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.

Acrylic Stains for Concrete:
A Colorful Alternative to Acid Etch
by Denise Wendt

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.

Above: Faracy Boys Jeep dealership in Colorado Springs, Colo. Applicator is Paul Helms, Groninger Concrete in Colorado Springs. Buckwheat, Ember and Jade QC Patina acid stains, along with Sangria, and Ireland QC Cemtint lithium quartz penetrating acrylic stains. Below: Nortel Phase Three Building in Dallas, Texas. Applicator is Tolman Floors in Dallas. Six Pantone Colors of QC Cemtint lithium quartz penetrating acrylic stain.

Wear and fade resistance
One advantage acid-based stains have over acrylics is that they can achieve a deeper wear surface. But when correctly sealed, acrylics can wear well. Resistance to wear and fade varies from one kind of acrylic stain to another and among manufacturers. “Typically we see acrylic stains holding up to UV exposure quite well,” says Sullivan. “It depends on the type of pigments used in the particular stain.” Applicators should ask their manufacturer about UV and long-term exposure results if using products in an exterior application.

Tina Anderson and husband Gary own Tri-Co Floors in La Mesa, Calif. “Most of our experience in using acrylic stains is on interior projects with no UV problems,” says Anderson. But she, too, recommends using caution on exterior applications.

Diana Strongosky is a product manager for H&C/Sherwin Williams in Cleveland, Ohio. She urges applicators to look for 100 percent acrylic resins, but adds that not all such resins are created equal. “Some are better than others,” she says. To achieve a durable uniform finish, she recommends putting down two coats of stain. “Two coats are going to give you the durability you need for abrasion resistance and wear resistance,” she says.

Application methods
Application methods for acrylic stains vary considerably, depending on what the manufacturer recommends and what effect the applicator wants to achieve.

Mark Donaldson owns Skookum Floors Ltd., in Seattle. Donaldson applies his acrylic stains by sponging, spraying, ragging, bagging and mopping. He does not recommend rolling, however, because roller lines can appear and give an unnatural look.

Sullivan recommends spraying acrylic stains with either an HPLV sprayer (his first choice) or a pump-up sprayer (his second choice). “A roller or brush can be used with no application problems, but this tends not to provide as variegated a look,” he says.

These stains can provide the unique variegated look of acid-etch stains, but applicator technique is critical, says Donaldson. “Numerous light coats are required; slight color shifts during subsequent coats will give depth of color, and different application methods will create natural mottling.”

Sullivan adds that penetrating acrylic stains will produce much more variegation then membrane-forming acrylic stains. “The variegation achieved with acrylic stains depends more on the variegation and porosity of the concrete being stained,” says Sullivan. “A hard-troweled slab with burn marks and color variations will allow for a more marbled look then a broom-finished slab with little color variation.”

A non-chemical alternative
A near endless color selection is one of the major advantages of acrylic stains. “With some acrylic stains the entire pantone color wheel is available,” says Sullivan.

Your concrete profile can dictate the type of stain you use. While acid-etch stains must be applied to bare concrete, so that the acid can react with the concrete, acrylics can be applied to previously painted concrete as well as asphalt.

“We see best results when acrylic stains are applied to smooth-finished concrete that has some highlights and color variation,” says Sullivan. Over-troweled or very hard concrete can sometimes retard the penetration, color development or adhesion of these types of stains. “The surface smoothness and porosity will have a major impact on color, penetration and adhesion,” he adds.

“Surface prep is critical when using acrylic stains,” says Donaldson. “Many dense or tight concretes will require a sand blasting or acid etching to meet coating specifications and guidelines.” Donaldson recommends against shot blasting, however, because it can leave track lines in the surface.