If you are thinking about staining your garage floor, then pay close attention. Staining concrete is a DIY project that has slowly become more popular than ever before. The first decision that has to be made, however, is what type of stain or dye is best for a garage floor. Well, Legacy Industrial has made that decision much easier with the arrival of their new DeltaDye water-based penetrating concrete stain.
Legacy Industrial contacted us and sent over a sample kit of their new DeltaDye concrete stain for us to review for ourselves. Before we discuss our impressive results and the benefits of DeltaDye as a garage floor stain, it’s first important to learn a little bit about concrete staining in general.
The process of color staining concrete is when fully cured bare concrete is treated with a liquid stain or dye to permanently change the color at the surface. It is usually applied to the concrete with a pump-up sprayer, a paintbrush, or a paint roller depending on the type of stain.
Once the staining process is complete, a clear topical coating is applied to the concrete. The clear topcoat is what seals and protects the stain (as well as the concrete). It makes the otherwise dull-looking colors “pop” with vibrancy.
There are multiple types of stains and dyes available. The number of stains available can seem daunting at first. However, a good number are specialty stains that are used for decorative concrete design in the home and business. They are not necessarily suitable for a garage environment or outdoors.
The most popular of stains that people are familiar with for a garage floor are acid stains. Here is one such example.
Acid stains are reactive. Once applied, they react with free lime on the concrete surface to produce beautiful and translucent earthy colors with nice patinas. Veining, variegation, and mottling are what they are most known for. It’s a popular look that people want in their garages.
OK, we see the question coming. Why would you want to use a water-based concrete stain such as DeltaDye instead of an acid stain for a garage floor then?
The reason has to do with the characteristics and requirements of acid staining. If you are not familiar with the acid staining process, some of these characteristics can cause poor results. They can also shy the inexperienced away from a DIY project once they learn the steps required.
The first characteristic is that you are dealing with acid. Safety precautions need to be taken before you begin the application process. It’s easy to get caught up in trying to achieve the look you want and forget that you are working with a dangerous chemical.
A lesser-known but far more important characteristic is that the amount of lime on the concrete surface will affect how well the stain performs.
Extremely old concrete, previously acid etched concrete, or concrete treated to grinding typically will not have sufficient enough lime available at the surface for the acid to react with. The result can be a poor stain outcome that looks faded and may even wash out during the required rinsing process.
Furthermore, because acid stains are reactive, you have less control over the final look. The stain can be darker or lighter than you may have anticipated. You are also limited with color selection. The organic nature of acid stain can only provide natural earth tones for color.
Finally, acid staining is more labor-intensive and takes longer to complete. The acid generally needs to remain on the concrete for a minimum of five hours or more in order for it to fully react properly. The surface then has to be neutralized to return the concrete back from an acid state to a basic state.
The concrete is then washed by scrubbing down in order to remove all unreacted stain and stain residue. It’s not uncommon to go through more than one scrubbing. If this step is not done properly, the remaining residue will cause problems with your protective clear coat.
Now that you know some of the characteristics of an acid stain, let’s look at why a water-based penetrating stain can have many advantages over an acid stain.
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Benefits of DeltaDye water-based concrete stain versus acid stain
Some water-based penetrating concrete stains can have distinct advantages over acid staining and DeltaDye is no exception. DeltaDye is available in 24 different colors and works by penetrating the pores of the concrete and creating a permanent stain that is vibrant in color with a variegated and translucent look.
Just like an acid stain, DeltaDye is U.V. resistant and will not fade. This makes it an excellent choice for garage floors exposed to sunlight as well as for patios and walkways. Some water-based penetrating stains, as well as chemical stains and dyes, are less U.V. resistant. They can fade over time if exposed to sunlight.
Water-based stains are also eco-friendly. They will not harm your skin, there are no toxic fumes or VOCs to worry about, and they are safe for vegetation. Water-based stains typically have a larger coverage rate than acid stains as well.
