Where Can Kemiko Acid Stain Be Used?
Kemiko Stone Tone Concrete Acid Stain is designed for interior and exterior concrete. It can be used to create a decorative, natural stone appearance on many concrete surfaces, provided the concrete is suitable for a reactive acid stain.
The most important requirement is not the room or location. It is the condition of the concrete.
Interior Concrete Floors
Kemiko acid stain can be used on interior concrete floors in residential and commercial settings.
Common interior applications include:
Living areas
Kitchens
Dining rooms
Bedrooms
Hallways
Basements
Retail spaces
Offices
Restaurants
Showrooms
Interior acid-stained concrete can provide a continuous decorative surface without covering the slab with carpet, tile or other flooring materials.
The completed floor must be protected with an appropriate sealer and maintained according to the selected finishing system.
Exterior Concrete
Kemiko Stone Tone is also intended for exterior concrete surfaces.
Possible exterior applications include:
Concrete patios
Covered porches
Walkways
Courtyards
Entryways
Outdoor entertainment areas
Exterior slabs are exposed to sunlight, rain, soil, temperature changes and other environmental conditions. Proper surface preparation and the use of a compatible exterior sealer are therefore essential.
Exterior concrete may also vary more widely in condition because of weathering and previous exposure to chemicals.
Can Kemiko Be Used on Old Concrete?
Old concrete may be suitable for Kemiko acid stain, but age alone does not determine whether it will accept the stain.
The surface must remain open enough for the stain to contact and react with the concrete. Paint, glue, curing compounds, sealers, oils and other contaminants can block the reaction.
Older floors may also contain repairs, cracks, discoloration or areas poured at different times. Acid stain is translucent, so these conditions may remain visible.
That does not always make the concrete unsuitable. Existing characteristics can become part of the aged, variegated appearance. However, the floor should be tested before the entire project is stained.
Can Kemiko Be Used on New Concrete?
New concrete must cure before it is stained. It should also be free of curing compounds or surface treatments that interfere with the chemical reaction.
Concrete finishers should be informed when a slab is intended for acid staining. Overly dense finishing, chemical curing products and contaminants introduced during construction may affect stain acceptance.
A representative test should still be completed, even when the concrete is new.
Surfaces That May Not Be Suitable
Kemiko acid stain is made to react with concrete. It should not be treated as a general-purpose coating for every flooring material.
A surface may not be suitable when it contains:
Paint or opaque coatings
Existing sealer
Heavy oil contamination
Adhesive residue
Curing compounds
Nonreactive patching materials
A dense surface that prevents penetration
A topical coating can sometimes hide these differences, but acid stain generally will not. The condition of the slab remains visible through the translucent color.
What About Patched or Repaired Concrete?
Patches and repairs frequently react differently from the original slab. Some repair materials may not react with acid stain at all.
When repairs are unavoidable, test both the original concrete and the repaired area. Consider whether visible variation will be acceptable as part of the design.
Trying to disguise extensive repairs with additional acid stain may make the differences more noticeable.
Test the Actual Concrete
Every proposed Kemiko project should begin with a test.
Prepare the test area correctly, apply the planned stain color and dilution, neutralize it, allow it to dry and evaluate it with the intended sealer.
This determines whether the surface is suitable and gives a realistic preview of the color. Testing is more reliable than judging the concrete solely by its location, age or appearance.