Modern construction equipment and technology makes it possible to finish seemingly boring concrete to look fabulous. Many businesses and homeowners are adding concrete dye and stains to finished floors. The result usually looks excellent, but is it right for your business? There are some scenarios in which the desired appearance may not be achievable. Weigh the pros and cons of using concrete dye and stains to decide whether you should update your concrete floors with this versatile feature. Then, contact a professional for an evaluation of your project.
Concrete Dye and Stains: Pros
There are several benefits to choosing concrete dye and stains for your floors. They are attractive, easy to install, and fairly inexpensive. When added as a final touch on a new project or following a resurfacing project, they can really make a difference in your room. For functional spaces, the colors can be applied to designate areas for driving, parking, and pedestrian traffic.
One of the main benefits of concrete dye and stains is that they can take a room from boring to beautiful. You might not think about floors being pretty, but the addition of color can bring a room together. Dye and stains can be mixed to compliment any color scheme and often a precise color. This is a popular choice for entry areas and showrooms. With the addition of polishing or epoxy coating, the result can look like something much more expensive than concrete.
The installation process for concrete dye and stains is fairly simple. The color is mixed to the desired shade and applied to the floor like paint. While dye sits on the surface of the floor, stains penetrate into the pores. Dye tends to have a bolder final tone, while stains are more muted. Additional coats may be necessary to achieve the desired look.
If you are already planning a concrete floor project, the addition of color requires little additional time or expense. Most projects can be colored as soon as the concrete is dry and will be done in a few hours because application requires no special equipment.
Concrete Dye and Stains: Cons
Sometimes concrete dye and stains are not the right choice. If your facility is a warehouse or another place where aesthetics are pointless, concrete dye and stains are not really necessary. In high traffic areas or places where chemical spills are common, the floor may need to be simply functional.
In addition, there are some scenarios in which concrete dye and stains will not apply correctly. If your floor has high moisture content, it will be unable to absorb the stain. For dye, it will apply to the surface, but is likely to peel. It can also be a problem to apply color over damaged concrete. If the concrete is patched in places, those sections may not take the color in the same way as surrounding space. This will lead to patches of slightly different color. It may be possible to create a more even surface with concrete polishing, but this must be evaluated on an individual basis.
How to Decide
Concrete dye and stains can be an excellent addition to your floors, but are not right in every situation. If you are considering this option for your next project, talk to a certified concrete specialist. A contractor from ICS can give you a personalized evaluation to help you make an informed decision. He or she can provide you with several options and assist you in choosing the one that fits your budget and your usage needs. Fill out the Got a Project form and a representative will be in touch. ICS has extensive experience in cities like Bangor, ME; Springfield, MA; Portsmouth, NH; and New Haven, CT.
When you are ready to talk with a professional about your next concrete floor project, talk to the team at ICS. We have over 20 years of experience and have installed or updated over a million square feet of concrete floors. The combination of expertise, proprietary equipment, and dedication to a job well-done make ours the service you can trust. To get started, fill out the Got a Project form with some basic information about your project.
Concrete Flooring Service Area
ICS provides concrete solutions to all of the northeast. Here is a small list of cities and towns where we have completed many industrial and commercial concrete flooring applications.
| Portland, Maine | Bangor, Maine | Augusta, Maine |
| Nashua, New Hampshire | Manchester, New Hampshire | Portsmouth, New Hampshire |
| Boston, Massachusetts | Worecester, Massachusetts | Springfield, Massachusetts |
| Burlington, Vermont | Montpelier, Vermont | St. Johnsbury, Vermont |
| Providence, Rhode Island | Warwick, Rhode Island | Cranston, Rhode Island |
| Hartford, Connecticut | New Haven, Connecticut | Stamford, Connecticut |
| New York | New Jersey | Pennsylvania |