# New concrete stain and seal



## Nukedaddy (12 mo ago)

I have a brand new 1500 sqft fiberglass reinforced concrete floor. Hard troweled to medium slick finish.
I want to stain it with multiple colors for an artsy look, then seal to semi gloss OR polish to high gloss with lithium silicate densifier.
Has anyone experience with acid or acetone stains on unprepped brand new concrete? 
If some prep is required, what is the minimum? Etching? Grinding? Beating my head against it?
after neutralizing acids please recommend if I can simply seal and apply a semigloss topcoat or if additional steps are needed. And recommend some products?
Thanks!


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## Knobbe (Mar 14, 2021)

Nukedaddy said:


> I have a brand new 1500 sqft fiberglass reinforced concrete floor. Hard troweled to medium slick finish.
> I want to stain it with multiple colors for an artsy look, then seal to semi gloss OR polish to high gloss with lithium silicate densifier.
> Has anyone experience with acid or acetone stains on unprepped brand new concrete?
> If some prep is required, what is the minimum? Etching? Grinding? Beating my head against it?
> ...


Sounds like a question for concrete finishing experts. Try the appropriate sub forum at DIYchatroom.com.


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## paintingplusjimmy (12 mo ago)

Hopefully, someone who has rel experience with this will answer, for now, here's my limited experience and knowledge. Acid stains are great. Unlike paint, that in time will peel, get scratched by patiin furniture, and all the other inevitable failures of paint, acid stain lasts. I have always topcoated it with a clean xylene base, satin. 
Now what you need to know. The acid stains I have used had about 10% acid. This is basically the same as muriaticacid. I forget how much hydrochloric is in the muriatic but it is much stronger. So, of you are treating concrete that has not been hard towered, of poured in a very liquid flow state, it feels rough like sand paper, the acid stain will etch it just fine. However, if it smooth to the touch, like basement floors, you're acid stain will not etch it. I read sandblasting, muriatic acid (I have read there's products safer than muriatuc acid but I'm skeptical until I see it's power), and grinding is another way.
The concrete network is the website I learned about this. 
Here's why it can be really worth it.
I painted my patio when I moved into my house 11 years ago. I had to re-paint it 4 times. 9 years ago I stained my entrance 9 years ago. I recoated it once with the same xylene base clear satin two years after the first coat. Never touched it again. I don't know when I'll need to put another clear coat. So, once it's done, it lasts. Compared to the look of paint, no comparison. It looks like some kind of stone. If I knew, I would have never painted my patio, I would have acid stained it.
If you can, do a small inconspicuous spot to see if it takes. If you can, make a inch thick 4"x6" slab in a mold you can make with that **** they use for closet shelves. 
Plenty of info on YouTube and the concrete network. Make sure you have neutralizer ready.


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## Wildbill7145 (Apr 30, 2014)

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