New Options To Decorate Existing Concrete

By Author: Benedict Yossarian
Total Articles: 10
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These days, concretes are decorated in different ways to enhance the beauty of your house and other construction. There are options such as the integrant colorants as well as the imprints that can change the way a slab of concrete will look. However, these methods can be tried only when the concrete is in the process of formation. But, there is no reason to assume that the existing ones can't be transformed into a decorative concrete. In fact, there is more than one way to design the already set concrete.

The first among them are of course, the concrete dyes. These dyes are available in different compositions and forms. They are widely applied to both the commercial as well as the residential buildings along with the bridges, floors, and countertops. Earlier, these dyes were largely made of the printing inks that get dissolved in alcohol and then this solution was applied to the surface of the concrete to create the required shades. However, the main drawback of the process was that when it was exposed to the sunlight the alcohol solution faded out. This is why this process was more useful for the interiors.

However, ...
... the manufacturers then discovered different other carriers such as lacquer thinner, acetone etc. in which these inks can be dissolved. They also have a deeper penetration level as well. Also, some UV inhibiting agents were added as well to ensure that the dye is protected from the UV rays. Unfortunately, the color still used to get faded in sunlight.

The acid staining is certainly one of the most effective solutions in this respect. In fact, it is not a process of dying the concrete; rather it is a chemical reaction. In this process, a mixture of water, acid and salt is added to the concrete and then ammonia and water is added to neutralize the effect. In the mean time, chemical reactions take place between the solution and lime and other minerals inside the concrete. This results in the formation of new colors.

Since the surface of the concrete is inconsistent to the amount of minerals, the reaction creates a unique texture on each of the surfaces. The process has a greater penetration as well ranging from 1/16 to 1/32 of an inch. However, if there are any exposed rocks there in the concrete it will not accept the staining. There are different chemicals used in this process and that includes iron chloride, hydrochloride acid, and the sodium bicarbonate.

Another option to stain the existing concrete is the water based staining. This is much similar to the acid staining in creating the translucent look. However, the main difference between them is the fact that while the acid staining reacts to the concrete and alters the look of the concrete material, the water staining creates a coat that covers the concrete. There are different types of water based staining including acrylic, polymer, and epoxy; and they all work in different ways.

The author of this article deals with Decorative concrete. The author's articles on Imprinted Concrete and vertical stamping are great pieces of information.