Stained Concrete Process Description & Customer Information
Prep Information
1. Every concrete slab is unique; very rarely is it poured completely flat. As such, there will be high and low points throughout the floor that will have slight differences in shine upon completion. Because it is difficult to predict prior to starting, technicians will keep the customer informed throughout the process about what to expect from their floor and the finished product.
2. Contraction joints, cracks, divots, nail pops, and other blemishes in the floor, if present, will by default be filled with concrete at no additional cost in order to provide the smoothest possible surface. If the customer prefers another material be used to fill these blemishes, the extra cost of the material chosen will be added to the final bill. Every effort is made to provide a smooth and consistent finish across the entire surface, but the materials used for these repairs will not be an exact match to the original floor’s composition. Therefore, some variation in appearance and/or texture may occur in repaired areas. This is normal, and to be expected.
Stain Information
Staining is not painting; rather than coating on top of the surface and hiding what is underneath, stain permeates the surface and dyes it the desired color. Stain will not hide imperfections in your concrete; in fact, applying stain may show some imperfections in the slab that were not visible prior to the staining process. Every effort is made by Southern States technicians to prepare the floor thoroughly and meet customers’ expectations as much as realistically possible, however, some imperfections in the slab will remain present. Generally, the variations in the floor are not a bad thing, and make for a more interesting and complex aesthetic. Many customers like the rustic look it gives. The stain itself will not make your floor more resistant to man made damage. For this reason, a solvent based sealer is applied to the floor after the stain has dried. This sealer will accentuate the color of the stain and add a protective layer to the floor. After the sealer has dried, several coats of wax will be applied to give the floor a smooth, somewhat glossy finish. Although the wax and sealer will enhance the surface’s durability, it is not indestructible.
Example:
Dragging heavy furniture across the surface may still cause scratches, or may even lift the stain off of the surface. This can be fixed, and Southern States will repair these for a reasonable service charge.
