Stained Concrete Overlay Problems

The most common cause of sealer failure is too much stain residue on the floor.

Stained concrete overlay problems.

Since a non reactive stain colors the concrete by filling the concrete s pores or by creating a film that sits on the concrete s surface typical moisture related problems include flaking peeling bubbling blistering and dark spots. Thicker overlays can also level out minor dips in a floor and go up to the bottom of baseboards if there is a gap after removal of previous floor coverings. The residue is very acidic. A spray down or sprayed on concrete overlay is great when you need some texture on the surface for slip resistance or if you use a stencil to create a pattern like the one below.

A cement based overlay or microtoppping is ideal for masking minor imperfections in existing concrete floors that a decorative stain won t hide such as discoloration or hairline cracks. Our condominium board plans to have a decorative concrete overlay applied to our 35 year old concrete walkways which have existing cracks and many unlevel areas. Curing time the curing time for fresh concrete is at least 14 days sometimes 21. Moisture is a common problem for concrete floors.

That concerns some of us. Maintenance for an acid stained concrete floor problems can also arise after application because of sealer failure or improper sealer maintenance. If your concrete patio slab or driveway has major structural problems a stamped concrete overlay will neither solve nor hide them effectively. When moisture enters the floor it seeps easily through the concrete s porous material and causes mold and rot problems below the floor while creating structural issues throughout the concrete.

Creating a profile or degree of roughness of at least 6 on the international concrete repair institute icri surface preparation scale is mandatory for successful adhesion. If used on stained concrete it could cause sealer and stained areas to pull up along with the adhesive. The board members want to apply a 1 8 to 3 8 inch overlay but that doesn t seem to be thick enough. Don t use overlays to fix bad concrete question.

You may end up spending more money than you had planned if you must remove the overlay when it too cracks and splits from water damage or an unstable subsurface. When installing any type of overlay owners must use sealants to protect it from moisture. Has been proudly leading the industry for over 20 years manufacturing overlays stains dyes and other products for your concrete projects. Our product lines include clean prep and repair products stamp tek spray tek vivid acid stains.