Nice work. I like the attention to application techniques. I also like mention of stain color as a function of region due to concrete mineral composition.
Absolutely love the content Tim. Thank you. It would be awesome if you spent 'some' time on the grinding aspect (removal of the cap, the profile etc etc). Thx again for the info.
Dude these videos are as quality as your trade. I think at this point in your career you probably put more time into the videos than into the actual labor! What a pleasure to watch. Thank you. Do you work in Philadelphia ever? My garage is small!! 😂
Haha. Thank you! We don’t work in Philly… but check out my friends Reconstructed Surfaces on Instagram. They should be able to help you out. I appreciate the compliments about the video. They probably do take longer than the jobs. 😂
After staining, can you just use the clear epoxy or the clear urethane? Or are both necessary? How slippery is the floor after the topcoat and a coat of wax? Great great video!!!
Love how this project came out, I just did my first two part epoxy job and I did turn out beautiful. The client was very pleased and wanted to recommend me to others. I will appreciate it if you can guide me how to charge? I'm in SC.
If I'm wanting to stain brand new poured concrete, are there key phrases I can mention to my concrete guy as what he can do so I have an easier time if it/ maybe avoid the initial grinding part of this process since there is no 'sealer' applied?
Looking up how to stain our basement concrete and realized you are based out of Lynchburg. Looks like I might just hire y’all so I can save myself the time and energy 🤣
@@TimDCVA thank you, lookingforward to it. I have subscribed to the channel and following your IG page. I also had a couple other questions which I left in separate comment in this video. Please provide answers when you have time
I like the look you achieved, really nice work. My question is how well would this work if I do it on my rough finished concrete. Our floor isn't a burned finished concrete, it has a little texture to it and I want it to stay that way to reduce the slip hazard since my dad will be living with us. Have you or anyone ever attempted this on a semi smooth floor?
Great video Tim. Do you need to clean the aerosol can between each sample color or you use a different spray can for each color when doing samples ? The floor looks great 👍🏼
Thanks Nathan! You don’t really need to clean them. The tube that goes down into the dye is so short that you can completely empty it out by spraying it in just a second or two... so I just spray it on a board until I see the color change and do the next sample.
Tim, just found your video, which is top notch. I'm finishing a garage floor and really like the finished product. Question, would the water based Epoxy and Urethane topcoat that you used be strong enough to drive and park cars inside?
This is great.... I’m building my house here in The dominican Republic, and i would like to do this job on the floor, i already found a way to import the west coast products, the question is, can i start polishing from raw concrete?
I not sure I understand the question but… The westcoat system recommends grinding the concrete to prep for the epoxy sealer… so yes you always need to grind with this system.
Hi Tim. I enjoy watching you UA-cam videos about stained concrete. Now thinking of standing my driveway. Is it possible to use the epoxy sealer outdoors. Would that be slippery or not.
I use a solvent based clear sealer with a semi transparent stain outdoors. (Check my most recent stained concrete video… “why I don’t like acid stained concrete”) The system in this video wouldn’t be a good idea for a driveway.
This looks great! I’m starting my own epoxy coating business (Canada). I’ve got a few questions about this job: 1)What is the need to stain the floor first before applying epoxy? 2) how long did you have to wait to apply the epoxy coat on top of the stain? 2) what kind of epoxy did you use for the 2nd coat? Metallic? 3) is the final coat also an epoxy? TIA
Thanks! You don’t need to stain it if you want natural gray concrete. This customer wanted a brown floor. 30 minutes maybe. Step one- stain Step two- wb epoxy Step three- wb urethane
@@TimDCVA ahh ok, so you only stained it to give it a Specific Color. Thank you for your reply. I guess the metallic epoxy pod doesn’t come in the same colour?
@@TimDCVA Hi Tim, quick question regarding these steps. So in the video you said you would use a 30 grit up to 100 grit? So does that mean you're using 30 grit and then 40 grit, 50 grit, 60 grit, all the way to 100? Or just 30 grit and then a 100 grit diamond.
We usually start with 30/40 grit and move up to 60/80 grit. Occasionally we will run 100 grit too. These are all specific types of diamonds. Ex 30/40 grit soft bond.