Additionally, unlike acid stain, which is reactive and has a somewhat undetermined outcome, you can control the coloring and design with a water-based stain. This is done by regulating the amount of stain you apply, the application method, as well as the ability to accent with other colors.
Water-based concrete stains do not require neutralizing or scrubbing either. Once the stain has dried on the surface it is ready for a clear coat application. This particular feature takes a lot of the labor out of the process and is a huge time saver. It can reduce the entire application process down to a single day depending on the clear coat you have chosen.
Concrete Surface Prep and application for DeltaDye
Concrete surface preparation for a stain is the same regardless of the product. The concrete needs to be clean. The surface has to be free of any paint, coatings, sealers, oils, waxes, dirt, or any other substance that would prevent the stain from penetrating the concrete. Any repairs that need to be made to the garage floor should be done at this time.
Concrete repairs should be done with a cementitious-based product. Resin-based concrete repair products such as epoxy or polyurea will repel it and not allow the stain to take.
If the surface repels water then light sanding, etching, or grinding will need to be performed before DeltaDye can be applied. If water will not penetrate, neither will the stain.
Our recommendation is to use a pump-up garden sprayer with a circular spray pattern. This type of application can provide a more variegated look. However, you can also apply DeltaDye with a paintbrush or roller.
If using a single color, the first thing you want to do is apply a single coat to the entire surface. Mottling will be achieved through the varying degrees of porosity in your concrete. You can darken the color or achieve “acid effects” by applying additional stain in random and irregular patterns.
If using more than one color, it is recommended to apply lighter colors first as a base color and then accent with the darker colors. You can also add water to colors to make them lighter.
The stain generally needs 30 minutes to 1 hour to dry. Once dry, you can apply additional coats and/or accents and colors. It really is up to your imagination how you want it to look.
Concrete stains need to be sealed with a topical clear coat
Once you stain your garage floor you will need to seal and protect it with a film-forming clear coat. The clear top coat protects the stain and wets it out to make the color pop and look vibrant. Most stains will look dull and sometimes even ugly until you get the clear coat applied.
For a garage floor, Legacy Industrial recommends their HD6600 MMA acrylic sealer, SEC Sealer (epoxy), or Nohr-S polyurea sealer.
If you don’t have a busy garage and want the easiest sealer to apply, then the HD6500 in a matte finish or HD6600 MMA would be a good choice. We did an article on HD6600 here a while back. This type of sealer does not require any other additional concrete prep other than what is required for DeltaDye. Once the stain dries, you can immediately begin applying the sealer.
For garage floors that will see medium to heavy-duty use, the epoxy SEC Sealer or Nohr-S would be a better choice. Examples of such use are car maintenance and repair, home improvement projects, workshops and etc. You can read about Nohr-S here. These types of coatings are extremely durable and will last for years.
If choosing a sealer other than HD66500 or HD6600, you will first need to acid etch or lightly grind your concrete before applying DeltaDye. The reason is that the higher performance coating such as epoxy and polyurea require a more porous concrete surface in order to achieve a good mechanical bond.
Unlike acid stains, this type of concrete preparation will not affect water-based stains such as DeltaDye. It may reduce the coverage rate of the stain though since there will be better penetration of the concrete surface.
Purchase DeltaDye water-based stain and kits
Legacy Industrial can’t make it much easier to purchase and apply DeltaDye stain to your garage floor, patio, walkways, or even the interior of your home. They include instructions, videos, tech sheets, and links to the various clear top coat sealers they recommend. They also have the option of purchasing DeltaDye in kit form.
If you are not sure about what color/s you want, then we highly recommend first purchasing the sample kit. You can test the colors in an inconspicuous area of the garage floor or other concrete to see how they look. You can even practice combining colors.
If you like the idea of stain but want something that is even easier to apply, then Legacy Industrial may have what you are looking for. It’s called DeltaDye OneStep Easy. This is a tinted sealer kit that adds a single color of DeltaDye to their HD6500 sealer.
