Residence in San Antonio, Texas. Applicator is Randy Rogers, Blue Heron Designs/ Concrete Impressions in San Antonio. Toffee QC Cemtint lithium quartz penetrating acrylic stain.

Concrete Stain:
Acrylic Stains for Decorative Concrete

Contractors choose acrylic stains over chemical stains for a variety of reasons. Acrylic stains offer an array of colors that chemical stains cannot. Designers and applicators are no longer limited to the eight colors commonly available with acid-based stains. And when combined with a chemical-based system, the design possibilities are limitless. It is even possible to achieve the unique variegated look of an acid-etch stain. Add to that ease of use and you've got an unbeatable system.

Concrete Decor magazine recently asked contractors and manufacturers what they like — and dislike — about acrylic stains.

"Not all acrylic stains are created equal," says Chris Sullivan, regional sales manager and liquids product manager for QC Construction Products in Madera, Calif. He notes there are different types of acrylic stains, from pigmented acrylic sealers to penetrating water-based acrylic stains. Unlike acid stains, which all basically work the same, acrylic stains can be membrane forming and opaque or penetrating and translucent. "It is important to understand the difference and what the limitations are with each product," says Sullivan.