Trisodium phosphate and water.
Cleaning concrete for acid staining.
Floor prep is hard work it s messy and it takes some time but it s worth the effort to be sure your decorative concrete installation lasts.
The stain will not take at all if you use acid as a cleaner.
How to acid stain a concrete floor step 1.
Allow the surface to dry completely before proceeding with acid staining.
When acid staining concrete it s extremely important to clean the concrete very well before.
This video discusses prep for an acid stain.
Mop or rinse a couple of times with clean water.
Clean the surface to be stained with a concrete cleaner labeled for use on the specific type of dirt or blemish you wish to remove.
We use our diamond pads tornado satellite and super blue to clean and profile the floor.
Acid etching is the process of applying hydrochloric muriatic or buffered phosphoric acid to a slab then rinsing it off with water.
To achieve the best results with an acid stain be sure to adhere to these dos and don ts when preparing your concrete canvas.
Another option would be to use a pressure washer to clean the concrete slab.
I applied a special etching solution.
Go over the area thoroughly with a wet mop and plenty of fresh clean water.
For many years it was a standard method of concrete preparation used by nearly all industrial commercial and institutional floor coating installers depending on the floor size and system to be installed.
A solution of tsp trisodium phosphate and a lot of elbow grease with a scrub brush would be your best bet.
Do remove any materials that may inhibit concrete stain penetration such as grease oil coatings or curing membranes.
The second step in the process is also very important.
If applying acid stain indoors cover adjacent walls with plastic sheeting held in place by painter s tape and.
Use a stiff straw scrub brush or a floor buffing machine with the aggressive scrubbing pads.
Using a scrub brush with a long handle makes cleaning much easier.