Staining concrete is one of the best ways to get more from standard concrete. Whether you’re looking to improve a walkway, driveway or backyard at a home, staining your concrete can give you the look, colors and feel you want on your property. Many companies can do concrete straining for you, but you can also do it yourself. Here’s the basics steps for staining concrete yourself.
Before you begin, you’ll need roughly the following to create a concrete stain:
While you can always create a concrete stain yourself, the easiest thing to do is buy the color you want from the hardware store or specialty manufacturer. Once you obtain that, creating a concrete stain at home is easier to do.
Prepping the concrete itself is your next step. You want to move all furniture and objects off the concrete and out of the way. Clean the concrete with a broom, then wash it down with water when you have the chance. Once dry, you can continue.
Now that you’re sure the concrete is dry, you want to apply the stain. Use the paint pan on top of the tarp and pour the stain into it. Mix it with the paintbrush, then start with the perimeter of the concrete. Apply the stain with firm strokes up and down, then side to side for an even look. You can use the pad to make it easier to get the stain onto the concrete before you paint the look in.
Depending on the age and type of concrete, the stain will dry differently. This is to be expected. You can re-stain the area but you may not always get the perfect color you’re looking for based on the concrete you’re staining.
Once the stain is completely dry, let it sit for another 24 hours, before moving your furniture and other items back into the room on top of it.
Staining concrete isn’t hard or difficult. It just takes some time, some help and some handiwork to get the job done to your liking.
