Acid Stains

Concrete Pigment

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$19.95 Per Quart
$43.00 Per 1 Gallon
$199 Per 5 Gallon
($39.80 Per Gallon)
$1799 Per 55 Gallon
($32.71 Per Gallon)

Manufactured by
Direct Color Inc.
Super Fresh, Highly Concentrated Best
Stain on the Market

Free Freight in the lower 48 states.



Why Use Direct
Colors, Inc.
Acid Stain?
CLICK HERE

QUICK FACTS

Coverage Area: At two coats 200 square feet per gallon
Application Methods: Plastic Pump Sprayer
Coats Needed: Two Coats
Other products needed for a stained floor:
Concrete Sealer and for interior floors our Floor Wax

Click Here for Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Check out our Large Acid Stain Sampler for the low price of $99.00 and free freight in the the lower 48 states.
Sampler includes 7 - 1 quart bottles (one of each stain color)

MALAYAN BUFF

WIDE COLOR RANGE

Very versatile, most color range in any color from light tan to amber.

By adding water, you can take this stain to a very light, yellowish tan, or use it more concentrated for a deeper auburn color with buff highlights.

Photos of Malayan Buff

COLA

Reddish brown appearance has a large degree of diversity from light point to dark point.

Depending on the concentration levels and job site humidity, the residue can be damp and oily before neutralizing and removal.

Photos of Cola

ENGLISH RED

MOST POPULAR COLOR

Our most popular color, the signature acid stain color of auburn and stately browns.

Always sharp, always tasteful for home or commercial use. This stain looks great in any room or on any patio or driveway.

Photos of English Red

BLACK

Used straight, this stain provides a strong, black coverage with hints of deep dark browns.

Cutting the black acid stain with water causes a deep, rich chocolate brown effect. Always do test patches on every specific slab of concrete, as stain reaction varies based on many factors relating to the slab itself.

Photos of Black

COFFEE BROWN

A strong, deep, rich brown.

AZURE BLUE

Bright, opaque sky blue color.

AVOCADO

Distinctive green base color with tan and random light blue highlights. One of our most popular colors.

There are several methods of applying and completing an acid stain project, and this is by no means the only way to complete the task. This is the method I prefer and use for most applications.

How Acid Staining Concrete Works

Concrete acid stain is water based liquid bearing minerals and acid. The acid mixes with the cement to force a chemical reaction, which changes the color of the cement similar to a forced rusting. When highlighted with the proper sealer, this effect gives the natural rock glow that attracts so many people to acid stained concrete.

Surface Preparation

Surface preparation is one of the most important steps of the acid staining process. The concrete must be free of debris, dirt and oils. For old concrete, or exposed concrete, be sure the surface of the concrete is intact, and aggregate is not exposed. Acid stain will only work on the cement portion of the concrete, and will not stain rocks and sand. Concrete that has been acid etched or washed with muriatic acid CANNOT be acid stained.

Often, surfaces inside an existing house will have dry wall mud, paint, wood stains, tile adhesives, carpet adhesives, grease, pet stains, etc on the concrete. Acid stain is not an over coat, it is an opaque re coloring of the concrete. These spots will show through if not removed, especially mastic, dry wall mud and paint, as these get into the pores of the concrete and block the staining process. There are several products available at a local hardware store such as adhesive removers and lacquer thinners that can be used to clear these products from the surface. A fine sanding pad on a floor buffer can even the surface and re open the pores of a distressed concrete in this circumstance. These types of distressed floors will nearly always yield a varied character of finish with a high degree of color difference area to area across the surface, and the distressed sections lend character and depth to your floor. Cleaning one of these floors to a stainable level is a considerable amount of work, but it is not impossible. If you desire a more even finish, you should consider an overlay resurfacing, especially on a floor that has had glued tile or glued plastic carpet.

Using an organic degreaser (such as DCI Orange, Simple Green, etc) at a medium concentration, scrub the surface thoroughly with a nylon brush and rinse with clear water. For an interior project where water run off is not available, you may use a shop vacuum and mops or squeegees to contain the water and aid in drying. As a final step, you may rinse the surface with water and ammonia to fully neutralize the surface and insure a balanced ph for staining. Be sure all soap and cleanser residue is removed from concrete before staining and that the surface is adequately dried.

Applying the Stain

The appearance of the finished product is very much influenced by the manner in which the acid stain is applied. The stain can be sprayed, mopped, brushed, rubbed, etc. I prefer to spray the stain on using an all plastic pump sprayer, and brush with an acid brush in even circular strokes. When the residue dries, spray a second coat on top of the residue to eliminate any brush strokes in the stain, unless the strokes are desired in the finish. Brushed acid stain applies darker and more evenly. For a more diffuse look, you may wish to spray the stain onto the surface without brushing. Every slab of concrete is different, and acid staining is an artistic process, so when available, do small test patches on the surface in corners or where furniture will be to find the look you like the best.

