Builders Instructions
Information on concrete finishing for stained concrete
Information on concrete finishing for stained concrete
These instructions will help ensure your stained concrete floor will look its best.
A quality batch of concrete should consist of at least a 5-sack mix. Fiber, Fly ash, retarder, curing compounds and/or chloride accelerators are also prohibited. Do not pour concrete below 40F. Do not use fly-ash below 80F. Use no more than 15% fly-ash above 80F. You should Hard trowel by machine to a smooth finish. It is NOT necessary to burnish the surface to a slick, mirror finish. “Burning” the slab to an ultra-smooth surface will close off the pores of the slab and therefore cause the stain to sit on top of the concrete and not penetrate. Burrs or trash caught under the blades which can cut swirl marks into the slab. Thorough finishing with hand tools where needed around the plumbing, risers, floor outlets, or any other element which is not accessible by the machine. A smooth finish in the center and rough finished at the edges will be a noticeable difference in color and tone.
RED Chalk and silicone sprays should NEVER be used for framing. White or Blue chalks are OK. Do not over mark for the framing. Do NOT use silicone sprays to “Hold” the lines. The sprays repel the stain and leave harsh, permanent scars on the floor.
Wood, sheet goods, sections of framing and the like not lay on the slab for extended periods of time. They can transfer resins and tannins into the slab. This will alter the moisture content in the slab which leaves a pattern in the finished floor. Place cardboard between the slab and the stacked material to minimize any unwanted transfers. The floor should be protected from the following: Plumbers Glue, Foam Insulation, Bond Release Agents, Flux, Oils, Grease, Polyurethane, Paint, Markers (framers often write dimensions of doorways in marker on the slab. Ask them to make that note on the wood framing the doorway), Grease Sticks, Spray Paints, Crayons, Muriatic Acid, and other chemicals both before and after staining. The framers should brace the wall to the outside and not to the slab. The floors should be clean and the room empty, with absolutely nothing on the floors prior to the arrival of our crew. Our fees do not include removing paper, moving furniture, tools, equipment, fixtures, building materials, or items.
A quality batch of concrete should consist of at least a 5-sack mix. Fiber, Fly ash, retarder, curing compounds and/or chloride accelerators are also prohibited. Do not pour concrete below 40F. Do not use fly-ash below 80F. Use no more than 15% fly-ash above 80F. You should Hard trowel by machine to a smooth finish. It is NOT necessary to burnish the surface to a slick, mirror finish. “Burning” the slab to an ultra-smooth surface will close off the pores of the slab and therefore cause the stain to sit on top of the concrete and not penetrate. Burrs or trash caught under the blades which can cut swirl marks into the slab. Thorough finishing with hand tools where needed around the plumbing, risers, floor outlets, or any other element which is not accessible by the machine. A smooth finish in the center and rough finished at the edges will be a noticeable difference in color and tone.
RED Chalk and silicone sprays should NEVER be used for framing. White or Blue chalks are OK. Do not over mark for the framing. Do NOT use silicone sprays to “Hold” the lines. The sprays repel the stain and leave harsh, permanent scars on the floor.
Wood, sheet goods, sections of framing and the like not lay on the slab for extended periods of time. They can transfer resins and tannins into the slab. This will alter the moisture content in the slab which leaves a pattern in the finished floor. Place cardboard between the slab and the stacked material to minimize any unwanted transfers. The floor should be protected from the following: Plumbers Glue, Foam Insulation, Bond Release Agents, Flux, Oils, Grease, Polyurethane, Paint, Markers (framers often write dimensions of doorways in marker on the slab. Ask them to make that note on the wood framing the doorway), Grease Sticks, Spray Paints, Crayons, Muriatic Acid, and other chemicals both before and after staining. The framers should brace the wall to the outside and not to the slab. The floors should be clean and the room empty, with absolutely nothing on the floors prior to the arrival of our crew. Our fees do not include removing paper, moving furniture, tools, equipment, fixtures, building materials, or items.
Important!
It is extremely important that you do not tape the floor! When covering the floor overlap sheets of builder’s paper. Tape the first sheet to the wall then overlap the second sheet to the first and tape it to the paper. DO NOT TAPE TO THE FLOOR. Duct Tape, Masking Tape, Packaging Tape, Strap Tape, Blue Tape, Green Tape, and Electrical Tape there are NO exceptions. The tape alters the natural curing process and transfers chemicals to and from the slab. Tape, Plastics and other Adhesives can contribute to Plasticizer Migration. When covering the floor, you may use 15# roofing felt of brown construction paper. Do not cover the floor with plastic at any time! It prevents the slab from breathing which inhibits proper curing. It can result in efflorescence.
There must be two 110volt outlets on two separate 20amp breakers not more than 150 feet from the furthest point of the slab. Additionally, running water and trash receptacles must be available
It is extremely important that you do not tape the floor! When covering the floor overlap sheets of builder’s paper. Tape the first sheet to the wall then overlap the second sheet to the first and tape it to the paper. DO NOT TAPE TO THE FLOOR. Duct Tape, Masking Tape, Packaging Tape, Strap Tape, Blue Tape, Green Tape, and Electrical Tape there are NO exceptions. The tape alters the natural curing process and transfers chemicals to and from the slab. Tape, Plastics and other Adhesives can contribute to Plasticizer Migration. When covering the floor, you may use 15# roofing felt of brown construction paper. Do not cover the floor with plastic at any time! It prevents the slab from breathing which inhibits proper curing. It can result in efflorescence.
There must be two 110volt outlets on two separate 20amp breakers not more than 150 feet from the furthest point of the slab. Additionally, running water and trash receptacles must be available
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