Very nice.videos a lot of information thank you. Question: Why you didn’t polish all the way to1500 grit. Put guard and burnished it. Better less maintenance. Customer will have Marks on the floors guarantee. I like what you did. But I polish concrete in Florida. The best is polish concrete. And apply guard. Last for long long time no maintenance.
Thanks! We do polished concrete too…but sometimes we like to use stained & sealed concrete. Our epoxy & urethane sealer holds up really well. We did their previous house about 10 years ago and they liked the product. We’ve done a lot of stained & sealed concrete at a local college and that has been holding up really well too. I also think the color comes out a lot richer when we stain & seal the concrete.
Couple of questions: Do you think acetone or water based stains last as long as acid? I’d think acid would last longer…? Also, I have new slabs that’ve been covered with ram board for a couple months. I don’t need to etch a new slab do I? It’s pretty smooth (was done as a finished concrete floor). Thanks!
If I'm going to stain concrete (new construction) that was poured 60 days ago do I need to grind the concrete or can I skip that step using the same process and products from this video?
Tim came out Beautifull, I'm in the process to do mine and I will be using Westcoat fast dye and looking to achieve a color very similar to this one, do you mine sharing what color you use on this project. Let me know. thanks'
I'd like to stain and seal the concrete floor under our mountain-top outdoor pavilion (open sides, covered with roof) in Arkansas. About 1600 sf. 1. In one of the comments, you recommended acid stain for outdoor projects - may I ask why? 2. Our pavilion is next to a pond and will get wet from muddy clay feet and storms blowing in rain, so I need a NON-SLIP surface. Should I just use a really low-grit sanding or some type of additive or both? Maybe putting sand into the sealer? 3. How prone is the finished floor to scratches? My crazy family will be moving our furniture all over the place whenever they're up there. Advice?
1- dyes aren’t intended for outdoor use. I feel like acid stain holds up better than semi-transparent water based stains for commercial use. 2- I’m not sure… it depends on what texture you have on your concrete not. If it’s broom finished now then it probably won’t be slippery. If it has a slick finish then you will need to add something to the sealer for traction. 3- it usually holds up really well under normal use. Most new furniture isn’t going to damage it… but you can’t drag around old heavy iron chairs without scratching it.
Loved your video. I am building my own mancave and intend to either polis or stain or both my floor. It is fiberglass reinforced 4000# concrete. Brand new, no sealer, with saw cut control joints. So here is what I propose to do: I will pressure wash the floor first at about 2 weeks after pour. I will use one of the rotary spray floor washers and avoid any striping. Let dry. Fill all control joints with self leveling compound. Trim excess. Pump spray 2-3 different stain colors randomly. I could use acetone or acid, neutralize as needed and let dry. Now, I could use your method with sealer and urethane OR I could run a concrete polisher over the floor ar about 300 grit then apply lithium densifier. The polish again at 800. Evaluate the look, polish at 1600 if not happy. Maybe a second application of densifier if it looks to help. What do you think. Any glaring issues? Will I be better off with either urethane finish or polished densified bare concrete? Please… Anybody may comment!
Thanks! Those aren’t typical polished concrete steps. You usually have to start at a lower grit and do more steps on the way up to 800 or 1500. Also- over filling control joints tends to stain the edges of the concrete too.
@@TimDCVA : So you think I would grind it more coarse grit first? Maybe 120? Or really aggressive at 30? And then follow the usual 8 steps or so to 1600-2000? At what grit step would you apply dye or stain? Rent on the machine is rough. I might punt and go with sealer and wax.
Most of our polished jobs go 30/40, 60/80, 100, 200, 400, due, densify, 800, 1500, guard. Our grind and seals are usually 30/40, 60/80, dye, epoxy, urethane.
Yes. You have to prep it based on what kind of sealer you plan on using. Single part acrylic sealers probably don’t need extra prep. Epoxy or urethane probably does.
Overall what do you think about these Westcoat system products ? If you follow these steps how long will the floor possibly last? I’m looking to do our shop floor where we constantly are driving cars in and out.
Thanks! Yes I think it would hold up pretty well on a garage...as long as you grind it for the prep. Im not sure what the tech data sheet says...but generally speaking, the floor needs to be 60 degrees or warmer. It would hold up for a long time as long as you keep it sealed up. Grit being tracked in from the car acts like sandpaper on the floor, so you just have to watch the high traffic areas. If its start wearing through sealer, you probably need to apply another coat.