Acid stain can be cut with water to lower the ratio of minerals, thus making the color lighter in shade. The best option is to test patch the concrete using straight stain and stain cut two or three parts water to one part stain. If the water content is too high, the acid won't facilitate the chemical reaction required to make the color. This can be corrected by raising the acid content or using stain extender. Some colors vary more by adding water content and many factors determine how dark the stain will take such as age of concrete, cement content and weathering. This is another reason to do as many pre stain tests as the job site will allow.

As the acid stain dries and processes, a residue of alkali and minerals will form on the surface of the concrete. This is natural and part of the reaction. Different stains need different times to activate and fully color the concrete, generally from one to eight hours. Be sure and check your stains activation time before starting the job to insure full coloring of the surface. If you are going for the most color from a given stain, spray another coat of stain over the dried residue. Do not walk on wet residue. When the residue is wet, before it has been neutralized, the stain is active and can retain impressions of your feet or other marks from your feet or tools.

Removing the Residue

When the residue has dried and the stain has been given the proper time to process, the residue should be neutralized and all acidic properties removed. Properly removing the residue is important for obtaining the best possible acid stain appearance. Here are the steps I've found to be most effective in removing the residue and preparing the floor for sealing.

1) Prepare a base solution using either baking soda or sodium bicarbonate at about half a cup of soda per gallon of water. Pour this on the residue, scrubbing with a mop handled nylon scrub brush and shop vacuum the residue while it is wet.

2) Repeat the process, using straight water. After this step, all but a light residue should have been removed. Let the floor dry and some lighter coloring may still be visible indicating residue.

3) Apply a clean, damp mop to the surface, wiping away any remaining trace of residue. The floor should now be ready to seal.

Sealing the Surface

"This is for Direct Colors ac 1315 sealer"

After the floor has dried from the residue removal, the acid stain must be sealed with a proper decorative sealer. The sealer may be brushed, sprayed or rolled on. I prefer spraying for most non textured applications, but I've included three different methods here for the DCI 1315 sealer.

To spray the sealer on, use a good all season deck sealant pump sprayer. These usually come with three different nozzles. For spraying the sealer straight, use a medium sized nozzle and thoroughly coat the surface. DCI 1315 sealer dries very smooth and flat to the surface, so the most important aspect is complete coverage. A thick coating of sealer can sometimes take 48 hours to cure enough for foot traffic, depending on humidity, etc. You can decrease the thickness of the application and the drying time by adding no more than 25% xylene to the sealer in the sprayer. This product can be obtained at most paint stores in gallon cans.

To brush the sealer on, use a good quality brush so the bristles do not fall loose on the surface as you apply. This is recommended for very rough surfaces or touch up work. In a sprayed or rolled surface you can come across areas of a floor that are more porous and absorb sealer, causing an uneven finish. You can touch these areas up, feathering the brush strokes without brush marks, as the sealer cures to the concrete.

Rolling is a popular method for applying the sealer. Be sure to use a very short napped roller with no texture, as the texture of the roller can impress into the sealer. It is much harder to get an even, thick coating of sealer with a roller and is the method most likely to have unpredictable finish results. If applied carefully, this is the easiest of the methods.

You may also use an oil or water based wax applicator depending on the type of sealer you are using for perhaps the smoothest, easiest method of applying the finish. This is the method I most recommend for home owners or DIY ers. Applying the sealer in two or three even, thin coats with this method is very, very reliable for achieving a high quality trouble free application.

To maintain the gloss of the surface, a good mop on acrylic wax is a good idea for any acrylic sealed surface, especially surfaces with high stress from pets or children, etc. These products are water based and even out the finish after a fresh seal or revitalize the look of a scratched surface. They can also be buffed for a deeper glow. This is, in my opinion, the best look for a medium gloss finished floor, and the look you see most often in commercial applications.

Thank you for your time and enjoy your new concrete!
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Home Owner Acid Stain Kit

Our home owner DIY kit is designed to take the guess work out of personal acid stain projects. Using the same products designed for commercial applications in packaging and quantities that the DIY er can easily apply to their personal floor.

Our kit is designed to cover 200 sq. ft of concrete and is in two elements. The base kit is $199 and includes the products needed to stain and seal 200 sq. ft. The add on kit is $81 for each additional 200 sq. ft needed.

The Base Kit comes with: 1 acid stain sprayer, 1 sealer applicator, 2 face masks, goggles, 1 gallon DCI Acid Stain, 1 gallon DCI ac 1315 sealer, an acid brush, a nylon brush, sodium bicarbonate, concentrated degreaser, 1 five gallon pail for $199 FREE SHIPPING.

The Add on Kit comes with: 1 gallon DCI acid stain, 1 gallon DCI ac 1315 sealer, sodium bicarbonate, concentrated degreaser for $81 FREE SHIPPING.

Call us at 405.275.6657 for more information.
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