Why Water-Based Concrete Stain Is a Good Choice for Beautifying Your Concrete Floors
If you want your building to have attractive flooring, but you need something durable, then stained concrete could be the solution. Concrete floors can be stained in two ways. One way uses acid staining and the other uses water-based stains. Water-based concrete stain is a popular choice, and here's a look at why.
Water-Based Concrete Stain Dyes the Concrete
Acid stain is a reactive stain. It reacts with the chemicals on the surface of the concrete to create a permanent stain. The water-based stain doesn't work using a chemical reaction. Instead, the dye pigments soak into the concrete and stain it. This works in the same way that water creates a dark stain on concrete before it dries out. In fact, your contractor might do a water test on your floor to make sure it is ready to soak up the dye, and if not, the floor may need to be sanded first. Since the water-based method doesn't use strong acids, there are fewer fumes and less odor during the application.
Water-Based Concrete Stains Come in Many Colors
The exciting thing about using water-based stains is that you can mix them in a similar way as watercolor paints. This allows the contractor to create custom colors and beautiful artistic designs on the floor. You can also opt for a solid color, and you'll have a wider range of choices with water-based stains since acid stains usually only come in earth hues.
Water-Based Stains Are Durable
Water-based concrete stains can be used indoors and outdoors so you can use the same flooring inside and on a patio or entryway outside your building. The stain is covered with a topcoat that adds gloss and luster while protecting the stain from wearing away. The paints used resist UV fading so the colors stay bright and true. A stained floor is also easy to maintain. Applying a topcoat is important because it sacrifices itself to foot traffic and keeps the surface of the concrete from wearing away and affecting the stain. With the topcoat providing a protective barrier, the floor can be cleaned by dust mopping and wet mopping. You don't need to buy special cleaners although the products you use on the floor should have a neutral pH.
A concrete floor in a commercial or industrial building is a good choice when durability and ease of maintenance are important. Rather than settle for a dull concrete surface, consider brightening it with an attractive stain that makes the work area seem more lively and fun to work in every day. To learn more about the process, contact services such as The Contractor Source.
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