If you are in the mood for an easy outside project to kick off your summer, try deck or fence staining your own concrete, to give your concrete patio, or garage floor that sleek modern look. Wondering how long the whole process takes? Is it harder than it seems?
To stain concrete, start by cleaning the area to stain and taping off the areas you don’t want to get stain on. Use a brush for more control over where the stain goes or use a sprayer for faster results. Continue adding stain every couple hours until you get the desired look. Let the stain completely dry for 24 hours.
The length of time it takes to stain your concrete is a bit over 1 day. The process is pretty easy if you have the proper tools needed to complete this task. Next I’m going to talk about everything you will need to get started and how to deck or fence stain your concrete.
Before Getting Started With Deck or Fence Staining Your Concrete
Before getting started with deck or fence staining your concrete you want to make sure to prep your concrete. Take off any gum or other residue that is stuck on your concrete with a putty knife. Having a clear surface to work with will not only make it look nicer, but it also quickens the application and drying process.
Once you have scraped off the residue fully with a coarse brush, you are going to either power wash it if you have one on hand or simply just hose it down to clean it off. Make sure to allow your concrete to completely dry before moving on to the application process of staining your concrete.
It is not as hard as people can make doing projects like these to be. You can do this alone or you can have someone help you with this project. Your friends and family will be wowed at how great it looks.
Getting Started With Deck Or Fence Staining Your Concrete
Besides prepping your concrete before getting started with staining your concrete. You should perform a spot test on your concrete before staining your whole concrete. You are going to want to make sure that you like the finished look. This can determine if you would like it darker or not and you might have to run back to the store for more cans.
Not sure where to start with staining your concrete? Here is a step by step guide on what you need to buy and consider implementing to successfully stain your concrete.
- What materials do you need to deck or fence stain your concrete?
- Application process
- Importance of applying a sealant or protective coat
Can Deck Or Fence Staining Your Concrete Really Be That Easy
The less money you have to spend on deck or fence staining your concrete the better. There are so many tutorials out there that you are most definitely going to find how to deck or fence stain your concrete like a professional if you are more of a visual learner.
All of the materials you will need will be cost friendly and the application process should not be difficult. You do not need a long list of things just to get started. Once you are completely done with staining your concrete you will wonder why this was not done sooner and might want to try another at home project; the possibilities are endless.
This guide is going to help make the deck or fence staining your concrete a breeze. No one likes to spend too much time researching different websites for different pieces of information when you can have it all in one. Next, the materials that you will need to start and finish your concrete will be discussed.
Here’s a quick video showing the whole process from start to finish to see what you’re getting into here. More info with steps below:
What Materials Are Needed To Deck Or Fence Stain Your Concrete
To get started with the deck or fence staining here are some of the materials you will need:
- A concrete cleaner or degreaser
- The stain
- A sealer/protective coat
- Tape
- And a paint roller
Make sure to use gloves and to wear a mask because the odor can be quite strong.
- The type of deck or fence stain you get depends on what look you are looking for.
- This also helps to figure out how many cans you would need.
- If you are looking for a darker coat then you might need more than one coat to apply to your concrete.
There are not many products needed to stain your concrete. Getting a professional to do so would mean you would pay mostly for their labor more so than the materials needed. Using a deck or fence stain for your concrete does not have to be a laboring task.
The most important steps for deck or fence staining your concrete to make sure you have the look that you want is to remove any residue off of your concrete, then is the application process with proper drying time and finally end it with a protective coat or a sealer.
The Application Process For Deck or Fence Staining Your Concrete
Before applying your deck or fence stain, you are going to want to tape off any areas that you want to protect from the stain, depending on where your concrete is like the door frame or garage door frame. Next, dilute your stain with water until you have your desired color for your stain.
You can either spray or brush your stain onto the concrete; most people use the sprayer for faster results, but if you would like more precise control then a brush or sponge is an alternative option. You want to give the stain plenty of time to dry. Repeat this step every few hours as needed for your desired look and let completely dry for 24 hours.
- You have to allow enough time for your stain to dry to get that smooth look.
- You do not want to mess up your beautiful staining job by touching it before it is completely dry.
- This is why letting it completely dry for at least 24 hours is very important for staining your concrete.
The weather also plays a key role in the drying process for your application of the deck or fence staining on your concrete. If the weather is not as warm it might require more than one day to dry but if you live in a warmer climate then it could possibly dry faster; just keep an eye on the concrete throughout the day.
The Importance Of Applying A Sealer Or Protective Coat
After you have let the stain dry for 24 hours and you have your desired look. You are going to rinse the concrete with clean water, if you are using a water based stain you do not have to worry about neutralization; this only applies for an acid stain. Next, use a soft bristled brush to brush off residue and then do a final rinsing.
After all of that is done and it is completely dry, you can now move on to applying a sealant or a protective coat. This will give it a nice glossy look. It is best to apply 2 coats of your sealer or protective coat for more durability. If you would want to go the extra mile, you can apply a wax or floor finisher for extra protection.
The sealer or protective coat is a very important step when staining your concrete. This keeps your staining job looking really nice for a long time. You do not want to be lazy and skip this step. Then you might have to do it all over again sooner than you expected to.
After all of those steps are completed, you should now have a beautifully done deck or fence staining on your concrete. you can put whatever was on there like tables or chairs back on the concrete once it is completely dry and you now have a newly done concrete that you completed yourself.