If you need to acid etch your garage floor, but are worried about the dangers of using muriatic acid, then do not fret. There are safer and effective alternatives to acid etching your concrete. Companies are now creating products that are environmentally safe to use, produce zero VOC’s, and create no noxious fumes.
Muriatic acid, also known as hydrochloric acid, has been the accepted method of etching concrete by professionals and homeowners alike. However, it is also one of the more dangerous chemicals that you can have around your household.
With the exception to certain types of plastics, muriatic acid it will eat through most anything it comes in contact with including metal, clothes, and skin. The fumes alone can burn the lining of your nose and lungs if you aren’t careful. It will also kill your plants and grass if not properly neutralized before it is rinsed off your concrete.
Fortunately, there are companies that have developed an environmentally safe way to etch concrete.
Environmentally Safe concrete etching products
One particular company that has developed a very effective and environmentally safe concrete etch that we highly recommend is Surface Gel Tek. It produces a gel based hydrochloric acid called Tek Gel for Profiling or TGP for short.
It works by containing the acid in a gel like substance that is similar to Jello. There are no fumes and you simply apply the gel directly to the concrete with a nap roller. There is no diluting or mixing with water.
Once applied, you lightly scrub it in and let it work for 10 to 15 minutes. After it is done etching your garage floor you can simply hose it off, vacuum it up with a wet vac, or mop it up. Neutralizing is not required and it is safe to flush down the sewer.
One fascinating characteristic of Tek Gel is that the gel actually helps to lift up any remaining oil and grease contaminants that were left over from cleaning the garage floor. This is a huge benefit and something that traditional acid etching will not do.
1 gallon etches about 300 – 350 square feet of garage floor at a cost of around $80. Obviously it is more expensive than liquid acid, but still less expensive and labor intensive than grinding the concrete.
Surface Gel Tek does not sell their products direct and work with distributors instead. However, you can purchase Tek Gel here.
The gel provides a very consistent concrete etch and is easy to contain. You don’t have to worry about it running away on the surface like liquid acid does, not to mention the concern about fumes. It also does an excellent job at removing excess concrete laitance which is something that liquid acid etching does not do well. Laitance is one of the leading causes to garage floor coatings that peel when the concrete is prepped by acid etching.
Note: If there is any type of sealer on the concrete then etching will not work and the sealer will need to be removed first – usually by grinding or stripping with chemicals. If grinding, etching afterwards is not required.
If you want to avoid acid altogether, then another product that works well as an alternative to acid etching your garage floor is a product called Eco-Etch Pro. It is a plant based, biodegradable product that will not harm plant life, is non-corrosive, will not burn your skin, and neutralizes with water. There are no toxic vapors and it actually has a pleasant, almost sweet smell to it.
To quote the company’s website:
Eco-Etch Pro™ is a water-based non-hazardous, non-corrosive, biodegradable concentrate concrete etch and cleaning solution. It is the ideal acid etch alternative. This advanced formula incorporates a custom blend of surfactants, organic minerals and derivatives of a plant based extract for the most effective concrete etching solution available. It does not contain phosphoric, hydrochloric or muriatic acid, yet works better, safer and faster. Eco-Etch Pro™ is the preferred eco-friendly and user friendly acid etching alternative for interior or exterior surface preparation applications. It will not burn skin, corrode metals, or harm vegetation.
One benefit of Eco-Etch Pro is that it comes in a concentrate. This means that you can vary the strength of the etching depending on what type of product you are applying to your floor.
For example, if applying an epoxy floor coating you would want to use it at full strength for a maximum profile. If you are applying a concrete stain, then you don’t want to etch as aggressively and would dilute it up to 3:1 with water.The company does recommend using a floor buffer with a black scrub pad to get the maximum benefit when etching the garage floor.
1 gallon of concentrate will cover up to 250 square feet at full concentrate. You can also find it here from Amazon
Once you are done etching your floor you will want to check the porosity and surface texture. Properly profiled concrete should have the texture and feel of medium grit sandpaper.
For a quick test of the porosity you can apply a few drops of water to the surface in various areas of the garage floor. It should turn dark and be absorbed quickly into the concrete. Any stubborn areas of concrete that did not etch completely may need to be treated one more time.
