The cement slab was still pushing up water from the cleaning the day before. We set the fan on to evaporate as much water as we could. We mask the walls so the acid stain does not damage the wood.
Glenn has decided he wants a light-to-dark yellow/brown floor. Gary mixes the “Autumn Wheat” stain and dilutes it with water to make it less intense so the stain can stay on longer without turning the concrete too dark.
The stain is applied by Gary using an acid sprayer. He sprays on enough to wet the concrete and then moves to the next area, never allowing the acid to sit exposed to the open air for too long. Glenn and I lay ‘Painters Plastic’ on top of the stain and destress it in order to spread the stain evenly, ensure the acid does not pool and to create random patterns. This must be done quickly as the concrete will not reflect the patterns of the plastic unless it is still wet.
We complete the first application and then check to see if there are areas we missed. They are easy to spot since they the acid changes the color of the concrete quickly. We then apply additional stain as required.
After about an hour, we take up all of the plastic and inspect the floor. We decide we want the floor to be a little bit darker and so we allow the acid to continue its work for a bit.
Gary wants to add some highlights and mixes up some “English Red” and a little water into spray bottle. He then applies it is tight artistic lines in a few places. He edges this acid mix with pure water from a second spray bottle to soften the edges. We then pat down another layer of plastic and let the acid burn for 30 minutes or so.
Happy with the final product, we neutralize the acid with a 25% vinegar / 75% water mix and pour it all over the floor. We then mop it to make sure the vinegar is covering everywhere acid has touched. At this point all that is left is to vacuum the liquid off the floor and allow it to dry overnight.