Keep in mind that tinted sealers technically are not a stain or dye. They do not permanently stain the concrete since it’s the sealer that is colored. We have an article here that explains more. What they do is provide a more consistent-looking color that is somewhat translucent.
Our results with DeltaDye water-based stain
Legacy Industrial sent us a sample kit of DeltaDye that comes with four 4oz. pump sprayer bottles. You can choose up to four colors. The colors we received were Lead, Gold, Red, and Blue.
They also sent us their HD6600 sealer as well. We were excited to give DeltaDye a try and applied the samples to a small section of a garage floor to see how they would look.
The concrete we applied the stain to was older and had some surface imperfections and fine spider cracks. This type of surface only adds to the character of the stain and helps to create an effect that some people find desirable. Your results will vary depending on the condition of your concrete.
Because penetrating water-based stains and acid stains are translucent, concrete imperfections and repairs will show through and add to the character of the floor.
To illustrate, we purposely left a circular stain on the concrete that was made from a tire and wheel laying on the surface. You can see how it shows through in some of the images. It is a good example of why it’s important to get the concrete as clean as you can.
We also want to point out that the concrete had been treated to grinding a year previous. As you can see in the following images, the grinding of the concrete did not affect how well the concrete took the stain.
As we stated, this is one of the advantages of using a penetrating water-based concrete stain. An acid stain would not have worked well on this floor.
Lead and Blue were applied next to each other in one section and then Red and Gold were applied next to each other in another section. We did this in order to show some of the color contrasts. You also get an idea of what a stain looks like before it is sealed.
The small pump bottles create a fine spray and we felt that it wasn’t going on as heavy as it should, but we liked the results nonetheless. It just requires more pumping. In hindsight, we should have unscrewed the tops to sprinkle heavier applications on for some accenting.
The first thing we noticed right away is that the lighter-colored stains quickly took on a variegated look as it was absorbed differently by the concrete. The color also darkened in the fine spider cracks. The Blue stain in particular was stunning in this regard.
What was interesting is the color Lead. Because it was much darker, it did not show as much variegation as the lighter-colored stains. Two applications of each color were applied and we only had to wait about 25 minutes between coats.
We then did two separate sections of Blue and Gold. After these had dried, we sprayed a small amount of Lead stain over the Blue in a couple of areas and we did the same with the Red stain over the Gold. This helped to create a mottled look of different hues. We can see how you can get really creative this way with just two colors and your imagination.
After our samples had dried completely, we treated them with two thin coats of the HD6600 sealer. The sealer rolled on easily and provided a glossy look that made the color really stand out.
Taking a good picture proved challenging for us and the one we posted here doesn’t do the stain justice. The gloss of the sealer created an overpowering shine due to the overhead lights. We couldn’t take the picture in the dark or with a flash, so we finally had to edit it and take some of the gloss out. It would have been much easier if we were photographing an entire floor and not one small area.
Final Thoughts
We found that DeltaDye water-based penetrating concrete stain truly provides a stunning look and is very easy to apply. We really liked how the color intensity varied as it was absorbed by the concrete.
Admittedly, the older concrete with the fine spider cracks really made this stain pop with character. If you are applying it to fairly new concrete then you will not get quite the same look that the fine spider cracks provided.
If you are going to seal the stain with HD6600, then the entire process couldn’t get much easier. The hardest part of the job may be clearing out your garage floor and cleaning the concrete. This combination of stain and sealer can make for some fairly easy DIY decorative concrete projects in and around the home for the garage floor, walkways, patios, and pool decks.
If you are someone who is inclined towards automotive repairs and maintenance or other projects in your garage, then we would recommend that you use an epoxy or polyurea clear coat sealer instead. Remember that this will require that you properly prep the concrete for these types of sealers before you begin the staining process.
Do we think that DeltaDye water-based concrete stain provides the same results as an acid stain? No, not quite, but we feel that it’s close enough for most people who don’t want to deal with the acid staining process.
