 Floors are a hugely important element in the décor of any space. Floors are the foundation for the rest of the room in every sense. The color and texture chosen for a floor suggests or even dictates design choices for every other element in the room. The normal range of alternatives for both residential and commercial flooring is familiar: Tile, for instance, either stone or ceramic. Or hardwood, bamboo or cork, or maybe even vinyl. There’s always carpet too, of course.
Here’s a revolutionary idea – how about “none of the above”? Instead of purchasing something to cover up the bare concrete foundation of the building, why not dress up the concrete itself? That’s the concept behind acid stained flooring. Special acidic stains can be used to etch the topmost layer of a plain concrete surface and infuse it with color. In skilled hands, your concrete floor can be given the appearance of texture and can be made to resemble just about any other flooring material. Staining can also be used to create floors that are literally one-of-a-kind.
Why would anyone choose a concrete floor over something more familiar? Because acid stained concrete has some great advantages over more conventional flooring finishes:
Durability – Concrete is one of the toughest building materials out there, and concrete floors will normally last longer than any other flooring material with minimal care.
Ease of maintenance – Even in a commercial setting, a stained concrete floor only needs to be waxed a few times each year. Spills are easily cleaned from concrete, especially compared to carpet.
Hygienic properties – Concrete floors don’t trap mold, mites and allergens like dust and pollen as carpeting can. Porous types of stone or ceramic tile flooring and grout can absorb spilled liquids. In contrast, stained concrete is always sealed.
Cost effectiveness – The initial investment in stained concrete can be higher than for some modestly priced carpeting or tile, but over the long term, concrete’s durability will make its cost per year of life lower than just about any or other flooring.
Warmth – Yes, warmth! Concrete can seem like a “cold surface,” but because of its properties, concrete floors are actually one of the best candidates for integrated radiant heat systems. Concrete floors are also good at passive solar heating since concrete is good at absorbing sunlight and re-radiating its warmth back into a room.
Green-ness – Green is one of the colors you can get your floor stained, but concrete floors are also “green” as in “environmentally friendly.” Concrete does not emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like some synthetic flooring materials. Staining your concrete floor also saves resources, because you won’t need to buy additional flooring materials that will wear out and need to be replaced much, much sooner than concrete anyway. In addition, concrete is usually a locally produced product that does not require long-distance shipping and the fuel consumption and pollution that come with it.
Uniqueness – With acid staining, your floor can be truly unique. Your other flooring choices are either mass-produced goods or cost-prohibitive custom creations.
Acid Stain Designs is an experienced Arizona acid stained concrete flooring designer and installer. We can work with you to create concrete flooring designs that will complement your home’s other design and decor. We can also make and install beautiful concrete countertops and apply concrete overlays to both indoor and outdoor surfaces. Call us today at 602-350-4833 to schedule a free consultation with one of our acid stain flooring specialists.
Posted in Acid Stain Designs, Decorative Concrete Flooring
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Tagged acid concrete stain specialist, acid floor staining, acid stain floor maintenance, acid stain for concrete surfaces, acid stained floors, acid stained surfaces, acid staining, acid staining concrete, acid-stained concrete floor, acid-stained concrete flooring, cleaning acid stained floors, commercial acid stain, commercial flooring, concrete flooring, concrete surface treatments, creative design flooring, decorative concrete flooring, maintaining acid stained floors, residential acid stain, residential floor resurfacing, residential flooring, stained concrete floor
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 Acid staining concrete generally doesn’t make a good candidate for a do-it-yourself project. Too many things can go wrong in inexperienced hands, and whatever results from a first-timer’s experiment is pretty much permanent, for better or worse. Such a caution to would-be DIY-ers holds especially true when it comes to using acid stain to create some of the more visually stunning and intricate designs and patterns that can be executed in concrete.
Concrete “special effects” projects not only require experience with acid stains themselves, but often also involve other special skills in working with concrete. Advanced techniques involving sawing or carving cured, hardened concrete are best left to practiced professionals. If you have particularly ambitious ideas for your home’s flooring or concrete hardscape, you need to choose an acid stain specialist who’s both a craftsman and an artist.
