Aid stain are not a paint or coating. Acid stains are a mixture of water, hydrochloric acid and matallic salt. Acid stains work by chemically reacting with the lime in the top part, or cream, of the concrete flooring surface.
This is why it is important to inspect the concrete closely prior to beginning the staining process. Not all concrete floors are a candidate for acid stains. The best concrete for staining are slabs that have been heavily burnished, either by stain or by machine, leaving a polished floor.
Broom finished concrete generally does not react well with acid stains since the top surface is not as rich as a burnished finish.
Although they are often called acid stains acid is not the ingredient that produces the color. It is the oxidation process created with the metallic salts and calcium in the concrete. |