Replies

1. 
   BillHartmann | Nov 17, 2007 09:50pm | #1

   I did know that SW sold a stain under their own name.

   But they own H&C conrete stains and they sell them.

   http://www.hcconcrete.com/

   H&C tech support is very good.

   But what kind of "stain" are you talking about. They have solvent based, water based, reactive (acid stains) along with sealers and epoxy coatings.

   I have used the water based on a driveway. Have not been by since so I don't know how well it is holding up. But no complaints from the client.

   .
   .
   A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
2. 
   mike_maines | Nov 17, 2007 11:02pm | #2

   We used the H+C on a floor...not good.  I thought we were going to do an epoxy floor paint so we weren't careful about joint compound, paint, solder....  Decorative finisher insisted on the H+C stain.  We rented a floor buffer with wire brushes, spent a whole day trying to get in clean.  Acid washed it and rinsed.  Stain doesn't stick for anything still.

   If your floor is clean you might have better results than we did.  If it's not perfect, I'd go with an epoxy floor paint.  I've used those over less-than-perfect concrete and they are fine.

   Oh, exept don't use water-based if the floor is going to see a lot of water (like under an entry mat a vacation house.)  Found out the hard way.

1. 
   brownbagg | Nov 17, 2007 11:45pm | #3

   there are some "stains" out there that are really a paint. lowes have a couple of them, as far as "stains" i only use KEMIKO acid stains.

1. 
   mike_maines | Nov 18, 2007 12:37am | #4

   That's where I got confused early on.  Homeowner asked for concrete stain, I asked what color, she said blue-gray.  What she was describing sounded just like the epoxy paints I've used several times.

   She got a faux painter to make the floor look like tiles.  He wanted to use the H+C product.  Best I can gather is it's a stain, in that it sinks into the concrete more than epoxy does, but the surface is uniform like paint.  Just like a solid stain for siding and trim--looks like paint but they call it stain.

   Anyway, because the floor wasn't "pure" the stain didn't grab very well, so where the painter had laid down blue tape the stain pulled up.  Fortunately the owner likes it because it "looks old," but I think it looks terrible.

   Nothing like the Kemico stains.  I've seen the pictures of your bathroom floor.  To me that's a concrete stain.  Anything else is paint or epoxy.  But they call it stain.

1. 
   Hiker | Nov 18, 2007 02:28am | #5

   MIke,

   H&C has both an acid stain and "paint" stain  for concrete.  I am guessing you may have used the paint stain. 

   Bruce

3. 
   RW | Nov 18, 2007 03:27am | #6

   My 2 cents - the H&C xylene based stuff I like well, and have never had issues with. Stuff done 5 years ago, outside, has been through summers and winters now and still looks good.

   But on a basement floor . . . thats not a look I'd vote for, but thats me.

   Prep is everything. Not a good thing, not important, everything. Any idiot can push a roller across a floor. Its what preceeds it that makes or breaks the job.

   Also used their 2 part epoxy, loved it. Have used acid stains, and dont want to go there again. I've seen jobs that looked good, but those take a lot of finessing that I apparently dont have and dont have the inclination to practice with. Thats definately in my head now as a "sub out" deal.

   Real trucks dont have sparkplugs

4. 
   wrudiger | Nov 18, 2007 07:08am | #7

   Not familiar with the SW stain, but I've used this stuff:

   http://www.superdeck.com/masonsselect/Default.htm

   As someone mentioned - prep is everything.  Good cleaning, then acid etch before staining.  After the acid etch I wore off my fingerprints rubbing down the tape used to fake the grout line.  This stuff goes on with a garden pump sprayer. Seems more paint-like than stain-like but penetrates well and - so far - has worn well in the carport.

   I used an Adobe / Sandstone (50/50 mix) base, misted over with Terra Cotta while still wet, then blended with a foam roller. Prep takes forever, application really fast.

   View Image

   
   

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   Edited 11/17/2007 11:09 pm by wrudiger

1. 
   ponytl | Nov 18, 2007 04:47pm | #8

   if you are going to acid stain concrete... you should never acid wash/etch it beforehand... you are killing what the acid in the stain reacts with...

   not say'n it won't still stain if you do.... you just hard to get the deep colors

   i've found the more imperfect the concrete finish (within limits) the better the look after it's stained... the flaws become character... just like in people

   p

1. 
   brownbagg | Nov 18, 2007 05:15pm | #9

   I had a footprint in mine that came out great, cant tell what it is. i know people that will go fishing and lay the fish bones on the slab before staining, have a fossil imprint