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jacy_gw

DIY acid etch stain new concrete pour in midwest

jacy
11 years ago

I'm about to have a concrete patio poured and in lieu of having them seal it, I'm thinking about acid staining and then sealing it myself.

I've already been down the road of pricing and evaluating brick pavers and stamped concrete and the budget and site really don't dictate more than poured concrete. But a plain gray slab? Blech. It seems like a relatively, if tedious, DIY project, with a big visual return on the acid stain investment. It's about 380 sf, a small pour that may get combined with another local job, if I'm lucky.

Any suggestion on how I should have the slab finished? I would think if I want a swirled, rustic look to the stain, broom finishing is out. Something more random? There's no pool so slip not a concern. The patio has curved rather than linear edges and the contractor plans to saw cut joints afterwards.

I'm in the central midwest and also wonder how well this wears. Most of the DIY sites are interiors and apply wax after sealing but that's no good outdoors. A good 3 coats of sealer enough? It's not going to be salted in the winter, possibly just brushed/shoveled away from the grill.

Thanks for any advice!

~Jacy

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