Can you stain an old concrete floor? This is one of the many questions we’ve been asked about staining concrete. You’ve probably heard about this question several times. The answer is yes. There is an innovative and great approach to fixing the old concrete. The surface’s size and location don’t affect the outcome of the stain on the old surface.

There is no difference in the staining of new concrete to the old one. But just a few extra steps that are important for you to understand. Below are six tips that you can use when staining an old concrete and what makes it different from staining a new one.

Take note that you should use Concrete Acid Stains and shy away from Acrylic Stains. These are paints disguised as Stains, and after a while, they will peel off.

Prepare Your Materials

Are you aware of all the materials necessary before staining a surface? The first step is to make sure you have all the materials required for the staining process. When you’re using an acid stain, you should have protective gear. It would be best to have long pants, a long-sleeved shirt or t-shirt, gloves, protective eye-wear, and a face mask. Besides the protective wear, you should have the following materials in place: Concrete cleaner, broom, acid concrete stain, sprayer, sealer, roller, wet vac, and a paint tray.

Clean the Concrete

At times you might believe that your concrete is free from dirt, but that should not be a reason for you not to clean the concrete well. You always have to remember that the acid stain is semi-transparent. This means that small particles of dirt or cracks will be visible when you apply the acid stain. It would be best to make sure everything on your concrete surface is sparkling clean and repaired. However, small cracks can give your acid stained floor a creative character. Your acid stained floor will look the same before you stained it, so it’s advisable to clean it well so that the outcome is appealing.

Test the Concrete

You shouldn’t ignore this step as it allows you to see the outcome of the stain. First, pick up an area that is not so visible for you to test the stain. This is important as you get to see the results of the stain. It will give you room to know if you have to clean the surface again, if you like the stain color, and if the stain will react appropriately with the concrete.

Stain the Concrete

Despite having various ways to stain the concrete, a plastic sprayer stands out for me in doing this step. There is no significant difference in staining old concrete, just like the new concrete. Staining the new concrete follows the steps above. The difference comes in where it is easy for the new concrete to get stained, the old concrete you have to apply several times for it to come out perfectly. It would be best if one person sprays the acid stain on the concrete while the other using a brush, follows closely and brush through. The sprayer should repeat spraying the area to avoid strokes from the brush. Use this process until you stain the whole floor as desired.

Wash the Floor

Washing the floor with baking soda and water solution after the reaction helps neutralize the acid concrete stain and remove any excess residue. It will help if you repeat this process at least twice.

Seal the Concrete

I understand that sealing the floor after applying acid stain is not necessary, but I highly recommend not skipping this part. It is advisable that use a water-based sealer instead of a solvent-based one. After the floor is completely dry, it would be best to apply 2-3 coats of sealer on your concrete. This will help achieve an appealing and beautiful stained floor. Do not apply excess sealer; the results won’t be attractive as you will achieve a cloudy and milky finish.

You have seen there is no need to be afraid of staining your concrete from the above steps. The trick is following the above steps for beautiful stained concrete.