Staining & Coloring Concrete

Question: The last two times I have acid stained existing, untreated, basement concrete floors, I’ve unintentionally created footprints in the acid stain finish. I didn’t create them by walking across the wet stain, as I always use spiked sandals when I apply stain.

When the 2010 Concrete Decor Show was over, it left something behind — beautiful and entertaining artwork at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix. The koi pond mural and Sky Landing balcony are just a few of the exciting new features on which children are playing, thanks to artisans and exhibitors who donated time, materials and creativity.

Cheryl and Ralph Burgess, of Mackintosh on the Lake, a development in Burlington, N.C., wanted a design in their sunroom. As you can see, they got a pretty spectacular one.

There’s a very lucky group of kids at Bluff View Private Preschool in Fresno, Calif. Thanks to contractor Chris Swanson of Colour and his team, the students now have their very own “city” to play in.

Contractors, subcontractors and suppliers can sometimes be put in adversarial roles. Because of the low-bid mentality that still dominates most construction sectors in the United States, trust is not always what it should be.

Rachel Knigge moved quickly from the art and graphic design world into the concrete realm, and her influence continues to grow as she expands her company.

Southern Color, recently bought by Rockwood Pigments, continues its tradition of customer service while it expands nationwide.

ColorJuice Concrete Silicate Colorant, the newest product from Arkansas-based American Decorative Concrete Supply Co., is not only inspired by Mother Nature - it's designed to withstand Mother Nature.

Being next door to the Artistry in Concrete competition at the World of Concrete 2015, Steven Ochs knew he had to bring his A game to the Smith Paint Products booth. Ochs, a decorative concrete artisan and chairman of the department of art and design for Southern Arkansas University, presented several designs to the Brunners, owners of the family-run business.

There are unlimited opportunities to create fabulous effects with reactive acid stains. Acid stains are most mutable from the time they are sprayed onto the concrete until the reactive color change develops.

In a recent conversation with Todd Scharich, decorative concrete technical specialist with the American Society of Concrete Contractors, this question came up: What happens when plastic, lumber or construction debris is left on colored concrete during initial curing?

There is a famous paperback called “The Elements of Style” by Strunk and White. Many writers treasure it as a guide to writing clearly and succinctly while avoiding common grammatical errors. The handbook itself is a model of clarity.

The products and finishes in the decorative industry are becoming more sophisticated - polymer-modified toppings, nanotechnology sealers, and sustainable stains and dyes to name a few. But all need to remember the old tried-and-true products that still make up a large portion of the industry, and refresh ourselves on the right way to use them.

Only a couple of years old, this upstart is already attracting attention to its colorful work in the Cornhusker State.

The moment you step through the doors of the Children’s Discovery Museum in central Las Vegas, you know you are in for a treat. The museum promises in its mission a “vibrant and engaging experience” for children from all walks of life.

Bart Rockett, 46, began working with concrete back in 1987 after joining Patterned Concrete Industries (PCI) and working for one of its local franchises outside of Philadelphia in southern New Jersey.

There was plenty of flooring to do before Alfalfa’s Market, a new natural foods store, could open on Earth Day in a former Whole Foods space in Boulder, Colo.

The vast majority of return customers usually flow straight into the project’s objective, colors, design, etc., but this conversation was anything but typical. Each time when asked about designs or expectations the customer brought up price and budget.

A roller sleeve or cover is commonly thought of as something found in a painter’s toolbox rather than a concrete contractor’s. However, rolling sealants and colors onto (and into) concrete has become an increasingly popular option in decorative concrete applications.

All things in polished concrete relate to physics and chemistry. With that in mind, let’s look at how moisture interacts with concrete and polishing chemicals, with an additional focus on efflorescence.

San Diego County is known far and wide for its beautiful weather, interesting people and endless summer atmosphere. So it was with great anticipation when San Diego was picked as the site for the 2016 Concrete Decor Show Sept. 25-29 that it was destined to be one showstopper of a show. And all indications point to that premonition coming true.

There’s more than one way to stain a slab, and Newlook International Inc. has found a way that is unique. Its products are modified polymer stains that require no sealer and are easy to maintain.

There have always been ways to make new projects blend into their older surroundings, but Sophisticated Finishes by Triangle Coatings Inc. offers a truly aged look.