The water drop test to check the surface of your concrete
Besides etching the concrete, both of these products work on rust stains, dirt, and efflorescence. Best yet, you don’t have to worry about fumes burning your lungs and they are safe for the environment. They are considered commercial grade products and Gel Tek for Profiling is even certified by the International American Society for Testing and Materials, otherwise known as ASTM.
Note: Do not confuse the etching products that come in store bought epoxy kits or the citrus based products from the big box stores as commercial grade. They will not work nearly as well.
Using these products as an alternative to acid etching your garage floor is fairly straight forward and easy. Follow the instructions by the manufacturer and adhere to any precautions. Unless you are installing an epoxy coating that can be applied on damp concrete, make sure to give the garage floor 24-48 hours to dry out before applying your desired coating.
Hello:
We recently bought our home and we are trying to do some repairs on a very tight budget. The previous owners parked their golf cart on a few areas of the concrete driveway and there are some significantly large areas that left acid rust stains. I do not wish to paint it after cleaning it and i am concerned that after using any type of etcher, it will leave the concrete very porous and cause worse staining afterwards. I am also concerned that we will have nice clean concrete on thise areas and darker tire marks from the vehicles. Can you pls help, i am very nervous to use these products! Lol
Hi Shirley. The rust colored stains are flash burn marks from the battery acid that causes the concrete to turn orange in color. We recommend a product that we have used in the past that is both effective and environmentally safe. It won’t etch the concrete like other products. You can purchase it from The Rust Store.
Shea,
Great website. It helped me make my decision on what type of coating to use on my garage floor (I’ll comment on the acrylic floor coating later on the appropriate page).
I opted to use the Surface Gel Tek product for etching. The product does work as advertised and is safer than pure acid. Comments:
1. It is costly. I needed almost 3 gallons for my job. Each gallon is about $68.
2. My opinion is that it is a 2 person job. One to apply, one to scrub; like in the instructional video on u-tube.
3. It needs to be put on rather thick as it tends to dry out quickly.
4. Very important to leave product on concrete 15-20 minutes before neutralizing (per Gel Tek instructions).
Hi John and thanks for the great tips and feedback on the Gel Tek product. You are right, it is costly. One thing we would like to point out however, is that it’s not too far out of range for what one would spend for grinding the floor instead. With the Gel Tek you get an environmentally safe product that produces a great surface profile without all the needed dust control of grinding.
We know what you mean about it being easier as a two man job. It can be done by one person, but it does involve some hustle if you elect to do it by yourself.
Can you comment on the 2 positive BUT 2 negative comments at
https://www.amazon.com/Eco-Etch-EE3-8000-1-Concrete-Etching-Cleaner/dp/B00KY35VHA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462642090&sr=8-1&keywords=eco+etch+pro
Not wanting to waste money like two reviewers say they did. How to explain such different user conclusions?
Hello Ted. Unfortunately there are to few comments to really discern much of anything good or bad. Additionally, they do not elaborate enough on the negative comments. They didn’t explain how it was used, why they needed to etch, or what shape the surface was in. We do know, however, that most of the bad experiences that people report from using an alternative acid etch product or muriatic acid for that matter, is due to applying it to sealed concrete or dirty, greasy surfaces. No matter what you use, it needs to be applied to clean unsealed concrete in order to be effective. Etching products, including acid, reacts when it comes in contact with the free lime in concrete. If the concrete is oily, dirty, or has a sealer on the surface, it will just sit there and do nothing.
If you have reservations, we suggest giving Eco-Etch Pro a call and talk to a customer service representative about your project. You will may be surprised about what you can learn about a particular product when you do this.
Hi,
Do you sell a product that removes “mottling” from concrete. Our new concrete looked good then black irregular shaped blotches started showing up on top of concrete.
Hello Denice. Thanks for checking with us, but we don’t sell product. We are an information resource only. The mottling of your concrete is not something you can clean off or remove. It can be anywhere from 1/32″ to 1/8″ thick. It’s generally caused by uneven curing, inconsistent finishing, or a combination of both. For example, if the sub grade is not uniform and/or not compacted with similar materials, moisture from the concrete will be absorbed into the sub base at different rates. This effectively changes the water to cement ratios during the curing process. Less water creates darker spots while more water makes the concrete lighter. The finishing process should be done a consistent rate as well. Spraying water on the surface during the finishing process can cause inconsistent coloring as will burning certain areas with steel trowels.