Though the colors of DeltaDye are definitely vibrant, acid staining can sometimes provide some stunning effects due to the lime-reacting process that is hard to replicate with other stain types.
Keep in mind, however, that DeltaDye provides a better color selection than acid stain and a more controlled outcome for the look you want to achieve.
In short, we highly recommend DeltaDye if you want an easy-to-use DIY concrete stain that will provide excellent results. It’s Eco-friendly, U.V. resistant, and provides a vibrant, translucent look that is similar to acid stain.
Mike Ossmann says
I’ve done some acid staining with concrete in the past and am looking to try some regular concrete stain. What is the cost of it per gallon and the coverage per gallon assuming 2 coats? Does it pentrate the concrete as deep as acid stains. And does it hold it’s color as well?
Shea says
Hello Mike. Acid stain actually reacts with the free lime in concrete which in turn produces the deeper looking colors and marbling effect. It doesn’t necessarily penetrate deeper unless applied to very dense concrete to begin with. Penetration of water-based dyes, such as DeltaDye, depend on the initial porosity of the concrete. Sometimes they may require some agitating or heavier concentration to penetrate. Like acid stains, they hold their color very well and they have a much better color selection. The type of clear sealer you choose can effect how well the concrete accepts the dye as well. For example, if you plan on applying an acrylic sealer, profiling the concrete (grinding or etching) is not required in most cases. As a result, it may require a heavier application of the dye in order to achieve the look you want. You also will use less dye. Again, it depends on the initial porosity of the concrete. On the other hand, if you plan on a clear coating that requires profiling of the concrete first (epoxy, polyurea, etc), then the concrete will readily absorb the dye at a greater rate.
The coverage rate of DeltaDye is 200-300 square feet per gallon. The rate is dependent on the porosity of the concrete and number of coats required to achieve the look you are after. We recommend contacting Legacy Industrial directly if you would like more information or guidance about the product.
Richey says
Water based stains are not permanent and when the sealer peels you got a mess. Definitely want to stick with acid stains trust me.
Shea says
Hello Richey. I’m afraid you are confusing an actual water-based concrete stain with the fake stains in a 1 gallon can by Behr, H&C, and others. Those products are actually thin tinted acrylic coatings that can peel. You can read our article about fake stains here. Delta Dye is an actual stain that permanently stains the concrete. It can only be removed via grinding. It will not peel because the concrete is stained, not coated. And just like acid stains, it requires a clear coating over the concrete to make the colors pop and stand out. They have become a very popular option for concrete designers. This Reader’s Project here is an example of a Delta Dye floor that was coated with a clear single-part polyurea.
Jenny says
Can the water based stain be used indoors? I’d like to put a stain on my craft room floor (house is only 6 yrs old) but am intimidated by the acid process.
Shea says
Hi Jenny. Yes, it can definitely be used indoors. Water-based stains are commonly used for that purpose.
ekoh dubois says
Hello, I just finished my cement kitchen counter, 1/2” thick with 2”x1” overhang edges, poured over 3/4” plywood. 64 Farenheit and 20% humidifty inside the house.
How long before I may apply Deltadye on it?
Shea says
Hello Ekoh. Most cement countertops require that you wait a minimum of 4-5 days after the pour before you stain. You may have to wait up to 10 days or so before sealing with a coating such as epoxy or an equivalent.
lonnie j Williams says
I have over 3000 sq ft of 20 yr old rough broomed exterior concrete I was going to acid stain….will this Delta dye work for outdoor broom finish concrete? I a confident I can get it clean first. thanks
Shea says
Hello Lonnie. Yes, it will work fine for that.
lonnie j Williams says
do I understand it correctly that this product works on outside concrete, not just inside garage floors?
Shea says
You are correct, Lonnie. It can be used both indoors and outdoors. Just remember that all stains need a clear coating to make the colors pop and stand out. Otherwise, they will look dull and drab.
