Radiant Concrete floor cut and stained
Hi all.. I know there was an great article on this a short time ago. But all of my FHB are burried in storage as I build my new home..
Basic info on the job.. Victoria B.C. R15 styrofoam sm.. 6inch Wire grid with 1/2 tubing tied to it.. 4 inch thick 25 mpa concrete with 3/8″stone ..
My main concern is when should I cut the concrete into its 4 ft tile pattern, and how deep do I cut? Also.. when should I stain and what is the best way to protect it during the remaining stages.
Thanks in advance
Replies
this is what i do... you can cut it while it's green... i like at least 3-7 days... but some will cut in 24hrs... i have had blowout doing it too soon ... ie the cuts aren't as clean looking but there is a blade for green concrete (which i didn't have)
i only cut to about 1/8 to 3/16" deep these are not for crack control... they are for a pattern...
i've stained in 1 week and i've stained in 2 yrs (stained sometoday that i placed 2yrs ago) they turn out the same IMHO...
the stuff i stained today was after the drywall was finished... lots of mud on the floor... i cleaned with a mild soap and buffer and a black strip pad... then wet vac'd and mopped... stained the next day.... walls unpainted but ceiling has been painted...
now i have some that i already stained BEFORE the drywall... i put a crosslink poly mop on floor finish on the stained concrete (the same type finish they use on VCT for the high gloss... it can be burnished if u want) this with all the drywall mud... cleans up the same as the unstained except i use a red or white pad (far less agressive)... I really wouldn't try too hard to protect them... any chip or scuff just makes them look better IMHO... i love see'n the paw prints from the cat in the concrete... the parts i didn't get as slick as i wanted at the time look better than the parts that are super slick...
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Thank you.. I feel much better knowing I am on the right track..
j...
Ponytl has good stuff there. I cut my pattern LONG after the pour (it may have been a year or more) ... after framing, after plumbing, etc. I took care to not drip glues and cements on it (e.g. ABS cement). We cut like 1/8" grooves using an angle grinder and diamond blade. Piece of cake! Lay out lines and a steady hand does the job ... you can use a straightedge as a guide if you are so inclined. Of course we thoroughly cleaned the floor before etching ... don't recall what we used to clean it (it's just dust/dirt from construction) ... rented a wet/dry vac to suck up the water and during the post etch neutralizing process.
We acid etched after our vapor barrier went up and before drywall ... then covered everything w/ const. paper for the drywall, mudding and taping. Worked fairly well ... only a spot or two to clean afterwords.
That article was very helpful! I also took a day class given by a local distributor of acid stain ... best $25 I've spent in a while!!
We loved the result. My concrete guy gave me kind of a porous finish rather than smooth (at his recomendation). As a result and in hindsight ... I would have used more stain but it came out very nice. and we really like it. I tried a design in one area and wished I would have done more artwork ... because doing it was so easy. Just laid out my pattern/design and then outlined it w/ the angle grinder and played paint by numbers w/ a foam brush and different stains. check out the pic of the art work ..
I also live in Victoria, small world. If it was my floor, I would cut it into pattern 2-3 days after it was poured. You dont want the concrete too green, if it is, wait another day or so. I would make your cuts at least 5/8 " to help eliminate cracking. Cutting the crete wont eliminate all cracks, but hopefully they crack in your cuts. You can protect your floors cheaply with Dona Cona board sold at Slegg Lumber. The staining and sealing can be done when everyone is out of the house and you have no worries of someone dropping a hammer on your new floor! I am a contractor in Victoria and have experience with this flooring application...Good luck