the website — type in bathroom, remodeling or countertop to see all the relevant posts, featured projects and products that might be of interest. All of our product how-to guides are available online, so read up on the application details to help decide if this is the right direction for you. Lastly, call us to speak to a technician directly, or send in a free online project consultation if you prefer to discuss the specifics of your project. We’re here to help and are happy to do so.
TC: Thanks, Shawna. That’s sound advice, and if you’re a homeowner with a remodeling project, call me, Tommy, at 877-255-2656 and we’ll determine the best products and technique for your needs. Direct Colors DIY Home Improvement podcasts were produced twice monthly for your enjoyment, and the show notes live here in the Direct Colors listening archive. I’m Tommy Carter, and thanks again for joining us!
What’s Next
- The written guide → Acid Stained Concrete Bathroom Floor
- Vanities and tops → Refinish an Old Countertop · DIY Concrete Countertops
- The staining method → How to Apply Acid Stain · Coffee Brown Gallery
- On white concrete → How to Get Brilliant White Concrete
- Talk it through → Free Project Consultation
- Shop → EverStain™ · ColorWave® · HydroCryl™
