Stained Concrete

Every thing you need to know about concrete floors

Stained concrete flooring is a uniquely versatile medium where an infinite number of color and finishes can be applied. The ability to achieve a range of styles from elegant to rustic, modern to industrial is what keeps concrete at the forefront of architecture. Concrete can only be transformed by true professionals with the experience to achieve a beauty rivaled only by nature. Concrete Experts has that experience and transforming concrete in Houston Texas has been our passion for 15 years.

Stained concrete is a process by the surface of a concrete is colored by a chemical reaction or acid stains. See our preferred manufacturer's color charts and examples of floors here http://www.kemiko.com . Acid staining concrete is best for new construction floors or concrete that has not been contaminated. Because it relies on a chemical reactions, acid stained concrete is the most precarious and variegated or marbled way to stain your concrete. Reactive stain is also the most permanent or durable stain because it is a chemical reaction, it does not rely on pigments that break down over time when exposed to UV sunlight. Stained concrete floors are often scored with bordered or tile patterns. These scored lines can additionally be grouted. Once stained we will seal the floor with either a sealer and floor finish or for a matte finish we will paste wax and buff the floors. Stained concrete is an invaluable yet affordable way to put that wow factor in your project.

Acid stained concrete is not always best suited for stained concrete. There is an alternative to acid stained concrete, dyed concrete. Dyed concrete is a micro-pigment dye that is carried into the pores by acetone. There are many advantages that acetone dye stained concrete have.

• 1.There are 40 colors as opposed to 10 . See our manufacturers color chart here: http://www.ameripolish.com/color-charts/ameripolish-classic.pdf
• 2. They rely on porosity rather than a chemical reaction making harder to acid stain surfaces perfect candidates for pigment stains.
• 3. Dye stain can color overlays and micro-toppings with more consistency.
• 4. Dyes can achieve a more uniform look than acid stain and can be used to correct and enhance acid stained floors.
• 5. Concrete dye stains can reduce installation times and costs. Coloring takes place instantaneously.
• 6. Concrete dyes are ideal for color restoration because they can pass through old sealers making them ideal for color restoration of worn out installations.

These two products are the only two methods by which a professional will refer to or sell as stained concrete. There are other ways to color your concrete when these are no longer viable options. When choosing a stained concrete contractor be sure to find out exactly what products are being proposed. This will tell you a lot about the quality of work product you will receive.

Colored sealer are pigmented sealer that can color the concrete for as long as they sealer lasts. The come in solid color and opaque. These are the staining products you often see in big box stores and even Sherwin Williams marketed as concrete stains. These are never good products to be used on new installations and should always be used as a last resort. We often are called out by customer who applied these products and shortly thereafter the installation failed. Removing them is costly and the only way to fix them is often to reapply the same product over and over again. Shoddy contractors will also try to utilize the subpar stains much to their customers disappointment.

Another method coming into popularity is polished concrete. For the industrial look or a maintenance free floor, polished concrete is achieved by diamond polishing the concrete with successively finer grits of diamond polishing pad until the surface become reflective and smooth enough to serve as the final finish and maintenance surface. Although more expensive than traditional staining, polished concrete's valued will be realized in cost savings for years to come. This is why you see concrete polishing in many of Houston's commercial building. The cost saving in maintenance and initial installation costs make polished concrete the obvious choice for high traffic floor. If grey polished concrete isn't enough we also stain and polish, creating a vibrant and resilient floor. See our polished color chart here ; http://www.ameripolish.com/color-charts/ameripolish-surelock-system.pdf  

Want the polished concrete look without the price? We have waxes and sealer that will make your grey concrete look like polished concrete for a fraction of the price. Cleaning and sealing concrete is a very popular choice for many customers who want an industrial or modern look with character.  

Many other benefits from staining concrete instead of traditional floor covering methods are:  

• 1.Health Benefits. With nothing between you and the floor allergen sufferers will breathe easier without all the unseen dust and mites lurking in most carpeted homes.
• 2. The floors is cool in the summer and warmer in the winter giving a geothermic balance that is pleasant to walk on. Dogs love a cool floor and children love to play on a flat surface!
• 3. Conversation piece. Each floor we do is the center of attention to any room. Say goodbye to boring flooring.
• 4. Cost savings are substantial. We often are the most affordable option to flooring and have a myriad of options to control pricing. You will also save on replacement flooring in the future, particularly useful to landlords. Our products are designed to last in perpetuity with occasional maintenance.
• 5. Maintenance is particularly easy. Sweeping and mopping with water throughout the year will suffice for cleaning and yearly waxing and sealing should be done by us or the homeowner to maintain the floors indefinitely. With a maintenance contract you don't even have to remember.
• 6. Versatile decorating medium. With concrete floors you can always switch up a room to satisfy your interior decorator.
• 7. Slip resistant. To many homeowners like myself, the safety of people old and young is paramount. We offer a selection of slip resistant treatments that don't diminish the look but feel like a light grit sand paper for traction.
• 8. The ability to customize is amazing. We can score a compass or your initials in an entryway. Cut a border to accentuate each living area in a home, wrap around columns and along walls. Often we just take the border color into smaller areas like closets, bathrooms, and halls, allowing a way to switch up the scheme without missing a beat in color continuity.
• 9. Resale value is enhanced by allowing other floor covering to be easily installed over concrete floors, should the new owner decide to go with another flooring choice.
• 10. Concrete flooring is an energy efficient "green" flooring choice. Made in America from products already present in the building, utilizing stained concrete or polished concrete flooring has a very low impact on the environment. Stained concrete and polished concrete are both LEED certified when done correctly and can contribute to reducing waste and increasing on going energy consumption. Never replacing worn out flooring will also reduce the waste throughout the life of a building.

New construction stained concrete process and pricing. At 2000 sq. ft. a typical concrete stain and seal costs about $2-3.50 per square foot depending on if it’s a one color stain and seal, or a bordered scored grouted concrete floor. Most people choose the simple one color stain and seal. For polished concrete $4-5 per square foot depending on final sheen high or matte finish. For stained and polished concrete we charge $5-6 per square foot. These prices change dramatically with the total square footage and condition of concrete, give us a call anytime for an over the phone quote. We always like to install floor after "weather in" stage of construction and then we cover the floor to protect it throughout construction. Customer is responsible for maintaining the covering throughout the building process and we return at the final clean stage to touch up and refinish floors.  

Driveway concrete staining is usually best done on a fairly new and well finished driveway. $1.50 is the average per square foot price and on larger driveway we have stained for a s little as $1. Bordering and staining a driveway is a great alternative to coatings and overlays that will eventually need replacement. From condominiums to residential homes concrete staining a driveway is an affordable a dramatic improvement.  

Patios and porches can also be stained for around $2.50 per square foot. A great way to enhance the look of your backyard or entryway, adding a Texas star or darker borders can really spice up a drab slab. Acid staining will never chip, fade, peel, or delaminate.  

We service Houston and surrounding counties for your project. We have installed stained concrete in Houston for over 15 years and have the portfolio and references to prove our expertise. Concrete Experts is your stained concrete and polished concrete flooring experts.