# Confused on if I need to acid stain, concrete dye, or use epoxy?



## Python49 (Jun 21, 2011)

I'm very new to this but have been reading to try to get caught up to speed a little. I know exactly what type of look it is that I'm going for, but am not sure which combination of stains/dyes/epoxies/sealers it is that I need to get this outcome. I'm still a bit confused too on if epoxy is a paint or a sealer? From the pictures I see online, epoxy and dyes seem to be what I'm looking for, but on most websites it says they are typically used for commercial or industrial uses, whereas I'm going for a marble or fine stone interior look for a residential home. I want something similar to these:

http://imageshack.us/g/694/artcondecorativeconcret.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/g/508/westcoat49575.jpg/

but I am not sure if these are stains/dyes/epoxies or what. I've used etching stain by quickrete before with their etching stain sealer and that actually got me a result I was pretty satisfied with, but it only comes in 3 colors so now I'm trying to figure out how to get a similar look but in a different color.


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## parkers5150 (Dec 5, 2008)

take a look at scofield.com Acid stain is a very cost effective/easy to apply product:thumbsup:


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## madrina (Feb 21, 2013)

omg. epoxy is a two part resin and hardner and clear. you can mix metallic pigments, glow in the dark pigments, colorpacs, flakes, glitter or whatever you want in them. you have to grind the floor first then apply primer then the topcoat. its quite a process. 

you use dye when you polish. again you will be grinding the floor down with diamond metal bits then ceramic diamond bits then resin diamond bits... you apply the dye with acetone when you get back up to around 400 grit.

acid stain you can just put on the floor diluted with water and let it sit for a few days. Scrub it up with baking soda or some sort of neutralizer and then let it dry and seal it.

none of which you should do for a first time project on a customers house.


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## CJKarl (Nov 21, 2006)

When I did my own finished basement floor I wanted to to acid stain, but had never done it or seen it done. Looks like there is some "art" to it and didn't want to make a mess. I went with Concrete stain and matching sealer. Polyurethane I believe. It was easy and came out great. Although I don't think the stain was any different than a wood stain. In my utility area where the wood stove is I have chipped the floor splitting some kindling and the stain did not seem to penetrate very far. In the rest of the basement it has held up very well, probably going on 8- 10 years.


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## concreteexperts (Jan 5, 2015)

*Staining and sealing a floor*

You have many options to stain/ dye and seal your floor. The options now a days can be too much. For interior projects I like to use a waterbase dye that is easy to use yet gives you the look of an acid stain, but you don't have the clean up or toxicity. There may be others out there but the only waterbase dye for floors I know of is from Walttools. They are sold on a couple sites it is called Tru Tint Dye. As far as a sealer or epoxy goes there is a huge price difference and a huge difference in application difficulty. Any of them could be done by a competent DIYer though. 
An acrylic would be the easiest and cheapest then epoxy or polyaspartic.
The information on different sealers can be extensive so check out http://www.concretestains.biz/concrete-sealer-selection.html


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