I wonder do you have a word document with the directions for each step of the polishing process, including the pre-work where you chose the color for the flooring with a test?
We don’t have anything that we share with the public. Information like that will be in our course for this system once it’s release. decorativeconcreteschool.teachable.com
I did a floor with almost same process's and Material, 100 grit polish, stain, and and westcoat water based epoxy sealer but no Urethane topcoat and it looked great at first but that water based epoxy is too soft and now it's all scratched up. Also I found contrary to what this video claims you have to be very careful of roller lines with the water based epoxy.
Hey Tim how’s it going man, you should set up a hands on class for people on the east coast. I’m in Durham and would love to learn your methods. I wouldn’t mind paying
@@TimDCVA mostly epoxy and polyaspartic coatings. I have a small painting business here in the durham/Raleigh area and would love to offer that to my clients but would like to get trained by someone like you brother. I wouldn’t mind driving up to VA for a course
Cool. It would be fun to put something like that together one day. In the meantime… I do have an epoxy/polyaspartic course that’s pretty thorough. DecorativeConcreteSchool.teachable.com
I have something like this in my log home in basement the old owner had it done but it’s not looking the best I think it needs done again I’m in mi u close by lol I need this done :)
I'm not sure if you mentioned why you chose a water-based product for the sealer but also after using the water-based epoxy or why wouldn't you just go straight to the urethane clear coat? Is it for the look and creating depth? The urethane is going to be more durable than the water-based epoxy so I understand using that but why would you even bother with the epoxy? And how durable have you found the water-based epoxy to be? Which keeps leading me to those questions as far as why you chose to use both or either one in general over a 100% solids epoxy skim coat and a urethane top coat? I dove head first into floors after 30 years in the painting industry and it's been a trial by fire costly adventure but I'm a glutton for punishment. So a gobble up any information I can get. Thanks
The wb epoxy seems like it wets the color out better than urethane. The epoxy also has a much stronger bond than most urethane’s. So we figure epoxy for the bonding and urethane on top for abrasion. I don’t like 100% solids clear because moisture can cause lots of issues with it. I’ve had that haze up a few times so I try to stay away from it when we use clear sealers. Wb epoxy and wb urethane are breathable so moisture doesn’t cause nearly as many issues.
We just removed carpet from our basement revealing large cracks. I would like to do this on my floor. I don’t really want to get rid of the cracks I kinda like them. Do you have any suggestions for me?
We don’t ever try to cover cracks on stained concrete. I would just do whatever prep is necessary (grind to remove carpet glue or sealer) and stain the floor as is.
Quick update on the project. I received the Fast Stain, EC-11 and SC-65. However I assumed the Fast Stain came with the Acetone when I ordered it. Apparently it doesn't. (whoops!) So I'll still need to order that. (Should I stick with Westcoat or would any Acetone work? I'm guessing I should stick with Westcoat..) Also, the project I'm working on is my house. Which I'm currently living in. My plan is to do this in two parts (probably two separate weekends) moving furniture as necessary. Have you had any experience with blending in connecting rooms that are done at different times? Am I crazy to do this? :) Thanks for the awesome videos, and I really admire your camera / editing work. Seems like Concrete isn't the only thing you enjoy doing. :)
Hey Dave! Thanks for the compliments. I do enjoy the video process… I’m glad someone noticed. Ha. We buy acetone at Lowes or Sherwin so you’ll be okay. Please be careful with the fumes. Make sure all gas pilot lights are off. Wear a respirator & keep the area ventilated. I’m not sure about matching it in two sections. I would imagine that it’s going to be a little different no matter how hard to try to hide it. Just try to pick a good spot for the seam… maybe in a doorway or at the end of a hallway. Let me know how the project goes. I’d love to see photos. @timdcva on IG
Keeping dirt and grit off of it on a regular basis it will help it last a long time. If it gets scratched, then you can wax it. I have a video showing that process on this channel.
@timdcva how/where can one purchase West Coat products? Their website seems to be all product information and no retail or sales info. Love the video. Thanks
They sell through different concrete speciality stores. Call them and ask for the closest supplier to you. Thanks! I appreciate the encouragement. 👍🏻👍🏻
What if the concrete has no sealer or anything on it prior to being stained? Should we go ahead and grind it down to prep it? I read somewhere that it needs to be rough?
