Diy concrete staining ideas

It might seem counterintuitive to lean on such a heavy material to add lightness to a space. But concrete lends an ethereal feel. Its color and texture is low-key lunar, and its smooth surface helps any room feel open. This works beautifully in a bathroom where you desire to instill a zen, spa-like atmosphere. Its also grand for offices and dining rooms that need to feel spacious even when filled with people.

Concrete Counters: To DIY or Not to DIY?

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The cost of concrete countertops will depend on if you go the DIY route or own them professionally installed (either pre-cast or poured in place)—and how much personalization you desire. Concrete can be cast into any shape and pigmented, stained, or textured with every kinds of shades and finishes; you can even embed tiles, stones, etc.

According to , the average cost per square foot is $65 to $, and the average cost of installation is $40 to $50 per hour, per person. Consider how quickly you need them, too: Once poured, it takes 28 days for concrete counters to fully cure.

Your clean canvas

Design changes quick. What was in just a few years ago is suddenly passé. Keeping up can either be enjoyment or frustrating, depending on how you approach it. If you love pivoting with the seasons hottest design, its significant to make certain that your homes more permanent points – love flooring – can pivot with you. A concrete floor is a empty slate. This year, while concrete is boiling, you might select to leave most of your floor exposed. Below the road, when theres another new trend youre excited about, you can layer it with rugs or sand and re-stain it.

Its a permanent solution that makes changing your interior design a breeze.

An easy-to-clean flooring solution

Keeping your homes high traffic areas in top shape is a never-ending chore.

Diy concrete staining ideas

Do you feel love youre always chasing behind someone with a broom? You might desire to consider concrete floors.

Diy concrete staining ideas

The natural gray color of concrete is an ideal dust-masker, plus the smooth surface tricks the eye into thinking its clean. Or, if theres a specific color of grime that has you pulling out your hair, consider a concrete stain. The brown-hued stain on the concrete in the above picture is perfect for hiding tracks from dirty shoes.

Concrete floors for a masculine feel

Whether youre a single man designing your bachelor pad or a couple trying to give your home or apartment a gender-balanced design, you might be stumped. So much of masculine design trends towards heavy pieces, dark colors and the ever-so-original sports memorabilia.

If, however, you desire to give a room male energy without painting it black and hanging up a bunch of pennants, glance to concrete. Even with its soft color and clean lines, concrete floors give any space a sturdy, masculine feel.

One note about concrete: It cracks. If you love the natural, stonelike feel that concrete delivers – cracks and every – its a grand option. But if you dont love the added character of a crack here or there, be prepared to glance into other options. That might be a simple as restaining the floor to make the crack more subtle or opting for large concrete tiles instead of a full slab.

Ready to adventure into the slab-tastic world of concrete?

Diy concrete staining ideas

You can discover more inspiration in this geometric floor and other design uses for concrete. Wed love to hear your design plans below!

Why do people select stained concrete?

Stained concrete appeals to numerous people who desire to achieve unique decorative effects for a reasonable cost. For as little as $2 per square foot, you can use stains to create an infinite array of colors and special effects on both interior and exterior surfaces. Concrete stain does more than simply add color. Rather than produce a solid, opaque effect love paint or colored coatings, stains permeate the concrete to infuse it with wealthy, deep, translucent tones.

Some stain manufacturers use adjectives such as «antiqued,» «variegated,» or «mottled» to describe the distinctive glance. Even when treated with the same staining product in the same shade, no two concrete floors, walls, or countertops will glance same due to factors such as the composition and age of the concrete and surface porosity.

Can I stain concrete myself?

When applying stain, using the proper tools and application techniques is vital to achieving excellent results. Once the stain is below, the color is permanent—there’s no going back. If you own any doubts, hire the services of a professional, especially if you desire to incorporate multiple colors and elaborate decorative effects.

(See Stain Application: DIY or Hire a Pro?)

Another factor to consider is safety. When working with acid-based chemical stains, it’s significant to take the proper precautionary measures because they often contain corrosive components that can cause eye and skin irritation and produce strong odors.

Can every concrete be stained?

Both acid and water-based stains can be applied to new or ancient and plain or integrally colored concrete.

They can also be used both indoors and out, on everything from concrete floors and kitchen countertops to pool decks and driveways.

The most significant consideration is the condition of the surface. If the concrete is covered by grime, glues, coatings, curing membranes, or sealers that inhibit the stain from soaking in, the stain won’t be capable to penetrate and achieve full color development.

What are my color options with stained concrete?

Your color options will vary depending on whether you are using an acid or water-based stain. With acid stains, your color choices will be limited. Most manufacturers offer only eight hues, mostly subtle ground tones, such as tans, browns, terra cottas, and soft blue-greens.

