Water Based Concrete Stain Problems
The concrete is a very porous material and will immediately soak up stains or dyes so be careful to not go in overzealous and create an uneven coat of color.
Water based concrete stain problems. After that time concrete stain can be applied. When the water evaporates it leaves a high concentration of stain residue which acts like a bond breaker when the sealer is applied. You can get answers to common problems associated with acid staining from decorative concrete expert chris sullivan of. Neutralization unlike water based concrete stain acid stain needs to be neutralized to help form a bond with the sealer.
There are a few common reasons why a concrete stain job can go terribly wrong here s some. If the scratches are shallow and just in the wax then a fresh coat should do the trick. Water based sealers are very difficult to remove if a problem should occur. Concrete left to the elements for years without retreatment may eventually look as if it was never sealed or worse damaged.
They don t work well when applied at temperatures below 50 degrees fahrenheit. First do a test to see if applying a fresh coat of wax will fix it. Water based sealers will freeze and become unusable much more easily than solvent based acrylics. Ice melts will degrade the concrete below the coating at a chemical level while water freeze thaw cycles spall chip the concrete though expansion and contraction.
Because of the variable nature of stains and the condition of the concrete you are applying them to things can go wrong even if you follow all the proper procedures. If you are pouring new concrete add the tinted stain or dye directly to the mix. There are two key things about using water based stains like our rembrandt polymer stain says barbara sargent of kemiko concrete products. Curing time the curing time for fresh concrete is at least 14 days sometimes 21.
You will need a top coat or sealant to keep the color fresh for as long as possible. Buying water based stains if you want to go beyond the subtle drama and subdued color palette of acid stains then a water based stain is your best choice. Temperature is another major factor when applying stain to concrete. If used on stained concrete it could cause sealer and stained areas to pull up along with the adhesive.
Problems come if there is not a proper surface profile or if there is not a good topcoat because the pigment must be carried into the pores it is important that those pores be open to receive it. Most manufacturers offer dozens of standard colors and often you can mix the different colors like water based paints to broaden your options.