Hey Tim. Sorry to comment a year late. This looks amazing! I am doing a large area that was a garage, but is now going to be a wedding reception hall. I have filled areas where old partition walls existed, but you will be able to clearly see them through the stain. Slurry coat bonded to the base to even out the concrete? Also what's your opinion on texture? I'd hate to have someone slip and fall on a wet floor..... Thanks in advance for your expertise!
Thanks! Prices vary across the country… but a project like this one would be around $4-$5 per foot here in VA for most jobs…. Larger projects are less per foot.
@@TimDCVA That's what someone would charge to polish, dye, epoxy and poly? You're talking just labor not including materials right? Seems too cheap compared to what I've seen haha.
Also forgot to say loved the video haha. Straight to it, explained it well and time lapse where needed. Nice not have a pointless 5 min monologue in a video
Do you have to go back after a year or so to reseal the floor? If you do, do you do the epoxy and then also the urethane as you do the first time around?
No we don’t usually need to reseal them. We do occasionally wax them if they show signs of wear. If you do want to reseal them, you just have to sand it with a sanding screen on a buffer before you apply another coat of urethane.
Hoping for advice ... ~ I'm new to this process and need expert advice. We have an old flat stone walkway to our rustic house. We added smaller side stones to widen the path, hoping to make it safer. Then put concrete between all the stones to prevent tripping.... B U T the concrete looks light and doesn't blend in. I want to stain the random strips of concrete to kinda match the mostly grey stones. The walkway is about 30 feet long. I'd love to get it more blended .....don't want it perfect! we're in the mountains and like the natural look. I'll check back. ps~ I actually am a portrait artist (oil on canvas) and don't mind painting / staining. Thank you.
It’s hard to stain concrete gray… but H&C makes a product that you can get at most Sherwin Williams stores that might work. I believe it’s called Infusion Semi-transparent stain. Good luck w the project.
Yes sometimes. There are a few videos on this channel that show stained concrete overlays. I prefer a troweled overlay to a leveler… but it just depends on the circumstance.
What about leveling or cracks? Your floor looked pretty crack free but mine has lots of cracks and is not super flat. Did you have to do any prep beside cleaning?
You can’t really do much patching on stained concrete. The patches always look pretty bad. It’s usually best to stain it and live with cracks/low spots.
A consultative approach when sharing these install experiences sets your content apart! Keep it up Tim.
Thanks Kevin!
Nice work. I like the attention to application techniques. I also like mention of stain color as a function of region due to concrete mineral composition.
Thanks!
I love the look! Just came across this today as I was researching options for my basement and family room. I definitely want to have this done ;)
Thanks!
What a great video Tim! Your videography skill are only eclipsed by your master craftsmanship and style!
Thank you Paul! 🙏🏻😊
Absolutely love the content Tim. Thank you. It would be awesome if you spent 'some' time on the grinding aspect (removal of the cap, the profile etc etc). Thx again for the info.
First time watching your channel. I'm very impressed with not only the results but the way it was explained. Top notch.
Thank you!
Dude these videos are as quality as your trade. I think at this point in your career you probably put more time into the videos than into the actual labor! What a pleasure to watch. Thank you. Do you work in Philadelphia ever? My garage is small!! 😂
Haha. Thank you! We don’t work in Philly… but check out my friends Reconstructed Surfaces on Instagram. They should be able to help you out.
I appreciate the compliments about the video. They probably do take longer than the jobs. 😂
After staining, can you just use the clear epoxy or the clear urethane? Or are both necessary? How slippery is the floor after the topcoat and a coat of wax?
Great great video!!!
He said in the video that they could have left it after sealing it with epoxy but the urethane is for added durability.
Even the way you chose the color was great! This was a wonderful video and so satisfying to watch!!!
Love how this project came out, I just did my first two part epoxy job and I did turn out beautiful. The client was very pleased and wanted to recommend me to others. I will appreciate it if you can guide me how to charge? I'm in SC.
Nice! I’d be happy to help. Message me on my site and I’ll give you a few ideas.
DecorativeConcreteSchool.com
I live in Maryland want to quit my corporate job and work for you! This is so rewarding to look at.