Of course, the way that acid staining transforms plain, cold-looking concrete into a vibrant, warmly toned surface that often appears to be some other material altogether is a small miracle in itself. But with acid stained concrete, it’s possible to go way beyond the simple-but-elegant look to achieve something truly eye-popping, something that can be a real conversation piece in your home or business:
Stenciling – Intricate, multicolored pictures or patterns can be created in concrete with the use of special stencils that act as a guide for the application of stain to small, specific areas. Sometimes a concrete gel dye is used rather than stain, because its thickness prevents it from wicking and bleeding under the stencil. Also, a wider color palette is available with dyes. Company logos and graphics for lobby floors or areas outside the main entrance of a business can be created this way.
Saw-cutting and engraving – Lines can be cut in the surface with a concrete saw to make borders between areas that will be stained differently to create designs or patterns that can be geometrically regular or abstract and asymmetrical. Lines can also be engraved after staining to make borders that are lighter in color than the surrounding surface, either to create an artistic design or logo, or to simulate the appearance of grout lines in a floor that’s been stained to look like tile or stone.
3D effects – Geometric patterns that fool the eye to create a three-dimensional appearance can be achieved using stains, perhaps along with concrete dyes, and precise decorative saw cuts. These designs really do seem to “pop”!
Metallic flooring – Epoxy floor coatings that include metal flakes can be applied to your concrete floor along with special sealers to give the surface a metallic appearance with a glass-like sheen. Faux-metallic floors can give a very modern look to a kitchen, bathroom or even a garage, and they can lend a hip-industrial look to businesses like nightclubs and bars.
Embedded objects – Implanting objects in the surface of concrete before it hardens can create a truly unique and personalized look. This technique can work well in surfaces like countertops and tabletops. Acid staining in complementary colors and patterns highlights the embedded objects, which can be a homeowner’s actual mementos, an assortment of small items representing a theme or objects arranged to create an abstract, artistic pattern. Creativity is the only limit – one designer used earthtone stains to give a concrete backsplash the look of ancient limestone, while embedding darker objects in it that appeared to be fossils!
Acid Stain Designs is an Arizona acid stained concrete specialist that can integrate decorative concrete special effects into the design of your home or outdoor living space. Call us today at 602-350-4833 to have a free consultation about how acid staining and other decorative techniques can transform the look of your indoor concrete or outdoor hardscape.
Posted in Acid Stain Designs, Decorative Concrete Flooring
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Tagged acid stain designs, acid stain specialist, acid stained effects, acid stained patterns, acid staining, acid staining concrete, acid strained concrete, company graphics, company logos, concrete 3D effects, concrete gel dye, decorative concrete flooring, embedded objects concrete, engraving concrete, faux-metallic floors, geometric patterns concrete, metallic flooring, saw-cutting concrete, stenciled concrete
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 Imagine owning a work of art that you don’t mind having family, friends and pets – or, if you’re a business owner, hundreds of customers – walk all over daily. That’s what it’s like to have an acid-stained concrete floor in your home or business.
Not many interior decorating techniques combine aesthetic appeal with everyday endurance the way that acid-staining concrete floors does. No longer is the choice whether a particular floor should be finished in an attractive way that draws an admiring eye or in a utilitarian way that will stand up to wear and tear. Acid-stained concrete flooring excels in doing both.
Obviously no other material used in a building’s interior is stronger than concrete. Just as obvious, however, is that fact that the uniform dull gray color of a bare concrete slab isn’t going to win any beauty contests. On the other hand, concrete’s very drabness and neutrality, just like canvas for painting, are what make it a great starting point for creating something beautiful. In skilled hands, acid-based dyes can be applied to plain concrete in such a way that the end result can resemble any kind of stone, metal, wood or leather. Or it can be made to look like nothing ever seen before. “Unique” is an overused word in a world of mass-produced decorating products, but acid-stained floors really are worthy of that description. Because they’re created one at a time by skilled craftsmen, each acid-stained floor truly is one of a kind. Yet they have in common the durability of an underlying material – solid concrete – that will last for years and years to come.
Besides its unbeatable combination of toughness and beauty, acid-stained concrete offers other advantages:
- Easy to maintain and care for – Stained concrete is sealed and finished; the surface only needs to be swept regularly and waxed perhaps yearly.
