Staining my concrete floors

[jnobles06]

ok so my my room mates just moved out and my carpet was destroyed so i decided to rip them up. i originally planned on doing the vinyl planks of wood because of simplicity and durability but then i decided i wanted to stain the concrete instead mainly because it looks bad ass. lol.

i am using quikrete semi-transparent stain (non acid) mainly because my concrete was dirty as hell. it had tons of glue, paint and stuff on it. so i decided to use the semi-transparent stain because it hides the imperfections better from what i read.

here is the before picture of my living room. i am still in the cleaning/ prepping process. i am basically doing this before and after work. i hope to be staining by this weekend. i still haven't decided on the color yet but i know i am going to attempt to do multiple colors.

[Unicorn Jeff]

Just make SURE you prep that floor like there's not tomorrow.

[jnobles06]

i know man. its a fucking pain. i have been scraping and scrubbing like a mofo. that glue is a bitch!!

[Unicorn Jeff]

i know man. its a fucking pain. i have been scraping and scrubbing like a mofo. that glue is a bitch!!

Yup! It's all about the prep though.

[Boomhauer]

I started to do mine in my house myself, then I hired someone to do it instead. They stained and scored my concrete floors and it turned out very nice.

[Vertnut]

If you're not really careful (i.e. know what to do), they will look awful. Find as much info as you can. Doing previously covered floors is a little different than doing new/fresh concrete.

[jnobles06]

heres my process.

1. scrape all the big stuff off like glue and what not.
2. go over it with the really coarse pad on a floor scrubber machine i rented. the pad looks like really coarse sporadic sand paper and i use it on a dry floor
3. a quick mop up of the dust i have created with water only.
4. scrub sections with water/ goof off with the machine and a black scouring pad followed with a shop vac to suck up all the mess before it drys. ( i usually do this step more than once till its clean to my liking).
5. completely mop the floor with water and mild soap.
6. then use the quikrete etcher/ degreaser solution and a hand brush to scrub the floor.
7. final rinse and dry
then its ready for the stain.

[Jeremycg777]

You stain it yet

[jnobles06]

You stain it yet

no i have to wait until saturday to rent the floor scrubber again and then i have to etch it and make sure it is contaminate free. it will probably be monday or tuesday before i get to stain it. i'll post some pics up though.

[GeorgeG.]

the floor scrubber and water should be able to get it where you need it. I'm sure you're already do this but a wet vac will help suck it all out. I wouldn't use the etching...I think that changes the aggregates which is what the stain needs to "stain". The aggregates is what gives the multi-colored look too. If you change that, you may end up with a pigmented floor that looks like crap. AND I wouldn't recommend that cheap stain. do the prep work and go with acid stain.

[jw33]

Any updates?

[akfodysvn]

not sure if you needed to etch it either, I know you do for epoxy floors but not so sure about just a stain.

[Grape]

you need a diamond grinder for that crap...........

[Silverback]

you could always put down a thin layer of self leveling concrete to make a new fresh, clean surface to stain, if you can't get it all cleaned up