Acid etching will only roughen up the surface. Depending on how thick the mottling is, you may be able to grind down to a more consistent looking color, but that takes a lot of work and may expose concrete aggregate in the process.
Do you have a recommended process for cleaning dog urine off a concrete floor? We are buying a house where the dog spent time in garage. I would like to clean, etch, then seal floor. Any suggestions?
Hello Randy. Your basic plan is good. If you have an odor issue we suggest that you use a pet enzyme cleaner on the concrete after you etch. Since the etching opens up the pores of the concrete, the enzyme will work better since it can penetrate deeper into the concrete. If you were hoping to block the odor by sealing the concrete, then you will need to apply a coating such as epoxy. Regular paints and penetrating sealers actually breathe and would allow the odor causing molecules to escape to the surface. Most resinous coatings, such as epoxy, do not breathe and would help to block odor transmission.
I have a pool and the patio leading into the house has a slick finish and is very slippery when wet . I would like to remove the slick finish to match the cool deck finish around the pool …. is this possible ?
Hello Debra. If you have a slick finish you more than likely have a coating or sealer of some type on the concrete. In order to apply the same cool deck finish you have around the pool, you will need to grind the concrete to remove the current coating/sealer in order to provide the the proper profile. Acid etch won’t work on a surface that has been coated/sealed since it cannot react with the free lime in the concrete. It will just sit on the surface and do nothing.
Great information i thoroughly enjoyed reading the comments. I work with concrete personally and proffessionally and I was unaware of allgaragefloors.com.
Great replies
Thank you Michael.
I mainly have no idea whether or not I can neutralise and wash muriatic acid down my driveway onto the street where I live. I tried checking the city website but can’t find the information.
Surface Gel Tek seems good because I can just wash it onto the street legally, but it’s expensive for my 425 sq. ft. garage.
Eco-Etch Pro sounds great but requires renting a buffer. I may as well rent a grinder, right?
I have a new (3-4 month old) concrete garage and wonder if that means I can use something less aggressive like Rust-Oleum clean and etch, which has decent customer reviews.
What do you think?
Hello Bart. What type of coating/product is it that you want to apply to your concrete?
Sorry for the delayed response.
I’ve just received my Nohr-S. very excited, and want to get it right, but just concerned about the acid and the driveway and the grass on the front yard and the legal implications from the city if I do something wrong.
Hello Bart. We don’t have an answer for you regarding your city ordinance. Some local areas consider hazardous material (acid in your case) that is properly neutralized as no longer hazardous. Some require that hazardous material that is properly neutralized to still be considered hazardous waste and is treated and disposed as such. To be honest, we only know of a few cases where people were found in violation, but these were contractors that were subject to inspection and oversight by local officials. If you properly neutralize the acid and follow the tips we list about wetting your driveway and then spreading neutralizer solution on that beforehand, you shouldn’t have any issues with your grass or driveway. As we list in this article, phosphoric acid is much less hazardous to use than muriatic acid and just as effective.
We suggest you contact Legacy Industrial and ask them about using the less effective biodegradable citric acid etch products. If your garage is not very smooth to begin with, it may work, but we are not the ones to determine that.
I just checked out Phosphoric Prep & Etch and it looks perfect! Doesn’t even mention that it needs neutralising… which sounds great!
I will return the muriatic acid I bought because it scares the living hell out of me.
Thank you so much for your website, for your patience, and for your fast, invaluable advice. I truly appreciate it ?
Today we prepared our garage floor for a Rocksolid. The citric acid etch didn’t bubble much at all, just turned a milky white over time. Is that normal? The muriatic acid test bubbled a bunch so I don’t think we have a sealer… Anyway another question I have is how much ch dry time do I need before I can put down the first Rocksolid coat? Thanks in advance- love your site!!