Although the basic color palette is sparse, you can stir two or more stain colors before application to achieve a diverse shade or apply one color over another. You can also produce deeper color effects with a stain by applying two coats.

If you desire to go beyond the subtle drama and subdued color palette of acid staining, water-based acrylic stains will give you a wider spectrum of hues to select from. Most manufacturers offer dozens of standard colors, including black and white and even metallic tints. And in numerous cases, the diverse colors can be mixed, love water-based paints, to broaden your options. (See Creating Excitement with Color and Water-Based Stain Gives Concrete Contractors a Full Palette.)

How do I select the correct stain color?

Color choice is often dictated by personal preference or by a desire to match or complement an existing color scheme, such as staining a concrete floor to mirror the same tones in a wood-paneled wall.

Because stain color is permanent, numerous homeowners opt for neutral tones, such as light tans, browns, grays and greens. Regardless of what stain colors you select, be aware of the following caveats:

  1. With acid-based stains, wide color variations are normal. Surfaces will own a mottled, variegated appearance, and these variations will be emphasized when the final jacket of sealer is applied.
  2. With some acid stain colors, what you see in liquid form may not be what you get once the stain has reacted with the concrete surface. The stain may not reveal its true color until it has been allowed to remain on the concrete for several hours or longer. Always apply the stain to a little test area before covering the entire surface.
  3. Color effects will generally be more intense on new concrete than on older or weathered concrete.

Most stain manufacturers will provide color charts or even actual samples of stained concrete to assist you visualize the options.

Contractors may also be capable to provide samples of the various stain colors they work with.

What special effects are possible with stained concrete?

Depending on the color and application techniques used, stained concrete can be made to mimic everything from polished marble to tanned leather to natural rock or even stained wood.

Some of your options include:

To see several examples of what creative contractors are doing with concrete stain, used alone or in combination with other decorative techniques, see Six Concrete Staining Techniques Revealed.

What are the differences between acid stains and water-based stains?


They penetrate into the surface and react chemically with the concrete to form a permanent bond. The color they impart is translucent rather than opaque, resulting in deep, wealthy tones and attractive marbling effects.

Non-reactive water-based stains (typically a mix of acrylic polymers and pigments) fill the pores of the concrete surface to produce a colored film or coating, ranging from translucent to opaque depending on the product. The key difference is that no chemical reaction takes put, so the color is more consistent. Most of these products are also low in VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and safer to apply because they are free of solvents and acids.

To study more, read New Products for Staining Concrete.

How much does stained concrete cost?

The cost of staining will vary considerably depending on the complexity of the stain application, surface prep requirements, and the size of the project. A basic one-coat application of stain on concrete requiring minimal surface prep will run about $2 to $4 per square foot, while more elaborate staining projects involving multiple colors and special design details can cost $15 per square foot or more due to the time and skill level involved.

See this overview of stained concrete costs and price ranges.

Will the color fade?

Because stains penetrate into the concrete surface, their color is durable and long-lasting. When applied to properly prepared concrete, the color will not fade, chip, or peel away.

How do I maintain stained concrete?

Although concrete stain is permanent and won’t flake off love paint, it penetrates only the top layer of the concrete surface and will eventually wear away as the surface is worn by traffic or weather exposure. To prolong stain life, you should protect exterior stained concrete surfaces with a clear sealer and interior floors with a excellent floor wax.

To hold your stained concrete looking its best, you will also need to clean it periodically by dry dust mopping and occasional wet mopping with a neutral-pH cleaner. Get more tips on how to seal and maintain stained concrete.

Find a Stained Concrete Contractor

Return to Stained Concrete

Thank Pinterest, thank Joanna Gaines, thank marble madness overload—but concrete countertops own taken over farmhouses in the past few years. It’s simple to see why: Installing concrete counters is a certain way to infuse your home with a rustic yet industrial feel that’s at once trendy and unfussy.

But after testing them out, other homeowners own voiced some serious concerns which made us wonder: Is concrete every it’s cracked up to be?

Diy concrete staining ideas

Study more about the material, including the costs and time it takes. Plus, weigh the pros and cons to see if cement counters are correct for you.

The versatility of concrete

If you ponder concrete is boring, ponder again. Thanks to stains, stamps and colors, concrete flooring can be just about anything you desire it to be. Maybe you desire to stamp leaf patterns into your entryway to lean into the nature vibe. Maybe you desire to stain your floors with high gloss for additional sleekness.

Diy concrete staining ideas

Or maybe you desire to add a visually exciting accent, love the one pictured above. Gray concrete slabs are just the beginning.