Thank you! 🙏🏻😊
Another gorgeous floor! Thanks for sharing your process!
Thanks!
Very professional, I really enjoyed the video. Thank you.
Thanks!
Awesome stuff Tim. Good work.
Happy Sunday!!
Thank you! 🙌🏼
Bravo! I've always loved this look. This could be a cool niche to get into. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you!
If I'm wanting to stain brand new poured concrete, are there key phrases I can mention to my concrete guy as what he can do so I have an easier time if it/ maybe avoid the initial grinding part of this process since there is no 'sealer' applied?
Looking up how to stain our basement concrete and realized you are based out of Lynchburg. Looks like I might just hire y’all so I can save myself the time and energy 🤣
Haha.
Really want to do a concrete stain on the floor in my basement fitness room. Great tutorial- thanks!
Cool. Good luck with the project. Let me know how it goes.
🔥🔥🔥 Amazing work bruv!!
Thank you!
Looks great. I’ve decided to start my own concrete coatings business and been following you and others to learn
Thanks!
That’s great. Glad to hear it’s helping someone. 👍🏻
Also- we have a coatings course now. Adding more courses this fall.
decorativeconcreteschool.teachable.com
@@TimDCVA says courses coming in summer 2021…it’s fall now, are they ready?
🤦🏻♂️ almost. The epoxy/poly one is out now. Overlays, metallic epoxy and stained concrete are coming soon.
@@TimDCVA thank you, lookingforward to it. I have subscribed to the channel and following your IG page. I also had a couple other questions which I left in separate comment in this video. Please provide answers when you have time
Absolutely BEAUTIFUL!! WoW!!
Thanks! 🙏🏻
How do you not have millions of subs. Cool vids.
Thank you! 🙏🏻😊
I like the look you achieved, really nice work. My question is how well would this work if I do it on my rough finished concrete. Our floor isn't a burned finished concrete, it has a little texture to it and I want it to stay that way to reduce the slip hazard since my dad will be living with us. Have you or anyone ever attempted this on a semi smooth floor?
Yes. We do them all the time. Here is a video where we did one for a wedding venue:
ua-cam.com/video/SbqntCvjCvE/v-deo.html
Great video Tim. Do you need to clean the aerosol can between each sample color or you use a different spray can for each color when doing samples ? The floor looks great 👍🏼
Thanks Nathan!
You don’t really need to clean them. The tube that goes down into the dye is so short that you can completely empty it out by spraying it in just a second or two... so I just spray it on a board until I see the color change and do the next sample.
@@TimDCVA ok cool thanks. 🙌🏼🙏🏼
Tim, just found your video, which is top notch. I'm finishing a garage floor and really like the finished product. Question, would the water based Epoxy and Urethane topcoat that you used be strong enough to drive and park cars inside?
This is great.... I’m building my house here in The dominican Republic, and i would like to do this job on the floor, i already found a way to import the west coast products, the question is, can i start polishing from raw concrete?
I not sure I understand the question but…
The westcoat system recommends grinding the concrete to prep for the epoxy sealer… so yes you always need to grind with this system.
well explained...best I've seen so far...will you come to Wilmington, NC?
Thanks!
We did stain a house in Southport, NC once a few years ago… but we try to stay within 2 hours of Lynchburg.
You make awesome videos !
Thank you!
Is there a preferred mix you'd want poured? Such as psi, aggregate and should color packs be added ?
Hi Tim. I enjoy watching you UA-cam videos about stained concrete. Now thinking of standing my driveway. Is it possible to use the epoxy sealer outdoors. Would that be slippery or not.
I use a solvent based clear sealer with a semi transparent stain outdoors. (Check my most recent stained concrete video… “why I don’t like acid stained concrete”)
The system in this video wouldn’t be a good idea for a driveway.
This looks great! I’m starting my own epoxy coating business (Canada). I’ve got a few questions about this job:
1)What is the need to stain the floor first before applying epoxy?
2) how long did you have to wait to apply the epoxy coat on top of the stain?
2) what kind of epoxy did you use for the 2nd coat? Metallic?
3) is the final coat also an epoxy? TIA
Thanks!
You don’t need to stain it if you want natural gray concrete. This customer wanted a brown floor.