- Free of dust, mites and mold – Wall-to-wall carpet tends to trap and retain all three of these allergens, while concrete does not.
- Does not emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – Many standard building materials emit VOCs, which have been linked to health problems.
- Cheaper over the long term – Acid-stained concrete’s somewhat higher initial cost is offset by the fact that it will outlast carpet and other floor coverings, so the per-year cost is actually less expensive.
- Saves resources – It takes fewer resources to dress up a home’s existing concrete slab than to cover it with an additional material such as carpet, vinyl or ceramic. In addition, concrete is made from abundant, sustainable materials that are usually produced locally and not shipped long distances.
Acid Stain Designs is an Arizona acid concrete stain specialist that can show you how stained concrete combines great looks with great endurance. Contact us today for a free consultation.
 Concrete, at one time strictly a utilitarian material of oily driveways and drab garage floors, has moved indoors in a big way. Just watch one of the many house remodeling or home makeover shows on TV, and you’ll see that once-humble concrete has become a star of interior decorating. Concrete has even picked itself up off the floor, so to speak – countertops made of concrete are one of the hottest new trends for kitchens and bathrooms.
If the idea of a concrete countertop makes you think of washing your hands in the restroom of a state park, you’re in for a big and pleasant surprise. New additives, finishes and fabrication techniques can be applied to make concrete countertops into dazzling showpieces, some of which resemble completely different materials such as stone or wood. Yet no matter how beautiful the result, the countertop retains the functionality and durability of concrete.
Cast concrete countertops can be fabricated on site, right in your home, or pre-cast in a contractor’s shop under more controlled conditions. The colors of your choice can be blended into the concrete before it’s poured into a mold – anything from earth tones to blues and greens. One or more strengthening additives will also need to be mixed in, and internal reinforcement such as structural steel, fiberglass or wire mesh, or some combination of these, also helps the concrete stay strong and conformed to shape.
Concrete can be cast into many different forms besides a standard rectangle, including curved and irregular shapes. The mold used can have a pattern carved inside that will result in a decorative texture being imprinted into the edges of the finished countertop. It’s also possible to embed objects into the surface of the countertop, either as unique decorative elements or as functional kitchen accessories such as built-in trivets or drainboards.
After curing, a concrete countertop can be ground and polished for added smoothness. Color can also be added at this point with the use of concrete acid stains or dyes, which can achieve some truly remarkable visual effects. Some kind of sealer will always be applied to a concrete countertop to protect it. Sealers can be chosen to add just the right sheen to simulate granite, marble, stone, or even to give the concrete a metallic or glasslike reflectivity.
Acid Stain Designs can create one-of-a-kind concrete countertops for your kitchen, bar or bathroom. Contact Acid Stain Designs today for a free consultation at 602-350-4833.
 Concrete overlays can be used in a variety of places - floors, fireplaces, walls, countertops, walkways, kitchen islands - the possibilities are endless. Stone has been employed for building for thousands of years, at least since …. well, certainly at least since the Stone Age! Even today there’s something about this ancient, elemental material that makes a home feel solid, safe and traditional. Stone comes at a high price, though. If you want to use real stone to truly make your home into your castle, you’ll need a royal income to pay for it. Fortunately, concrete overlays have emerged as today’s alternative to building or remodeling with natural stone. Overlays are cheaper, simpler and faster than stone installation, yet they result in beautiful, durable surfaces that achieve the same homey and comforting effect that real stone does.
Relatively recent advances in construction materials have made these innovative concrete surface treatments practical. A very thin layer of cement compound is applied over an existing surface – maybe the bare concrete of an unfinished basement floor, or a plain concrete patio – and is then colored if necessary and “carved” into a custom pattern that can resemble just about any kind of building stone. Overlays will cover up underlying cosmetic blemishes, and as long as they’re applied over a structurally sound base, they can last for the life of a house with minimal care.
