What is Acid Stained Concrete?
Most acid stains are a mixture of water, hydrochloric acid, and acid-soluble metallic salts. The acid penetrates the surface and reacts chemically with the hydrated lime in the concrete. Once the stain reacts, it becomes part of the concrete. Like stains for wood, acid stains will vary depending on the color and condition of the substrate they are applied to. Acid stains can be applied in many different ways to obtain endless amounts of unique colors and appearances.
Acid stained concrete gives color and texture to the adaptable aggregate material. Benches, floors, walls, walkways, and countertops can all be colored using chemical stains to create warm earthtones with an organic appearance. Acid penetrates the surface of the concrete, triggering reactions that create colors. Modern design has embraced concrete as a durable, minimalist, and flexible material. Manufacturers and designers now routinely incorporate cement into homes in bathroom and kitchen counters, floors, patios, decks, and short, exterior walls. Bored with the plain grey color, they came up with a multi-step process to stain new or established concrete a wide range of rich colors using acid and salts. Chemically speaking, the process of creating acid stained concrete is easy to explain but difficult to tightly control. A trained expert first applies a water-soluble acid solution to the surface of the concrete. It will penetrate down to 1/4 inch (6 mm). In this depth, a mineral calle