Nicole says
Hi Shea, did you stain the green/black concrete shown in the 3rd photo from the top? It says “Mahogany” and “Black accents” were used – I’m not sure if “Black accents” refers to the color or something else. If they were mixed together, how do you go about this? I’m working on a restaurant project now and this would be a perfect look for it. Thanks!
Shea says
Hi Nicole. The base color is Mahogany stain and the black accents are black stain that is applied to various areas on top of the Mahogany. Generally, the lighter color stains are applied first and the darker stains are applied afterwards to accent the lighter colors. Keep in mind that no two concrete slabs are alike. Each is different in terms of porosity, density, surface texture, and concrete mixture. As a result, you can apply the exact same colors in the same way to two different slabs and each will look slightly different.
Kathie says
I have a 3 year old garage floor that is only used for storage and a jet ski. Will I have to acid wash my floor prior to using the delta dye. It is a smooth surface and never sealed. Thank you for you quick response.
Shea says
Hi Kathie. As long as the concrete will absorb water, then no additional concrete prep is required for Delta Dye. However, you need to take into consideration the type of clear coat sealer that you plan to apply over it. The MMA acrylic clear coat in the article will do fine your requirements and not need any additional prep for the concrete (assuming it absorbs water). If you want something even tougher such as an epoxy or polyurea clear coating, then you will need to acid etch the concrete first.
Dan Beard says
I have an outside patio with a roof over it. I painted the concrete floor with concrete paint. What steps do I need to take to remove paint and stain my concrete?
Shea says
Hello Dan. You will need to remove the paint via chemical stripping or grinding. Once you are down to bare concrete, you can stain and then apply a clear coat.
Cynthia Hinson says
Is it possible to order the 4-color.sampke kit? I want to paint a design on the edges of steps to make those edges more visible. I do not need gallons… Thanks!
Shea says
Hi Cynthia. You would need to purchase Delta Dye from Legacy Industrial. Here is the link to their 4 sample kit. You pick the four colors you want.
Amy E Samuels says
can you apply this on concrete in basement that you already acid stain
Shea says
Hi Amy. If the surface has not been sealed then you can apply it on concrete that has been acid stained. Just keep in mind that stains are somewhat translucent and not solid in color. It won’t cover up the acid stain if that is what you are thinking.
Larry Zaccagnini says
How would this stain work on a motar-type stucco ?
Shea says
Hi Larry. If it’s new stucco that has not been previously stained or treated with a water proofing agent then it may work fine. I would suggest contacting Scotty at Legacy Industrial to discuss possible application.
Brian Butterfass says
I would like to fill the control joints saw cut in the garage slab with some type of caulk, what is recommended before staining? So my garage is a 3 car 22× 30 how much is needed would like to do a base coat and some accents for a marbled sffect.
Shea says
Hello Brian. You will fill the control joints last if you want to use a flexible sealant. Stains can discolor the sealant, plus the sealant will not accept a coating and will have a bad reaction if the coating has a solvent base. If you don’t want a flexible sealant and instead want to fill the joints to create seamless surface, Legacy Industrial offers a polyurea joint filler that can be colored. You can see it here. These type of fillers require that you grind the joint flush after it has cured.
Ron says
Please let me know if I have the staining /sealing process correct;
1 profile floor by grinding (garage floor is new, will waith 30 days to prep)
2 Stain floor.
3 apply primer clear coat
4 apply polyurea sealer ( 2 coats with anti slip in last coat)
5 done
Shea says
You got it, Ron!
Sarah says
I had a new patio placed and the used a release powder for color and then sealed. They used the wrong powder and a very shiny sealant. What would I have to do to the patio in order to restrain using your stain?
Shea says
Hello Sarah. Just to avoid confusion, Delta Dye is sold by Legacy Industrial. All Garage Floors is an informational website only. To answer your question, you would first need to remove the sealer to get to the bare concrete. Since this was for a patio, we are guessing the sealer they used is an acrylic topical coating. You can remove it via chemical stripping or grinding. Chemical stripping will not affect the current color of the concrete, but it will allow you to darken the current color with a dye. If you want something lighter or completely different, then you will need to grind the concrete to remove the colorant from the surface.
