Decorate Your Concrete: Concepts for the Do-It-Yourselfer

Sep 22, 2012 by BeechnerAlbelo631

You can boost your homes existing concrete surfaces employing acid stains, water based stains, epoxy paints, and scoring methods. If youre tired of seeking at dull gray concrete, there are some pretty straightforward projects for the significant do-it-yourselfer to give your concrete a refreshing new look. Or maybe you strategy to have some new concrete installed but you dont want plain gray concrete. Decorative concrete operate costs double to triple that of regular concrete and several folks just cant afford it. There are affordable approaches to decorate concrete following it has cured without obtaining to pay skilled tradesmen.

Acid based concrete stains are becoming a lot more and far more well-liked for coloring concrete surfaces. They chemically react with the cementitious material to generate permanent color with variegated or mottled look like that of marble. This results in an all-natural, elegant seeking surface. Acid stains are accessible in 8-ten different colors, mainly brown, green, and reddish earth tones. The price is usually $60-$70 per gallon which covers 300-400 square feet. A coat of clear concrete sealer when youre completed truly brings out the colors and beauty of acid stains.

Water based concrete stains are an alternative to acid stains and are considerably much more user friendly since theyre significantly much less toxic. These stains dont chemically react with the concrete they are absorbed into the surface pores and act like a dye. The massive advantage of water based stains is the wide array of colors obtainable. You can find just about any color in the spectrum and generate a far more vibrant and consistent appearance. They also commonly cost about $60-$70 per gallon which covers 300-400 square feet.

If you want to venture beyond the standard staining of concrete, consider making use of some scoring methods to create patterns on the surface. You can make your concrete look like a tile floor for instance. Its up to your imagination. An angle grinder with a 4 inch grinding or cutting wheel is the ideal tool for this. The crucial factor to don’t forget when scoring is to draw the pattern on the concrete first and make sure youre satisfied with the way it looks because scoring is irreversible. Most folks dont personal an angle grinder but you can rent one particular at virtually any tool rental shop.

Epoxy paints make an exceptional coating for garage floors and basement floors. A lot of commercial floors have epoxy coatings because of their durability and resistance to chemical spills as well as their appearance. In recent years, nonetheless, it has turn into really well-liked for residential use with an increasing availability of different colors. This is not a challenging project, but the essential to successful application is surface preparation. Epoxy paints have also turn out to be accessible in a water based kind making it protected for the do-it-yourselfer and excellent for indoor applications. They cost a small a lot more than stains. For a 400 square foot garage, youll spend about $200 for the supplies needed for this project.

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