The AcquaTint™ Trial System is the smart way to test water-based colored concrete sealer colors before committing to a full project. It includes 3 AcquaTint™ colors of your choice in sample sizes and 3 foam brush applicators — everything you need to test colors on your actual concrete and see exactly how each one will look on your specific surface before ordering the full quantity.

AcquaTint™ is a colored concrete sealer — color and surface protection in a single water-based product. One application delivers both the color you want and the sealer your concrete needs, with low odor and easy cleanup. But concrete varies more than most people realize — surface finish, porosity, age, and existing concrete color all affect how AcquaTint™ looks on your specific slab. Testing on your actual concrete is the only reliable way to confirm your color before investing in full quantities.

Why You Need to Test on Your Actual Concrete

The variables that affect how AcquaTint™ looks on your specific surface include:

• Porosity — More porous concrete absorbs more sealer, producing deeper, richer color. Denser surfaces absorb less, resulting in a lighter, more uniform appearance
• Surface finish — Smooth-troweled, broom-finished, stamped, and textured surfaces each interact with colored sealer differently, affecting how evenly color distributes and how it appears at different angles
• Concrete age — Older concrete tends to have different porosity and surface conditions than newer slabs, which affects how much AcquaTint™ absorbs versus sits on the surface
• Existing concrete color — AcquaTint™ is semi-transparent, not opaque. Your starting concrete tone will show through and influence the final color — lighter gray concrete and darker concrete will produce different results with the same color
• Prior treatments — Any existing sealer, curing compound, or surface coating will affect adhesion and color uniformity in those areas

Testing 3 AcquaTint™ colors on your actual concrete shows you exactly what each color will look like — including the finish — before you commit to a full project.

Why Testing Saves You Money

A full-size AcquaTint™ order covers your entire project surface. If you apply it and discover the color isn't what you expected, removing a bonded sealer requires stripping and starting over — an expensive and time-consuming correction. The Trial System is the affordable way to confirm your color on your specific concrete before placing a full order.

How to Use the Trial System

1. Pick your test area carefully. Choose an inconspicuous section of your actual concrete — a driveway edge that will be covered by plantings, a hidden corner of a patio, or a piece of scrap concrete from the same pour. Test on the actual surface you plan to seal, not a different slab.
2. Clean and prep the test area the same way you'd prep your finished project — degrease and rinse thoroughly. Remove any existing sealer or coating before testing; AcquaTint™ must bond directly to clean, bare concrete for proper adhesion and accurate color results.
3. Mark out 3 test sections. Label them so you remember which color is which.
4. Apply each AcquaTint™ sample with a separate foam brush. Never reuse a brush across colors — cross-contamination will affect the result. Apply very lightly, letting the foam glide across the surface; pressing down forces out too much product and causes streaks. Work in one direction across the test section.
5. Apply a second coat in the same direction as the first. Wait at least 2 hours between coats and confirm the first coat is ready with a thumbnail test — press firmly, and if no dent forms, you can recoat. Two coats match the finish of the full project, so a one-coat test will look lighter than your finished floor.
6. Allow to cure for 24 hours to see the final cured color and finish. AcquaTint™ appears milky when wet and dries clear, and usually looks lighter dry than wet.
7. Compare the results and pick your color. Once you've chosen, order your full-size AcquaTint™ Colored Concrete Sealer.

⚠ Safety

AcquaTint™ is water-based and low-odor. Wear gloves and eye protection, and avoid contact with skin and eyes. See the Safety Data Sheet for full handling precautions.

Direct Colors: Made in the USA Since 1997

The AcquaTint™ Trial System contains the exact same AcquaTint™ formulation as the full-size product — just in sample quantities. What you see in the trial is what you'll get on the full project.