30 minutes maybe.
Step one- stain
Step two- wb epoxy
Step three- wb urethane
@@TimDCVA ahh ok, so you only stained it to give it a Specific Color. Thank you for your reply. I guess the metallic epoxy pod doesn’t come in the same colour?
You should be able to get metallic epoxy in a similar color.
@@TimDCVA Hi Tim, quick question regarding these steps. So in the video you said you would use a 30 grit up to 100 grit? So does that mean you're using 30 grit and then 40 grit, 50 grit, 60 grit, all the way to 100? Or just 30 grit and then a 100 grit diamond.
We usually start with 30/40 grit and move up to 60/80 grit. Occasionally we will run 100 grit too.
These are all specific types of diamonds. Ex 30/40 grit soft bond.
Very nice.videos a lot of information thank you.
Question:
Why you didn’t polish all the way to1500 grit.
Put guard and burnished it.
Better less maintenance.
Customer will have Marks on the floors guarantee.
I like what you did.
But I polish concrete in Florida.
The best is polish concrete.
And apply guard.
Last for long long time no maintenance.
Thanks!
We do polished concrete too…but sometimes we like to use stained & sealed concrete.
Our epoxy & urethane sealer holds up really well. We did their previous house about 10 years ago and they liked the product. We’ve done a lot of stained & sealed concrete at a local college and that has been holding up really well too.
I also think the color comes out a lot richer when we stain & seal the concrete.
Amazing job
Thank you!
Couple of questions:
Do you think acetone or water based stains last as long as acid? I’d think acid would last longer…? Also, I have new slabs that’ve been covered with ram board for a couple months. I don’t need to etch a new slab do I? It’s pretty smooth (was done as a finished concrete floor). Thanks!
If I'm going to stain concrete (new construction) that was poured 60 days ago do I need to grind the concrete or can I skip that step using the same process and products from this video?
Great informative videos!
Glad you like them!
Tim came out Beautifull, I'm in the process to do mine and I will be using Westcoat fast dye and looking to achieve a color very similar to this one, do you mine sharing what color you use on this project. Let me know. thanks'
Thanks!
I believe it was “brown”.
good afternoon, very good job, I plan to do it by myself at home, where can I get the products I use?
I'd like to stain and seal the concrete floor under our mountain-top outdoor pavilion (open sides, covered with roof) in Arkansas. About 1600 sf.
1. In one of the comments, you recommended acid stain for outdoor projects - may I ask why?
2. Our pavilion is next to a pond and will get wet from muddy clay feet and storms blowing in rain, so I need a NON-SLIP surface. Should I just use a really low-grit sanding or some type of additive or both? Maybe putting sand into the sealer?
3. How prone is the finished floor to scratches? My crazy family will be moving our furniture all over the place whenever they're up there. Advice?
1- dyes aren’t intended for outdoor use. I feel like acid stain holds up better than semi-transparent water based stains for commercial use.
2- I’m not sure… it depends on what texture you have on your concrete not. If it’s broom finished now then it probably won’t be slippery. If it has a slick finish then you will need to add something to the sealer for traction.
3- it usually holds up really well under normal use. Most new furniture isn’t going to damage it… but you can’t drag around old heavy iron chairs without scratching it.
Fantastic work chaps! What make is the vacuum cleaner that you used ?. Cheers
Thanks! Vac: amzn.to/3NqfcTS
Amazing work! What wheels are you using in the dewalt angle grinder??
Loved your video. I am building my own mancave and intend to either polis or stain or both my floor. It is fiberglass reinforced 4000# concrete. Brand new, no sealer, with saw cut control joints. So here is what I propose to do:
I will pressure wash the floor first at about 2 weeks after pour. I will use one of the rotary spray floor washers and avoid any striping. Let dry. Fill all control joints with self leveling compound. Trim excess. Pump spray 2-3 different stain colors randomly. I could use acetone or acid, neutralize as needed and let dry. Now, I could use your method with sealer and urethane OR I could run a concrete polisher over the floor ar about 300 grit then apply lithium densifier. The polish again at 800. Evaluate the look, polish at 1600 if not happy. Maybe a second application of densifier if it looks to help.
What do you think. Any glaring issues? Will I be better off with either urethane finish or polished densified bare concrete? Please… Anybody may comment!
