DIY Network

Staining Concrete It's easy to make concrete beautiful. From "B. Original" episode DBOR-507

Your concrete table doesn't have to look like a highway: Just B. Original with your concrete and follow Michele Beschen's easy how-to. A plain slab of concrete can become a work of art; scroll down to get started.

Turn plain concrete...

Into a masterpiece.

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Staining Concrete

Materials:

clean, raw concrete surface
stripping pad or orbital sander
concrete acid stain
concrete sealer or epoxy floor coating
clean spray bottles
rubber gloves
safety glasses
table base
landscape block adhesive or construction adhesive
baking soda
water

Note: This step-by-step is tailored for Michele Beschen's concrete tabletop
project. However, the process works for other raw (unsealed) concrete pieces, as well.

• Unmold the concrete slab, flip it right-side up and inspect the surface. If there are unwanted voids or dents in the concrete, mix up a small amount of concrete, fill them in and let the new concrete dry.

• Use a stripping pad or orbital sander to smooth all surfaces.

• Make sure the concrete is completely cured before staining or sealing it. This can take up to 30 days; check the instructions on the concrete, stain and sealer to make sure the concrete is properly cured.

• Prepare spray bottles of concrete acid stain. The best way to find this stain is by contacting a concrete supplier. Michele Beschen prepared sprayers of black, green and terra cotta stain.

  Safety Alert: Wear rubber gloves and eye protection when working with concrete acid stain. Read all package directions and warnings before using the stain, and follow all safety directions.
  

  	Figure A
  	Figure B
  	Figure C

• Spray the stain on sheets of paper and adjust the spray nozzles as desired.

• Spray the stain on the concrete. Michele Beschen started by spraying abstract lines of black and green stain (figure A), then filling in with sprays of terra cotta (figure B).

• Let the stain sit according to the package instructions.

• Once the stain has cured, neutralize it with a baking soda bath. Mix 1/3 box of baking soda with 2-1/2 quarts of water and pour the mixture over the slab (figure C). Bubbles will foam up from the slab as the baking soda neutralizes the acid; keep pouring baking soda and water over the slab until it stops bubbling. Rinse away any slurry or debris.

• Let the tabletop dry for a few days, then apply three coats of concrete sealer or epoxy floor coating formulated for use with concrete. Let the sealer cure according to the package instructions.

• Install the new tabletop on an existing base or build a new one. Use landscape block adhesive or a heavy-duty construction adhesive to secure the tabletop to the base.

You'll want to build several of these beautiful tables. After all, they really do rock!