L.S. Limon says
Hi twice I have had my driveway sidewalk stained now needs some updating. I would like to just do tinted sealer now the full blown tint is more involved than I want to do. Just to seal with a lil tint seems would be enough. What do u think full blown necessary or a tinted sealer be ok? I am so fearful of peeling ! Seems I can’t find anyone locally that has done this so I need advice. Thanks laronda Limon laronlimon@gmail.com 9184851183.
Shea says
Hi L.S. What do you mean by “full blown” tint?
Wayne says
I just acid stained an entire house inside, cleaned and removed all linoleum carpet pad glue etc. Where the pad glue was would not take acid stain. Figured it out after neutralized and cleaned residue. I took water based stain and painstakingly brushed lines. It took days, but it worked. Still see them but not as bad.
Shea says
Hi Wayne. As you found out, acid stain or even acid etch will not work on concrete that has residue. Good job with removing it and touching up with the water-based stain. Many professionals will use water-based stain over acid stain to create color accents.
Robert Cowart says
How would this work on pavers?
Shea says
Hi Robert. Stains and dyes typically do not work well on pavers since they are less dense and more porous that poured concrete. They tend to suck up the stains and dyes before they can work. Another consideration is that stains require a clear coating to make the colors pop. The high porosity of pavers tend to absorb too much of the coating as well. However, you can always order a color test kit to try out on a few to see how it works.
Kevin says
After I put some sample stains on my floor, how do I remove the stain options that I don’t want?
Shea says
Hi Kevin. Concrete stains are permanent. The only way to remove them is via light grinding. That is why testing should be done in an inconspicuous area.
Pat says
Did you use painters tape to make the rectangles on your color samples? I have a concrete floored sun room I’d like to stain, and creating a tiled look would be great. I’m thinking a light colored full floor staining, drying time, tape, then spraying some color. Your thoughts and suggestions would be appreciated.
Shea says
Hi Pat. Yes, we used painters tape for the squares. Something you may or may not have considered is that dyes and stains on concrete create a mottled and somewhat flowing pattern of various hues and color tones. This is due to the nature of the concrete and is what gives stains and dyes their characteristic look. If you create hard borders to resemble a tiled look, it will disrupt the natural flow of the coloring. If you do this, make sure that the lighter application has dried enough for the tape to adhere properly. If the size of your squares are smaller than 16″ square, then we would recommend rolling it on in the taped areas to avoid issues of over spray with a pump up sprayer.
Ashley says
This was a very informative article. Thank you! We are intending on staining our concrete basement floor. I am wondering what sealer/top coat would you recommend for that?
Shea says
Hi Ashley. Basements can be tricky due to possible moisture issues. Has it been moisture tested yet? Acrylic sealers are the easiest to apply and they breathe. This will allow some moisture vapor to pass through the coating. Resinous coatings such as epoxy are more durable, but they require some concrete prep and will peel if the slab has a moisture issue.
Taylor says
Hi There!
I was wondering if you could offer some insight on this concrete staining project I took on over a very old damaged floor.
I bought: Kemiko Stone Tone Concrete Stain (Aqua Blue) and I’m on my second coat and a lot of areas are not taking the stain but others are. I know this is due to the poor concrete but I was hoping that the color would still absorb more.
I prepped the floors with a neutralizer that was recommended, same brand. We scrubbed the floor, let it dry completely. I applied 2 coats of the stain with a ratio of stain to water recommended so far and the results are underwhelming. I used a plastic sprayer suggested as well off Amazon. I even on the second coat mixed more stain to water to help get a less diluted mixture but still the stain wont stick to a lot of areas. When I applied the stain I made sure to really saturate the floor as well.
I am not sure where to go with this project now.
THOUGHT:
Could I pour some concrete paint in the areas where the stain isnt sticking and let it seep into the design to create a painted/stain combo marble look? I saw a video on “Dirty Pouring” with paint and epoxy and wondering if you can combine stain + paint then seal it together?
