Acid staining is guaranteed to transform a concrete slab into a luxurious floor resembling marble or glazed stone. Acid Staining offers a versatile and inexpensive flooring solution.

What is Acid Staining?

Acid Stain is a coloring process involving a chemical reaction on a cementitious material (it is not paint or coating agent.) A solution made with water, acid and inorganic salts reacts with minerals already present in the concrete, and the result of this reaction is color. Acid Stain is a very durable product and can be applied to both interiors and exteriors.

• Benefits
• Where to Use
• Colour and Design Options
• Dyes or Stains - What's The Difference?
• Gallery
• FAQs

Benefits

The DecoCrete acid staining process surpasses all others in terms of permanence and durability. It will not chip, fade, or peel, and will last the lifetime of the surface to which it is applied. Those suffering from allergies find concrete staining especially appealing and a welcomed change from carpet.

• Economical
• Durable
• Easy to maintain
• Versatile
• Elegant

Where to Use

• Interior and exterior projects
• High traffic areas
• Commercial or residential 
• Existing concrete
• New concrete/overlays

Colour & Design Options

Acid Stain gives concrete a mottled, variegated, marble like look. It creates beautiful colors on concrete, mostly earth tone browns, reddish browns and greens. You can also create your own shades by mixing and matching your available colors or applying them at different rates. Never expect acid stain to be uniform or have an even tone, you will get various reactions from slab to slab, and even on the same job you may see different coloration patterns.

Kemiko Stains
	Aqua Blue Stain Soft blue patina with undertones of green
	Vintage Umber Stain Rich earthy brown
	English Red Stain Terra cotta with rust and soft brown hues
	Malay Tan Buckskin suede tone with caramel marbling
	Green Lawn Stain Soft grey green resembling aged
	Golden Wheat Stain Amber hued undertones
	Cola Stain Reddish brown resembling old leather
	Black Stain Tortoise shell with brown highlights

Dyes or stains — what's the difference?

Basically, a concrete dye is a coloring agent, usually supplied in concentrated form, that is diluted in water or solvent (alcohol or acetone) to the desired shade. The dye may be mixed with other colors on site. It is usually applied to concrete with a pump sprayer, but may be applied with an airless sprayer, airbrush, sponge or brush, depending on the desired effect and the size of the area to be colored. The solvent or water carrier penetrates the concrete, taking the color with it. The final effect is transparent, so the concrete is visible through the color.

Chemical or acid-based reactive stains color concrete by a very different mechanism. The acid catalyzes a chemical reaction with the lime in the concrete, creating a variegated, mottled  effect. Pigments in the stain impart color. Colors of reactive stains are similar to colors that occur naturally in stone, so the palette is somewhat limited.