Overlays are great for residential floor resurfacing, but can also be for such applications as fireplace surrounds, chimneys, pool decks and walkways. The overlay material is so thin and versatile that it can even be used on doorways and walls, or in the kitchen to make a backsplash, or to spruce up countertops or a kitchen island. And in truth, you don’t have to try to copy the look of stone. Concrete overlays can be worked into truly one-of-a-kind creative surface designs that aren’t meant to resemble anything in nature! Imagination is the only limit when working with this type of material.
Acid Stain Designs can help you create a custom concrete overlay with a design and pattern to match your home’s décor and to express your individual taste and style. We offer free consultations, so contact us today at 602-350-4833.
Posted in Concrete Overlays
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Tagged chimneys, concrete overlays, concrete patio, concrete surface treatments, countertops, doorways, fireplace surrounds, kitchen island, pool decks, residential floor resurfacing, walkways, walls
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 Stained concrete flooring never fails to impress visually, with the variety of warm or vibrant colors, geometric or variegated patterns and eye-popping special effects that can be achieved by a skilled craftsman with experience in concrete staining.
Concrete as a flooring material in general, however, suffers from somewhat of an image problem. Surveys show that concrete is widely perceived as hard, cold and echo-ey, for instance. It’s something homeowners often think of as more of an industrial or commercial flooring material, rather than one that might be desirable or even preferable for a residential floor.
Some of the common concerns about concrete floors contain an element of truth, but even in those cases fairly easy remedies are available to mitigate any problems. With such solutions available, the many benefits of decorative concrete flooring shine through and greatly outweigh the negatives.
- Concrete floors are hard. Well, that’s obviously true, although concrete is no harder than stone or tile. And compared to those materials, polished concrete is very smooth and non-abrasive to skin. The real upside is that concrete’s hardness makes it extremely durable and long-lasting. And the easy fix here is to accent the stained concrete with strategically placed area rugs whose pattern and color complement the floor design.
- Concrete floors are cold. Maybe so, but again, stone and tile are no better. A concrete floor in a sunny room will actually absorb solar heat and re-radiate that warmth back into the room throughout the day. Or, in a sunless basement or other windowless room, a radiant heating system can be embedded directly into a concrete floor to keep it downright toasty.
- Concrete floors are LOUD. No doubt sound echoes off concrete, but in a small room, a concrete floor may not add much to the ambient noise. Echo effects in a larger concrete-floored room can be reduced by furnishing it with rugs, wall hangings and other décor elements that absorb sound.
- Concrete floors are damp. Concrete is definitely a porous material that can conduct or wick moisture. This problem may occur if a slab is poured over a poorly drained base, and if the proper vapor barrier is not laid under the concrete. All that’s necessary to prevent “moisture migration” through a concrete floor is to ensure that it’s installed by a competent contractor who will provide for proper drainage and use the appropriate vapor barrier.
- Concrete floors can crack. Concrete, as mentioned previously, is one of the most durable building materials, but yes, eventually it can crack. As long as the cracks are minor and the concrete is slab structurally sound, a microtopping or skim coat can be spread over the surface to make it smooth again. The new surface can be stained or decorated by stamping or stenciling, too. Another alternative is to not only leave minor cracks, but to emphasize them through staining for a natural, rustic appearance.
- Concrete floors are slippery. Not necessarily so! Unlike other inherently smooth, slippery surfaces such as linoleum or marble, concrete can be treated with stain or sealer that has a non-slip additive blended in.
- Concrete floors are expensive. While stained concrete floors may initially cost more per square foot than, say, middle-grade carpeting, concrete is so durable that it will outlast other flooring materials and actually wind up being cheaper in the long run.
- Concrete floors are dull, boring, gray and only belong in a garage or warehouse. The amazing thing about concrete is that it is tough enough to stand up to heavy-duty industrial uses, while also having the potential to be transformed into incredibly interesting creative design flooring through techniques such as acid staining. Just check out the many sample photos on the Acid Stain Design website to see the kind of magic that talented concrete artists can do on a “plain gray” canvas.
Acid Stain Designs is an Arizona acid concrete stain specialist that can show you just how beautiful a concrete floor can be. Call today for a free consultation at 602-350-4833.
