| However, he has developed a few techniques that
keep drips and runs to a minimum. Like Ralston, he applies
the spray in a fine mist with a light coat, making several
passes. "Using a fine mist like that, the wind
can carry it forever," he says. 'It's not pleasant.
Stuck up on a lift, you can't get away from it. You
have to have full protective gear on, head to toe'
It's best to have the staining completed before other
parts of the building are put in place, Schmid says.
"The stain is going to etch any glass, metal or
plastic. It will etch stucco. It will stain caulking."
Conditions such as direct sunlight and rain will also
influence how well the job goes, Schmid says. Hot or
cold temperatures can alter the reaction time and even
change the shade of the stain. "It's not a huge
effect, but it's visible enough to notice."
If staining two sides of a building, Schmid does one
side in the morning and one in the afternoon to maintain
consistency in every variable.
Application Techniques
As with any concrete job,
staining a vertical surface begins with proper prep
work. Sargent of Kemiko says that for many walls, a
pressure wash to remove weathering will suffice. But
Scott Theme, director of product surfaces for L.M. Scofield
Co., recommends starting with a mechanical scour, such
as sandblasting or scarifying. "For all stain applications,
the substrate must be open to absorb the stain and durable
enough to accept and hold the sealer for the intended
use," he says. "When pressure-washing a concrete
substrate you are mainly cleaning the surface and not
mechanically opening the pore structure."
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