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Concrete Floor Staining Services

Comparison of Concrete Stains vs. Concrete Dyes

Concrete dyes and stains have become the latest trend in the concrete decorative community. Thanks to their ease of use and an extensive palette of vibrant colors, they are replacing acid stains.

Concrete Stains and Concrete Dyes

Concrete stains and dyes do not react with the concrete but contain pigments that penetrate into the surface. Their common features:

Concrete Dyes

Dyes are used to color most everyday product, including textiles, plastics, wood, paper, and food, as well as concrete. Natural dyes originate from plant sources like berries, roots, wood, an fungi. The invention of synthetic dyes has vastly increased the range of colors. Concrete dyes have become available in stores in the form of liquid concentrates or powders.

Dyes contain very fine color pigments, much smaller than stains. They are solutions, similar to ink, and can easily penetrate into tight concrete. Most are water-based but there also are solvent-based dyes, usually with acetone or alcohol.

Concrete Stains

Concrete stains are a suspension of color pigments. This is similar to paints but the stain pigments must penetrate into the concrete instead of staying on the surface, or they would wear or wash off. Concrete stains are typically water-based and have none or a low VOC content. Easy and safe application.

More porous areas will absorb more pigments, making them darker. Tighter concrete will absorb less of the stain pigments. Hard-troweled concrete requires good surface preparation to open up the surface and make it sufficiently porous.

Concrete stains provide a vibrant, variegated look on the concrete, similar to acid stains but with many more color options.

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