Learning to stain concrete with online videos is almost impossible. YouTube is littered with video after video showing you how to stain your own concrete, but all of the most important steps are missing from the video.

1. Learning from Online Videos that Teach You How To Stain Concrete
Learning to stain concrete with online videos is almost impossible. YouTube is littered with
video after video showing you how to stain your own concrete, but all of the most
important steps are missing from the video.
Problem #1: They never mention what type of stain they are using.
There are 3 types of stains that professional stained concrete installers primarily use. Acid
stains are the most popular, but in recent years acetone based dyes and water-based
polymer dyes have gain popularity. Choosing the wrong kind of stain is where many DIY
stained concrete projects fail. Acid stains are great in most scenarios, but they can be hard
to install and the cleanup required may make them impractical in certain situations where
an interior of a house is already finished, or an exterior patio already has landscaping
around it. Acetone based dyes are great for interior floors, but they cannot be installed if
they are going to be exposed to sunlight. We made a black acetone sample on a white
concrete board and left it outside in the sunlight to see what would happen. After about a
month, the black had noticeably faded, and within 6 months, the color had faded to where
you could see the white concrete showing through it. Water-based polymer stains are great
if the concrete has a nice texture, but if you use them on a smooth floor, the pigment will
puddle and find its way to the cracks in the floor. This is usually an undesirable look that
almost always ends up in a full removal of the concrete stain. Our stained concrete guide
will teach you exactly when and where to use these types of stains. You will be able to stain
your own concrete with confidence knowing that you are using the right product.
Problem #2: After shooting a video, they never go back 1 or 2 years later to see how
the product handles wear and tear.
If you don't use a good sealer, then the stained concrete will wear off of the concrete. All of
the manufacturer documentation says that the stain permanently colors the surface of the
concrete. This is true… but what they don't mention is that the color is only 1/32" of an
inch deep. If you walk on concrete long enough, you will eventually wear the surface off of
the concrete. When you wear the surface off, the stain is not peeling…but you are literally

2. removing the surface of the concrete, so the stain goes with it and you start to see the gray
concrete showing through.
Our DIY stained concrete guide will show you what type of sealer to use so that you can
avoid simple, but costly mistakes of using the wrong products.