Concrete is well known for its strength and durability. It is mainly used for functional purposes. However, concrete can also be used for decorative purposes to give a good aesthetic feel and good-looking structures. For such purposes, decorative concrete is used. It can be used to give a decorative finish for floors, walls and countertops. The finish is similar to that of polished stone and is less expensive.
The different techniques of concrete decoration are concrete staining and polishing.
1. Concrete staining:
Acid staining: Acid staining involves a chemical reaction unlike dyeing which is a pigment-based staining system. In acid staining, a mixture of certain salts, acids and water is first applied on the surface of concrete. This is then neutralized using a basic chemical- a solution of water and ammonia. The chemical reaction that takes place with the minerals existing in the concrete, mainly lime, gives new colors to the surface. Use of acid staining gives a unique finish to each slab by creating a mottled or variegated appearance. The color change may vary anywhere between 1/16’’ to 1/32’’. Interior surfaces stain better than exterior surfaces because the latter has been exposed to the environment as a result of which the mineral content gets percolated or leeched. The chemicals that are generally used for acid staining are sodium bicarbonate, iron chloride and Hydrochloric acid.
Concrete dyes: Concrete dyes are of different compositions and forms. These are used for both, commercial and residential applications of concrete that include floors, walls, countertops, bridges, retaining walls, etc.
Water-based staining: These stains are similar to acid stains. While some of these give a translucent finish (like acid stains), some give an opaque finish. Water-based staining is different from acid staining as it is a mere coat on the surface of the concrete while acid staining involves a chemical reaction between the minerals of the concrete and the acids. Water based stains come in numerous variations that maybe epoxy, acrylic or polymer based and have wide residential and commercial application
2. Concrete Polishing: Polishing of concrete floors is one of the most inexpensive solutions for providing clean floors. The dull grey concrete surfaces, once polished, can look really bright and shiny. Concrete polishing gives various advantages like increased durability, reflectivity and low maintenance. The process involves using concrete densifiers and mechanical grinding tools that have increasing grit sizes of diamond-polishing pads and cup wheels. The process makes the concrete floor harder and denser and this in turn makes the floor more spill and stain resistant. There is no requirement of any additional sealers or coatings. It doesn’t even require any other flooring materials to be used.
At Colonial Floor and Stone Care, we undertand the new uses for decorative concrete and would like to help you plan the right type of staining for your individual needs.. For Miami/Dade call us for a free estimate and consulatation by our experience technician at 305-731-2242. In Palm Beach county 561-337-1408, Broward county 954-566-4555 and Tamp/St. Petersburg 818-527-9797 and let us come out and discuss your individual needs for your decorative concrete.
All building materials will eventually degrade due to the impact of the environment, wear and tear from normal use and eventually will need repair to prolong the life of the structure or surface it is being used for. Repairable is utmost when being considered when designing a project. Concrete’s repairable lends it’s self high on the designers lists, as concrete usually does not have to be replaced, only repaired if reinforced and constructed correctly. In North Dakota, a building which was thought to be unrepairable, after 3o years of innovation of synthetic materials and with Read the rest of this entry »
One Stop Shopping, I have heard it most of my life and I was interested in when and where that phrase came about. It has of coarse become one of the phrases large retail companies and wholesale companies use today. So I did some Goggling and Read the rest of this entry »
I flew this year to vacation for the Holidays and went through 3 different airports. I must say they all have done really well trying to make the passenger as comfortable as can be. Read the rest of this entry »
Concrete began being used by humans in ancient Rome. It has continued to be an important construction material through today -- owing its current popularity to its positive environmental properties such as saving energy, using readily available, non-toxic components, and its durability.
Here are some of the environmental benefits of concrete:
1) Natural and recycled materials are used to make concrete. Concrete is made from three abundantly available ingredients- water, aggregate(stone, sand and gravel), and Portland cement (gypsum and calcium sulfate).
2) Durability- Concrete is strong, adaptable and resistant to fire, water and weather. It has a longer service life than wood, steel, asphalt and other construction products. Concrete’s durability conserves resources by reducing maintenance and the need for reconstruction. When concrete has ended its service life, it can be crushed and reused as aggregate for new concrete.
3) Energy Efficiency -- Concrete’s thermal mass saves energy throughout the seasons because it reduces temperature swings. During hot weather, concrete will require cooling mainly at night when electric companies can produce power more efficiently and preserve fossil fuels. During the cold months, concrete buildings cost less to heat.
One of the chief challenges of the use of concrete in home interiors- such as in floors and countertops, has been its aesthetic value- not so high for interior use! however, all that has changed. Today, acid staining and polishing provide almost endless possibilities for interior designs. Call Colonial Floor Care today to learn more about how concrete the concrete in your home can be transformed into a beautiful design element! Don’t replace, cover or paint your concrete- all Colonial Floor Care!
Modern technology provides us with two common procedures for treating, coloring and sealing concrete floor, countertops, patios etc. They are Concrete Acid Staining and Concrete Polishing.
Why Acid Staining? Before this process was developed, concrete dyes were commonly used. Early concrete dyes consisted of generic printing inks that were dissolved in mild solutions of alcohol and applied to concrete surfaces to add color to grey concrete. There were problems with these earlier dyes. When alcohol-based dyes are exposed to sunlight, the color either lightens or fades completely.
Manufacturers moved beyond these alcohol based dyes because of the fading problems. They began dissolving these same printing inks in different carriers such as acetone, lacquer thinner and other solvents. UV inhibiting agents were added to new dyes to help with UV instability issues. While the results were improved color maintenance, there was still substantial fading when exposed to sunlight.
Acid staining was developed to address the fading concerns, but also the toxicity concerns. Acid staining does not entail dyeing or pigment coloring systems, but rather, it is a chemical reaction. the non-toxic chemicals used in concrete acid staining bond with the compounds in the concrete and change the chemical composition of the concrete surface, creating a permanent, non-fading, durable surface.
Concrete polishing allows the use of multiple grain level polishing heads to achieve a high shine, durable, non porous surface that is a chemical free sealer and shining process. We’ve come a long way in terms of concrete. This is important because concrete is an inexpensive, plentiful and environmentally safe construction material that because of its malleability, has endless application possibilities.
Colonial Floor Care has developed an expertise in these methods because of their many benefits to the consumer and the environment. Our processes make housecleaning easy!
One of the ongoing issues for homeowners with garages is the care and matenance of their garage floor. From oil drips to cracks and scrapes from heavy equipment, maintaing a clean and stable surface can be a great challenge.
My father used to scrub the garage floor every few months then once every other year or so he would repaint it, which as you can imagine, was a realy work intensive project.
Well now there is a revolutionary way to seal and repair your concrete garage floor, while making it really attractive!
Concerete Poishing -- We use a state of the art, proprietary process that seals, levels and shines your concrete garage floor, making it durable, smooth, beautiful and stain resistent. What more could anyone ask for?
Furthermore, this finish lasts 10-15 years. An occassional hose down is all that is needed to maintain it. If you want to add dramatic color to your garage floor, yu can choose your own color and we will create a stain to color your floor.
Best of all, our process is completely green- no toxic chemicals are needed!