Hello Aaron. Citric acid etches are not as strong as muriatic acid. They are are not recommended for most high solids garage floor coating, but for RockSolid they work fine. You want to wait 24-48 hours for the concrete to thoroughly dry. If the coating is applied too soon, water vapor that is escaping from the moisture within the concrete will create bubbles in the coating as it cures.
Would you say the general rule is 1 lb of citric acid per 250 sq ft? This would be on newly poured concrete, 3 months ago, so no oil, dirt or misc stains.
If you are using an aftermarket citric etching product, Zane, then that is about the norm. Just remember that you need to leave it on the concrete much longer than muriatic acid before you rinse – usually about 20 minutes or so. If it’s a warm day, it may be a good idea to have a little extra on standby to add to the concrete if it begins to show signs of drying.
Hello Shea, I bought this typically used epoxy kit for garage but after reading your articles, I want to return it and use a 100% solids epoxy. Could you please recommend to me a cost effective option in premium epoxy kits?
I will appreciate it. Thanks, rohit
Hello Rohit. If you want a high performance product that is just as easy to apply as the store bought DIY epoxy kits, but is much tougher and will last 10 years or more, we suggest a single-part polyurea. In addition, polyurea will not turn a yellow tint if exposed to direct sun or strong indirect sunlight.
To be clear, 100% solids epoxy is an excellent product and is the preference of commercial installers. However, for a proper installation it is highly recommended to use an epoxy primer. Floor prep is extremely important as well. What you have done so far would be fine for the single-part polyureas, but would need more work for 100% solids epoxy. If you still want to go that route, many of our sponsors carry excellent product. You can check with EpoxyMaster, ArmorPoxy, Legacy Industrial, and Garage Flooring LLC. GarageCoatings.com also has a high solids epoxy hybrid kit that is excellent as well.
Hi Shea. Which gel tech to use? The one that gets to 80 grit or 120 grit surface? Planning on using epoxy primer and 100% epoxy top coat build of about 14 mills.
Thank you,
Tom
Hello Thomas. The 120 grit version will get the job done just fine, especially since you are using an epoxy primer.
Hello, I have a small basement floor area that isn’t damp or stained, I want to do some kind of light finish to make it into a sewing room. It’s not a garage and doesn’t need resistance to grease, impact, tires, or anything like that. What would be a good product to use? I don’t want to put a lot of money and effort into it as I don’t think it’s really necessary, it will be very light use area.
thanks,
Rachel
Hello Rachel. If you are confident that moisture is not an issue, then you may want to look into the acrylic stains that manufacturers like Behr and H&C Concrete sell. Here is an example. They are available in semi-transparent and solid colors. These are actually a then acrylic coating that is colored. We are not a fan of these at all for garage floors, but they are an excellent candidate for what you want to do.
We need to clean and etch the back patio but we have dogs that also go through the patio to go outside. Is this safe for them to wall on whole drying ?
Hello Jessica. If the concrete is drying, then that means the proper steps have been followed correctly and the solution on the concrete is neutralized. Therefore is would be safe for the dogs to walk on the concrete while it is drying.
Hi, my garage floor was previously painted with epoxy but it wasn’t properly etched and so it is now de-laminating in a few areas where the bond wasn’t good. I have bubbles and the paint is chipping in a few areas.
I plan to re-do the etching and repaint with Epoxy.
I think the first thing is to scrub off all the old paint (that’s flaking off). Then i plan to use the Surface Gel Tek solution to etch the concrete.
Will approach work?
Thanks
Hi Terrence. Are you planning on recoating the entire floor? If so, the big question is how well will the remainder of the old coating hold? Because the concrete was not etched properly to begin with, the remainder has a good chance of peeling up as time goes on and it will take any coating applied over it with it. The Gel Tek will work great for etching the concrete, but it’s not going to have an effect on the older coating. You can’t etch epoxy. You will need to sand it with 100-120 grit sandpaper to prep it for a new coat. This article here details how to recoat old epoxy.
I want to etch my concrete pad for epoxy coating before my metal building is put up to avoid any corrosive chemicals and damage to my building. Is it ok to etch the concrete, then cover with visquine for a few days or weeks until the building is put up? I guess I would pull the plastic after the building is up, let it finish drying, sweep, and apply epoxy?