Not sure if this is something that I can do since I cannot find any examples online?
Thank you in advance!
Shea says
Hi Taylor. We are assuming that the concrete is free of sealers, oils, and etc. Acid stain has to react with the free lime and other minerals in the concrete in order to impart its color. Sometimes old concrete will be lacking these minerals at the surface. If it is not reacting with the concrete, then it will not impart its color no matter how much you apply or how you apply it. This is a case when you want to use a dye (such as Delta Dye) over the areas where the acid stain will not react and impart it’s color. Professionals do this all the time when dealing with old concrete. Dyes do not need to react like acid-stains do in order to impart their color. Whatever you do, DO NOT mix in paint with acid-stain or dyes. You will just have a big mess on your hands and no proper way to apply the requisite clear sealer over the final result.
Taylor says
Shea, thank you so much for your reply!!!!!
I’d like to show you a photo of what the floor is looking like right now on 3 coats of stain. I pasted the link to the photo below, let me know if you cant see it. I will look into Delta Dye!
It’s important to seal the floor after I’m finished because this is a kennel area for a grooming salon so the floors need to be very sealed!
Also, if I use Delta Dye in the areas where color wont settle in, how do I proceed with the rest of the project for the acid stain parts? Do I follow step 3 with the (BrandBold Brilliance Concrete Acid Stain Neutralizer and Degreaser – Step 3) to take care of the acid stains and then add the delta dye? Then use Step 4 (Kemiko Stone Tone Sealer II – Clear Gloss 1 Gallon / 3.785 Liters)
Shea says
Hi Taylor. The link for the image is not working. You can send us any pics you have to our email at info@allgaragefloors.com. Before you use a colored dye, it’s important to properly neutralize the acid stain first and clean up all remaining residue. Once you do that, you can then proceed with applying the Delta Dye. If you have questions about the dye and the process, just give Legacy Industrial a call and ask for Scotty. He is great with the DIY crowd. Something to consider is the Kemiko Stone Tone Sealer. It’s a water-based acrylic and will not stand up well to scratches from the nails of heavier dogs if they are running around at all.
Ramiro Casas says
I’m planning on staining the concrete floor of my covered back patio. During the summer I plan to put a 10ft above ground pool out there. Will chlorinated water have any adverse reaction with the sealed concrete floor?
Shea says
Hi Ramiro. As long as you are using a quality sealer you will not have any issues. Legacy Industrial offers two different MMA acrylic sealers that will not be affected by chlorine.
Tracey says
Can this stain be used around a pool area? And what kind of sealer is recommended so the concrete is not slippery? Thank you
Shea says
Hi Tracey. Yes, Delta Dye can be used around a pool area. Dyes and stains require a film forming topical coating to protect them and make the colors pop. All coatings are inherently slippery when wet to some degree. I order to provide a non slip surface, it would require that anti-slip media be used on the last coat. We recommend contacting Legacy Industrial about your sealer options.
Dave Beckwith says
Can this stain be used on aggregate surface concrete. I have about 2500 square feet of driveway and walkways that is about 25 years old, I would like to stain it to update and give it a better look. Will this work for this type of concrete?
Shea says
That’s a good question, Dave. We are not 100% positive, so we recommend that you contact Legacy Industrial directly to find out.
Dan says
I am interested in using this product but in order to do the bottom floor of my house, I will have to remove a slate floor in my hallway and put down new concrete after it is dug up. If I have old concrete adjoining new concrete, will the new and old concrete hold stain differently or can I make it look like one continuous slab of concrete?
Shea says
Hi Dan. Stains do not create a solid look like coatings do. Stains are more translucent and create a multitude of patters and mottled looks due to the nature of concrete. It’s why people like stains to begin with. The new concrete section will do the same thing, however, the color tone of the new concrete will be different and the way it accepts the stain is going to be different from the old concrete. You may be able to blend it a bit and disguise the transition if you are using multiple colors.