Gray Concrete Stain Gallery

Project Info:

• Project Completed In: 3 day(s)
• Estimate of Square Footage: 200 sq. ft.
• Project Description:

Outdoor patio needed a major make over. We contacted a few professional companies in our area quotes came in around 3,000!!! that made us think perhaps we can do it ourselves! it can’t look any worse than it does now.

After researching online for about a month hubby and I opted to purchase from Direct Colors because of the simple easy to understand instructions, along with the ” how to videos ” available on the website.

I must admit we both were feeling a bit apprehensive at first to take on such a massive project. We are both in our mid 50″s with zero previous experience.

After contacting the wonderful customer support service team at Direct Colors we took the plunge and ordered. The customer service team is professional, knowledgeable and was patient with our questions explaining in layman’s terms our questions.

It’ was comforting to know professional assistance was just a phone call away 3 days later our patio was finished, looks amazingly well done saved literally thousands of dollars and had the feeling of accomplishment.

Thank you Direct Colors!

• Personal Tips:
  Pre- preparation is 90% the key to success. A clean, grease free surface is a must!
  Check weather forecast partly cloudy/ no rain in the forecast for 3 days, green flag to begin
  Make sure you have all equipment ( brushes, tarps, rollers, trays, etc.) required gathered in one handy space

Create a checklist of materials needed prior to starting.
Read then re-read the directions/ instructions

Jot down any questions you may have, then contact Direct Colors customer support … the team is fabulous!

Direct Colors Products Used:
Antiquing stain Light Charcoal and Gray
Satin sealant.

Project Info:

• Project Completed In: 2 day(s)
• Estimate of Square Footage: 400 sq. ft.
• Project Description:
  This was a color restoration project for a stamped concrete patio. This patio used to be colored, but it hadn’t been sealed for over 14 years, so it had lost almost all of its original colors. I almost decided to hire this out to simply pressure wash and seal it, but for the same amount of money, I found that I could restore the colors as well! Direct Colors made it simple with all the DIY kits and instructions and videos available. It was easy! In fact, the hardest part was just waiting for a few days of dry weather!I started out by pressure washing and cleaning the stamped concrete patio, removing any mold or dirt. At this point, I could barely see the old colors. The majority of the patio was faded to gray. I let the patio dry for about 24 hours.After drying, I applied the colors. I started with the inner body of the patio, coloring it with the Russet Antiquing Stain. Just shook the bottle of color up and then loaded it into the sprayer. I applied the colors to the main body until I achieved a nice wet layer. I just used a simple cardboard box to cover the border while spraying so I didn’t accidently combine colors.While waiting for it to dry, I decided to use a paint roller to apply the Eagle Gray colors to the border. This way, it was easier for me to control the colors. Again, applying to achieve a nice wet look. Once this was done, I repeated the coloring process to apply a second layer.The colors were nice and bright after applying. The different was noticeable already! I let it sit overnight to dry.The following day, I loaded up the Solvent based Acrylic sealer into a new sprayer. I started on the entrance by the steps and just worked my way out. I first applied a pretty thing layer, just enough to coat the entire patio. I already noticed the nice sheen and deeper colors starting to form! I let the first layer drive for about 7 hours.Before applying the second layer of sealer, I used a hand spreader to spread a very light coat of the non-slip sealer additive over the whole patio. Afterwards, I followed the same sealing process, spraying on top of the non-slip additive layer. At this point, the colors had popped and I was already pleased with the results!After waiting 24 hours to let the sealer dry, I let my pup decide on whether I did a good job. He scoped out the new colors and made himself at home. The following day, it rained, and was happy to see the water beading up nicely!
• Personal Tips:
  – Definitely shake the colors a good bit before loading into a sprayer, as well as while spraying.
  – When using multiple colors, be meticulous about covering areas that shouldn’t be colored. Also, be aware that sprayers can drip out of the nozzle after coloring is complete.Other Products Used:

Other than the DIY kits, I used a pressure washer to clean the patio. I applied the Eagle gray using a roller and pan, instead of the included sprayer.