Hello Ryan. Yes, you can do that. However, we recommend letting it dry as long as you can before covering the floor. You don’t want to introduce mold or mildew to the surface.
I used Versatile’s Eco Concrete Profiler and boy that works. Could be rebadged ecoetch, I dunno. It’s $25 a gallon. If you’re doing a 2 car garage, I’d recommend getting 3 gallons. Supposed to be safe for vegetation. The Valspar stuff from Lowe’s works, but Versatile’s stuff puts it to shame.
I have a new garage. It is very dusty and would like to seal the floor. Would power washing do the trick to prep before densifying and then sealing? Or is etching the way to go?
Hello Colin. Pressure washing the concrete beforehand is fine. You do not want to etch as this will open the pores at the surface and make sealing more difficult for a penetrating sealer.
Thank you so much Shea
One more question
I’m planning to use the PS104 Densifier what sealer do you recommend with the PS104?
The PS104 is a densifier with siliconate sealer added already, Colin. Unless you are planning on applying a coating (which changes things), the PS104 is a good choice for dusting issues.
Was all set to etch concrete garage(before painting) but after cleaning concrete discovered all water run off is too my colourbond shed. Now worried about etch corroding shed. Any chance i can get away with painting without etching
Hi Judy. I just don’t have enough info on your runoff situation. However, if you plan on applying a coating, then you need to etch at a minimum. This article here explains why. If don’t prep the concrete properly, then you will have problems with peeling and hot tire pickup. Eco Etch Pro is a product that is safe for mild steel. You can find it here on Amazon.
Can someone please help me? I have 2 bags of concrete etch and 2 bags of flake stuff (I guess for color) how do I properly use and apply the concrete etch?
Hi Kaela. We need more information than that. What kind of concrete etch do you have and what do mean by flake stuff for color? What are you trying to do exactly?
This site has been a life-saver! I love all of the information and step-by-step processes, thank you! I have a question…
My home was built in 1958. It has a block foundation but I have no idea how old the concrete floor in the basement actually is. I’ve owned the house for 30 years. The concrete is in various stages of neglect and at least half of it was a garage at some point (that was sealed off years ago). I can also see that someone painted the floor but we’re talking over 30 years now.
I am about to embark on a cat pee removal odyssey but before I go through the process of etching the floor to prepare it for cleaning followed by a sealant, would there be a way to tell if it ever had any type of sealant previously applied?
Hi Kimberly. If you can spray water on the bare concrete and it beads or just sits there without absorbing much at all, then there is most likely a sealant present. However, if the concrete immediately turns a darker color and/or absorbs the water within a minute, then no sealant has been applied. FYI, we have an article on cleaning pet urine in case you missed it.
Hi – I’m confused about what to use for the following application: I have a basement room I have built. The concrete floor, and surrounding concrete walls, have had absolutely no water infiltration in the six years we have owned the property – lucky us. The concrete floor has never been painted. I want to paint it, but I also want to put commercial grade self-stick carpet tile over the floor after painting it. I guess I’m thinking painting will give the carpet tiles a better/cleaner surface to attach to. Not wanting to introduce a whole lot of moisture to the floor, since it is below grade. Any thoughts? Thanks!
Hello Tim. Ideally, you want the adhesive to bond with bare concrete and not paint. Latex concrete paint can peel over time. Plus, bare concrete provides a better profile for the adhesive to stick to. Check with the carpet tile manufacturer to verify. Many times, instructions will state to remove paint first or at least rough it up. Did you install a moisture vapor barrier before placing the concrete? If so, then moisture will not be an issue. If not, we would recommend placing a few calcium chloride test kits in various places to test for moisture during the wet time of the year. You will determine for sure if moisture is present or not. We discuss checking for moisture here.
After research, I think I’ve decided to use this product – Ghostshield Lithi-Tek 4500 Concrete Hardener – and then put the carpet tiles over that. Thanks.
Hi Tim. That will work just fine. GhostShield 4500 is a concrete densifier. One of the benefits is that it helps to resist moisture intrusion from below the slab.
I am getting ready to paint a pool deck. The deck has already been painted. There are areas where the paint is peeling up. Will your solution be applicable for this project or do I need to do something different?
