Ever wonder how polished concrete got colors? Coloring and decorating a polished concrete was made possible through the use of stains that react and bond with the chemical properties of concrete. Stains come in different varieties and types depending on the process of concrete polishing one has in mind. Stains that are used in decorative concrete polishing come in liquid emulsion form for reasons of ease of operations and budget savings.

The most common type of concrete staining is the use of colorants which are combined with the concrete mix prior to hardening. These colorants are bonded with the concrete aggregates thus resulting in a colored appearance. Such colorants are found to be Iron Oxides which are commonly used during past and present concrete coloring applications. Iron pigment Oxides are first used during prehistoric times in art caves.

One of the most common types of staining is acid staining. Acid staining is not a colorant but the process of combining acid, water and salts to a newly prepared concrete floor. The chemical composition in the acid mixture combines with concrete thus developing a color very near to earth tones. Since acid staining is a chemical reaction, there are different color representations depending on the concrete slab composition.

Before the application of acid staining on the concrete surface there are several steps to do to prepare the concrete. First is that the concrete needs to be thoroughly clean and void of loose aggregates. Loose aggregates do not accept staining. Previously acid stained concrete is also grounded to remove previously stained surface.

Water based stains are not like acid stains though they both produce color on a concrete surface. While acid staining merely reacts with the concrete to produce color, water based stains are tints that ultimately create a solid surface color. Water based stains can create from translucent to opaque hues. These types of stains are commonly used when a specific color due to decorative purposes is needed to be achieved.