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Using the Stain

Using stain on concrete means you have no additional need for a floor covering. That means we are using less resources. Also, we did not have to use glues or adhesives for floor coverings. The stain and sealer that we chose from AFM SafeCoat is water based and non toxic. Also, for our cold climate, the darker stain on the concrete will absorb more sunlight and create a higher passive solor heat gain coming in through the large array of windows and skylights

Concrete Staining


Here we are using sponge mops to apply stain. I would recommend trying to find sponge mops with no tread marks or groves on them. Nice smooth mops would be easier. It was amazing how far the stain went. We stained approximately 2100 square feet with 1 pint iron oxide, 3 pints oak stain, and 12 pints of water. It was a bit tight but toward the end we added a pint of water because the iron oxide at the bottom of the bin would thicken up and the stain was becoming slightly darker.

The staining process included one person applying the stain and one person coming back over what was applied to eliminate lines. It soaks in very quickly and dries very fast so you have to work steadily.

Finally we applied 2 coats of MexiSeal from AFM. Again this dries quickly but it is very easy to apply.

Recommendations:

When your concrete is being poured, watch that the leveling and smoothing occur when the cement is wet enough sp that it doesn't leave swirls. While they don't look bad, I think I would have preferred it to be somewhat smoother.
We suggest testing your sample colors in an area that will be covered.
If you are starting with concrete that is not new, be sure to test as well. Old concrete or concrete that was previously covered with carpet may end up looking slightly different then ours on fresh concrete.
Do not try to sand the concrete as it will take the stain much darker.

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