Church of Color

When Adobe Coatings of Mesa, Ariz., was brought in to create new concrete floors for Christ's Greenfield Lutheran Church in Gilbert, Ariz., the original plan was to use acid stain for the entire project. One hitch: The 11,000-square-foot project included some balcony space. There was some concern that the acid stain would leach residue onto the floor below.

So instead, Adobe installed Cem-Dye, a water-based dye from Arizona Polymer Flooring Inc., on the upper balconies. Cem-Dye allowed Adobe to stain and seal in one night before people returned for work the next day.

Four different colors of Arizona Polymer acid stain were used on the lower levels of the building: Buckskin, Cola, Vintage Umber and Walnut. A tawny-colored dye was also used on the ground level.

For both floors of the facility, Arizona Polymer Poly 250 was used as the sealer and Poly 100 Gloss as the topcoat. Both of these products were used to obtain a high-gloss, durable shine that can withstand high traffic.

Before the staining, a microtopping was applied on both floors to hide the existing concrete.

The outside areas were treated to the same four acid stain colors used in the interior of the building. According to Marcovecchio, the result offers a contemporary feel in a semicircle pattern.

For those who might be wondering how concrete fits with the decor of a church, it fits right in. The architecture and design of this church help it stand apart from the churches of decades and centuries ago. "The whole theme of the facility was kind of modern," says Arizona Polymer technical sales representative Mark Haen. "It's not your typical church."