Concrete flooring is a good choice for people who suffer from environmental and chemical allergies, as the collection of dust, debris and bacteria from pets and general household traffic is greatly reduced, and also eliminate exposure to glues, dyes and formaldehyde found in carpet. Concrete is generally considered Green Builder Friendly as it is renewable and is a sustainable resource material. Although concrete floors are easy to care for, maintenance will be necessary, according to your individual use, so keep tolerance levels in mind when considering concrete floors.
Check our gallery for examples of color hardener and chemical stain applications.

COLOR HARDENER
Best application is for New Construction, Foundations, Interior Floors, Capped surfaces (2” required), Patios, Sidewalks, Driveways, Stamped surfaces, Pool surrounds

Color Hardener is a recipe that combines pigment, Portland cement and sand, and is applied at the time the concrete is placed, creating a rich, durable surface. Color Hardener is worked into wet concrete surface and increases the psi (pounds per inch). There are a wide variety of colors to choose from. More than one color may be combined to create a pleasing color blend. Concrete is characteristically porous and may absorb elements dropped onto the surface. Worst offense to this product is generally paint and other petroleum products, so be sure your floor is covered and well protected when you get to the paint stage of production. Price may vary greatly if you are considering the colors blue or green. Sealing to preserve the concrete surface will enhance the appearance and make the surface more stain resistant.

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CHEMICAL STAIN – ACID ETCHED CONCRETE
Best application is for interior floors and covered porches; Stain is affected by UV light and will fade with extreme exposure.

Chemical Stained or Acid Etched concrete as it’s commonly known uses hydrochloric acid to etch the concrete surface with color. Chemical Staining may be done to new construction or remodels, producing a variegated, translucent effect. The mottling and variations in shade known to occur are created by a chemical reaction and are unique to your concrete surface. The effect will vary with concrete composition, mix design, porosity, age, climate, texture, natural shading of the concrete substrate. Due to the unique chemical reactions, exact color, shade, and mottling may not be predefined and may be different from the representation on the color chart.
Maintaining the integrity of the sealer helps protect the concrete surface. The worst offense to chemical stained concrete floors is TAPE, paint and other petroleum products. Be sure your floor is covered when you get to this stage of production. Painters are known to use tape to border their work. Tape will permanently damage chemical stain regardless of time and application. Tape destroys the sealer, chemical stain and the concrete itself. Repair work may camouflage but will not restore. There are some chemicals in these stains that are known to oxidize or blacken. Ask for a list from your contractor. Concrete floor surfaces are durable but not indestructible. The most sensitive time for your floors is during construction. You and your builder need to know that mindful effort is required during construction to protect the floor surface. Maintenance and resealing will help protect the floor surface. General maintenance involves vacuuming and mopping with a gentle household cleaner such as “Simple Green”.

INTEGRAL PIGMENTS
Best application is for concrete caps and countertops

Applied at the time the concrete is placed, pure pigment is added in the truck or concrete batch. Integral pigments are useful for concrete countertops, caps and other applications where other coloring techniques would be less successful. Price per pound of material varies for each color. Special design mix including White Portland cement may be necessary to for certain colors and will greatly affect the price for your project.