 Metallic flooring not only offers a clean, industrial look; it's also easy to maintain and eco-friendly. Metallic flooring, one of the most cutting-edge flooring finishes available today, is also one of those rare products capable of actually delivering on the often-made promise to create a look that is literally unique. Because of the processes used to make them, no two metallic floors will ever have the exact same appearance.
“Metallic flooring” can be a somewhat deceptive term. Although it suggests something like sheet metal squares laid together like stone or vinyl tiles, metallic flooring actually consists of an epoxy coating poured over concrete flooring. Metallic additives, such as metal flakes, are swirled into the epoxy binder to create one-of-a-kind metallic appearances and effects. Metallic floors can appear to change color when viewed from different angles, or their high gloss and reflectivity can create a three-dimensional effect.
In spite of their beauty and glass-like sheen, metallic floors are actually tough enough for commercial and industrial uses. Epoxy flooring stands up to the heavy boot and equipment traffic in places like warehouses and workshops, so it’s more than durable enough for restaurants, residential kitchens and home garages.
Home or business owners looking to install a very contemporary, versatile floor finish over existing concrete floors should consider the many advantages of metallic flooring:
- Truly unique appearance with practically infinite possibilities
- Tough, resistant, highly durable
- Easy to install
- Eco-friendly with no emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
- Seamless
- Fills and levels the underlying concrete surface
Acid Stain Designs offers metallic flooring in Arizona, California and Florida. Their flooring professionals can be consulted by phone at 602-350-4833 or online. The Acid Stains Design website offers a photo gallery of the company’s work with metallic flooring, as well as galleries of other types of work, such as acid stain for concrete flooring, decorative concrete flooring and Arizona commercial flooring solutions.
 - Acid-stained flooring keeps its polished, one-of-a-kind look with just the occasional maintenance.
Acid stain for concrete surfaces has emerged as one of the most popular trends for both residential and commercial buildings. Acid floor staining can create spectacular colors and eye-catching effects on decorative concrete flooring with relative ease. Concrete countertops can be made to look like granite or marble with skillful acid treatment.
Part of the appeal of concrete over other flooring materials is its durability and ease of maintenance, but acid-stained concrete shouldn’t be regarded as completely maintenance-free. Compared to paint, stain may seem “permanent” in that it won’t chip off or crack. Even though stain penetrates into the porous concrete, rather than just covering the surface like paint, it does not penetrate far. In any stained concrete floor or countertop, only the uppermost fraction of an inch of the concrete is actually stained. Unless it’s properly protected, this top layer can worn away by everyday use, and the embedded stain will disappear right along with it.
An interior stained concrete floor only needs to be dry-mopped of dust at regular intervals and wet-mopped occasionally with a neutral-pH floor cleaner. When their shine fades, interior floors should be waxed. How often waxing may be necessary will depend on the amount of traffic the surface bears. In some areas of a home, waxing may not even be an annual necessity, but in a high-traffic area, or in a commercial building, a stained concrete floor could need waxing more than once a year to keep it looking its best. Stained concrete countertops need only be cleaned regularly with a non-abrasive, pH-neutral, ammonia-free kitchen cleaner, using a non-abrasive cleaning pad.
Exterior acid stained concrete surfaces, being subject to more dust and weather exposure, require sweeping, rinsing and occasional scrubbing. In addition, it’s very important that a new coat of sealer be applied every year or two. As a rule of thumb, stained concrete needs a new coat of sealer when it no longer beads water.
Besides protection, the other benefit of keeping any stained concrete surface clean and either sealed or waxed is the enhancement of its appearance, which is usually the very thing that attracts homeowners to acid staining in the first place. A sealed or wax surface will not only be shinier, it will also reveal a richer, more saturated color.
The flooring professionals at Acid Stain Designs offer free consultations for anyone considering metallic flooring in Arizona, California and Florida. Contact Acid Stain Designs by phone at 602-350-4833, or by filling out our online contact form.
Posted in Acid Stain Designs, Decorative Concrete Flooring
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Tagged acid floor staining, acid stain floor maintenance, acid stain for concrete surfaces, acid stained countertops, acid stained floors, acid stained surfaces, cleaning acid stained floors, commercial acid stain, maintaining acid stained floors, residential acid stain, stained concrete floor
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