Hi Maureen. Paint and coatings can’t be etched. The solution will sit and do nothing. Etching solutions are for bare concrete only. They react with the free lime and other minerals in the concrete to break down the surface and create a more porous profile. Since you have paint that is peeling, it requires that you scrape the area well to remove the peeling paint. Remaining paint that is still adhered well should be treated via sanding with 120 grit sandpaper or use a green or black scrubbing pad on a floor maintainer. If you have any bare concrete that is exposed, you can treat those areas with an etching solution to encourage better mechanical adhesion for the paint.
Looking to clear coat slab tilt walls and floor in a showroom. Concrete would be just over a year old and not previously coated. Also has some slurry marks from when it was installed that would preferably be removed. Limited access to water and drainage as is inside. Any ideas on how to etch these without creating a huge mess? Appreciate your thoughts
Hi Ben. Any type of etching can’t be completed without introducing water. Surface Gel Tek which we describe in the article uses the least amount. Once the surface is etched with it, you introduce water with a mop or watering can and then use a shop vac to pull it up. Keep in mind that etching usually will not be as effective for removing slurry makes as grinding would.
My 1500sq ft pad is 6 months old. Building is going up right now. Purchased a single part polyurea system to put down. My question is which prep system would you recommend. The plan was to use the concrete prep tool and go that route, but I keeping seeing it mentioned that with the polyurea it may be too aggressive and require two base coats. Im now looking at the Tek Gel profiling etch. The concrete is power troweled finished, and very smooth. If I use the etch, will it have any effect on the steel building framing in contact with the ground? The etch would cost around $400 for the amount I need, the floor polisher+prep tool is $180 a day. I’m not sure which avenue to pursue. The building will have vinyl backed insulation to the floor and I think I should avoid water spraying onto it.
Some insight would be appreciated!
Thank you
Hello Ron. We understand the concern that fumes from a standard muriatic acid etch can be corrosive to metal buildings. In addition, introducing water to the concrete will require that you give it the proper amount of time to dry, let alone worrying about the insulation that goes down to the floor. I don’t believe that using a Diamabrush concrete prep tool on power troweled concrete will provide an aggressive enough grind to worry about too much penetration of the polyurea into the concrete. If it was a standard steel troweled (hand trowled) floor, then the concern about requiring two coats might be valid depending on the product you are using. Are you using AWF polyurea? I’m only guessing since you mentioned the GelTek. If so, the recommended coverage rate for AWF provides for a thicker DFT than other polyurea coatings.
If it still worries you, I would recommend taping off the lower 2-3 feet of the wall with cheap plastic painting drop cloths. Use a concrete masking tape like this one here. Allow a good 3/4″-1″ of tape to stick to the concrete. Etch the concrete using EcoEtch. There are no corrosive fumes to harm the building and the tape and drop cloths will prevent water from getting to the insulation. Once the concrete has dried, remove the tape and drop cloths. Wipe up any tape residue with mineral spirits, acetone, etc. and then hit the edge with a rub block tool like this one here. You won’t be driving on that last inch of concrete (hopefully!) and it will take enough of the smoothness out of the concrete for the polyuea to adhere well. I don’t think the GelTek is worth the investment based on your concerns.
Thanks for your reply, I was patiently waiting haha. I am using the AWF system. My only concern with an eco-etch was providing the proper profile on the concrete. If you think a good eco etch ( suggestion’s appreciated) would suffice for a proper prep, along with taping and plastic, I would prefer that method. The shop is 1500sq ft and from what I’m reading/watching, the concrete prep tool would take two days and cover the interior with dust. My biggest concern is laying down a few thousand dollars worth of material and having issues in a year or two. This project has been almost two years in the making, and I would hate to have a crappy floor. Thank you for your help, and any other bits of info or tips are greatly appreciated.
Hi Ron. Garage Flooring LLC carries Eco-Etch which you can find here. They would not be selling it if there were doubts about how well it works with their coatings. I would recommend giving them a call and ask to speak with Justin. He spent much research before taking on the AWF Polyurea line and has sold hundreds of thousands of square feet worth of it. He knows what type of prep works well based on the surface. I believe you will do fine with the etch. Single-part polyurea is solvent-based and is known for penetrating better than water-based coatings.