HOW TO STAIN YOUR CONCRETE PATIO

Southport Concrete Corp. • July 20, 2018

Three-car garage with wooden doors and brick exterior. Concrete driveway leads to the house, with mountain in the background.

You can beautify your concrete patio and radically transform its appearance by applying stain. Stain gives a rich, almost three-dimensional look to the patio and sets it apart from everyone else's ho-hum gray slab.

Below is a list of tools and materials needed as well as information on how to prepare the concrete, apply the stain, and then seal the finished surface.

TOOLS AND MATERIALS NEEDED FOR THE JOB

You can obtain all the needed supplies and tools from a local home improvement store or from online vendors. Here is what you will need:

Concrete stain
Concrete sealer
Muriatic acid
Pump-up garden sprayer
Plastic flower watering can
Garden hose with spray nozzle
Scissors
Rubber floor squeegee
Trisodium phosphate (TSP) powder
Plastic-bristled brush
Five-gallon bucket
Eye goggles
Face mask
Rubber gloves
Rubber boots

Protecting yourself from the harsh muriatic acid is important, so don't skimp on the safety equipment listed above.

STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE

Once you have gathered the necessary tools and supplies, you are ready to begin working.

1. THOROUGHLY CLEAN THE PATIO

Adequate surface preparation is the key to making your stain adhere and will give you much better, longer-lasting results. To clean the patio, begin by spraying it down with a garden hose to wash away any loose debris and to soften stuck materials.

Next, prepare a solution of trisodium phosphate (TSP) in a clean bucket by following the manufacturer's directions. Then apply the solution with a scrub brush. Scrub the surface of the patio with the brush, paying extra attention to any prominent stains or spots. Rinse the patio with a garden hose to remove the remnants of the dirty TSP solution.

2. PREPARE THE MURIATIC ACID

After the cleaned patio has dried completely, the next step is to etch its surface with muriatic acid. This step will create a raw surface for better stain adherence.

Before applying the muriatic acid, be sure to put on eye goggles, face mask, rubber gloves and rubber boots. Wear long pants and long sleeves, as well. If the acid splashes on your skin or eyes, it could cause chemical burns that require medical attention, so be careful when working with the acid.

Once you are prepared, pour the proper amount of muriatic acid into a flower watering can filled with the specified amount of water. The instructions that come with the muriatic acid will inform you how much acid and water to use; however, in all cases, always pour acid into the water, never the other way around.

3. APPLY MURIATIC ACID TO THE PATIO

After mixing the muriatic acid solution, spray the surface of the patio with a garden hose and also spray nearby landscaping plants to protect them from accidental acid splashing. Next, carefully pour the muriatic acid on top of the damp patio.

After applying the muriatic acid, allow it to soak into the concrete for about twenty minutes, and then rinse the acid from the patio using a garden hose.

4. APPLY THE CONCRETE STAIN TO THE PATIO

Allow the patio to dry at least two full days before applying stain. Once the patio has dried completely, you are ready to stain the surface.

Add stain to a pump-up garden sprayer, then spray it using even passes over the entire surface. Don't over-spray any areas, and keep the coat fairly light. Allow the first coat to dry completely, then apply a second coat with the sprayer.

5. SEAL THE NEWLY STAINED PATIO

Once the stain has dried completely, the last step is to apply a gloss sealer to the stained surface. This step will provide a shiny, smooth surface and increase the overall resilience of your stained patio to damaging chemicals and weather-induced wear.

Apply the concrete sealer to the patio using the same pump-up sprayer and use light coats, just as before. Allow each coat to dry completely before applying another. Finally, allow the sealed, stained patio to dry for a couple of days before permitting foot traffic on its surface.

If you are in need of new concrete patio, then be sure to contact Southport Concrete Company for assistance. Southport Concrete can handle any job, and their expert service will leave you smiling and satisfied.

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