 After
Application
How big can you go? "There's
no limit to space if you have control of the job, if
you have people who help control dripping," Sargent
says.
Joints and angle changes in the structure can be used
to break up the space. NoxCrete recommends applying
its acid stain to small, workable areas, Linn says.
"For example, start the application at a comer
and work to a feature strip, rustication strip or expansion
joint wherever possible, to minimize color or shade
differences."
The next step is letting the stain dry. If the job
is Outdoors, heat and sunlight will affect how the stain
reacts with the concrete, so whenever possible, work
in the shade.
"On any stain project with a product that produces
a chemical reaction, you do not want the product to
dry out extremely fast," Theme says. "Keeping
sunlight to a minimum will minimize premature drying
of the material. Also, wind will cause the stain to
dry before the full chemical reaction can take place.
For acid-based stains I would recommend pre-dampening
the surface with cold water prior to application. This
will not only cool the wall but also help minimize streaking."
When it comes to seating a stained wall most sealers
will work fine - as long as the customer has approved
the final took with a mock-up, Thorne says. "There
is a zoo that is using a potassium silicate over an
acidbased stain to develop a higher abrasion resistance
surface on their rockscapes. The appearance is what
they are looking for, and it is lasting longer than
a typical sealer."
There are a few scalers that actually diffuse ultraviolet
light to protect the color from fading, Thome says.
"These are very high-performance acrylic-modified
urethanes, so the price will be higher, but the performance
is better than many of the other options."
 When
a stain job is intended to complement an outdoor
setting, flat and matte sealers are better fits than
glossy sealers, which can look shiny and fake. "The
high gloss look in many markets is the thing of the
past," Thorne says. But the appeal of matte finishes is partly geographical,
he says. Gloss is still popular in big cities such as
Philadelphia, New York City and Chicago. "Shine
to some people means expensive. It comes down to, do
you want it to look rich or do you want it to look like
a natural piece of stone?"
To seal vertical acid-stained concrete surfaces with
the wet look, use two coats Of either a water-based
or solvent-based clear acrylic sealer, Linn says. "The
acrylic sealer gives acid-stained concrete the 'wet
look' and brings out all the shades of color."
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