Fixing Acid Stain Problems Made Easy

“We recently stained a concrete deck floor in our house but had some acid staining issues. We think our acid stain did not take because we did not follow all the steps on how to prepare the concrete floor prior to staining, or maybe the floor was too smooth. We’re not sure. At this point, we have an acid stained floor that looks kind of weird and we do not know how to fix it. What would you recommend we do?”

What Sean encountered is not a common result of concrete staining, but it does happen. But, fixes are quick, easy, and inexpensive to do.

When concrete acid stain does not turn out well, it often only requires a touch up to fill in uneven areas to create the desired effect.

Similarly, if the color does not turn out as desired, highlights may be added to help blend in flaws or discoloration left behind by poor surface preparation.

In either case, we recommended that Sean use Direct Colors’ Concrete Dye as a great problem solver for fixing concrete acid stain problems.

• Adding secondary accents over previously acid stained concrete
• Adding highlights on top of sealer to color areas where acid stain did not penetrate due to poor surface preparation
• Controlling the degree and tone of color by adding new or multiple layers of the same or a combination of colors.

How To Fix Concrete Stain Problems

First, clean the floor with a light Concrete Cleaner & Degreaser solution. Thoroughly scrub & rinse all residues from the surface and allow the floor to dry.

Apply one coat of  Acrylic Concrete Sealer prior to spraying the dye colors. Because the dye particles are finely milled, most surfaces, especially porous and exterior concrete, should be sealed first before applying the dye.

Mix the concrete dye powder. Safety while applying colorant is important. Remember to use goggles and gloves while working with the concrete dye.

How the concrete dye is applied will largely determine the final result.

Here are the steps to properly applying Direct Colors concrete dye:

• Shake the mixture in the sprayer frequently to ensure an even, consistent color during the application.
• Spray the dye going right to left, then north to south.
• Try not to spray on too thick. The dye will dry almost instantly.
• Generally, 3-4 coats of dye should be sufficient for most applications, but additional dye can be applied to make the surface darker.
• Do not let the dye pool up in any area, so mop up these spots with a disposable rag.

Allow the product to dry thoroughly. Carefully use a dry buffer, soft cloth, or dust mop to remove excess colorant or residue on the surface before sealing.

Apply acrylic concrete sealer using a Pump-up Sprayer or HPLV sprayer. Use caution in applying solvent-based sealers, particularly during indoor applications. Wear a mask while applying the sealer and make certain the area is well ventilated to the outside.

Use a Water-Based Sealer in poorly ventilated spaces such as basements.

Concrete coloring problems aren’t common. But, they’re entirely fixable with some DIY handywork, the right attitude, and some great products from Direct Colors.

For more resources on Concrete Repair and Maintenance, visit our resources center.