Master concrete stainer,
Gaye Goodman, explains
the staining procedure
in step-by-step detail.
STEP-BY-STEP
By Gaye Goodman
This article will take you from beginning to end through a typical acid-staining job for concrete floors. We will first
review the steps you must take before the
crew gets to the jobsite, from how to best
prepare and finish the slab, to the stain
samples you will do months in advance.
We will then go into some detail on the
seven steps of acid staining once you’re
ready to begin the project.
EDUCATING YOUR CONTRACTOR
For acid-stained concrete, builders
generally want to know how to best finish
the new slab for you, when you would like
to appear on the scene to do your work,
and what sort of slab protection you
recommend until that time. To simplify
matters I devised a tear-sheet called
“Warnings to Contractors,” which follows:
1. Do not use any liquid curing compound! Anything oily or waxy completely
blocks penetration of the acid stain.
2. Use normal, moderate troweling. Do
not allow burnishing with metal trowels.
3. If possible, avoid use of a power
troweling machine. If the slab is too
smooth, the pores are closed and staining
becomes spotty. A “garage floor finish”
gives us just the right amount of tooth in
the slab for attractive acid staining.