Thanks!
Those aren’t typical polished concrete steps. You usually have to start at a lower grit and do more steps on the way up to 800 or 1500.
Also- over filling control joints tends to stain the edges of the concrete too.
@@TimDCVA : So you think I would grind it more coarse grit first? Maybe 120? Or really aggressive at 30? And then follow the usual 8 steps or so to 1600-2000? At what grit step would you apply dye or stain? Rent on the machine is rough. I might punt and go with sealer and wax.
@@TimDCVA :Also, about the filling control joints. Did you mean I should stain and polish or seal first and then fill the joints?
Most of our polished jobs go 30/40, 60/80, 100, 200, 400, due, densify, 800, 1500, guard.
Our grind and seals are usually 30/40, 60/80, dye, epoxy, urethane.
@@TimDCVA :Perfect, Thanks!
Looks great but can you tell me how to add a second color or mix a color like rust/orange and brown?
Hi Tim, thanks for do this videos! Question is necessary the epoxy coat? Can be done the stain and them apply the urethane coat to seal ? Thank you!
Excellent Videos!!
When they said my floors were going to be stained concrete I wasn’t too fond but this looks amazing
Great video editing
Thank you! 🙏🏻😊
Can you use the fast stain on a newly poured floor without grinding?
Is there any prep needed, aside from vacuuming, when staining a smooth new concrete floor?
Yes. You have to prep it based on what kind of sealer you plan on using.
Single part acrylic sealers probably don’t need extra prep. Epoxy or urethane probably does.
What if you have a concrete patch from damage ? Will it be very noticeable?
Yes. Stain doesn’t really hide patches or cracks.
I have heard you need to test the ph level of the concrete before staining. Is that true?
Overall what do you think about these Westcoat system products ? If you follow these steps how long will the floor possibly last? I’m looking to do our shop floor where we constantly are driving cars in and out.
And also would there be a specific temperature you would want to do this work in for curing? Thank you and GREAT VIDEO 👍🏽
Thanks!
Yes I think it would hold up pretty well on a garage...as long as you grind it for the prep. Im not sure what the tech data sheet says...but generally speaking, the floor needs to be 60 degrees or warmer.
It would hold up for a long time as long as you keep it sealed up. Grit being tracked in from the car acts like sandpaper on the floor, so you just have to watch the high traffic areas. If its start wearing through sealer, you probably need to apply another coat.
Nice video. I especially appreciate the part where you show color samples at the end. Do you grind away the samples when you start the project?
Thanks!
Yeah we usually grind them up while we are doing the floor.
Which acid stain color was this? Chocolate or walnut? Thank you great vid
Thanks!
Neither. It was one of Westcoat’s fast stains. It’s an acetone based stain. I don’t remember the exact color.
Building a bardominum can I do this with a new fresh slab ?
How would you recommend filling low spots?
Nice job! Are you video editing your self?
Thanks! Yes I do the editing.
I wonder do you have a word document with the directions for each step of the polishing process, including the pre-work where you chose the color for the flooring with a test?
We don’t have anything that we share with the public.
Information like that will be in our course for this system once it’s release.
decorativeconcreteschool.teachable.com
What is durability period of this application
Looks great.
For all of your projects, how do you protect the walls to ensure you don't get materials on them? A certain kind of tape? Thanks.
We usually use paper and green painters tape from Sherwin williams.
Great video. Thankyou. Except I cant see the finished project too well as youve shot it from an angle that makes it too dark to see??
I did a floor with almost same process's and Material, 100 grit polish, stain, and and westcoat water based epoxy sealer but no Urethane topcoat and it looked great at first but that water based epoxy is too soft and now it's all scratched up. Also I found contrary to what this video claims you have to be very careful of roller lines with the water based epoxy.
I have a new garage 20x30 what would you do to prep the floor for the stain it has a smooth finish vs a broomed finish .
Can you put epoxy for an outdoor patio, it is covered but open sides.
Does this same process work as effectively for a concrete driveway? If so, how long before needing a maintenance coat?
We usually use an acid stain for exterior projects. It works pretty good for a driveway. You do need to reseal it every 3-5 years.
Hey Tim how’s it going man, you should set up a hands on class for people on the east coast. I’m in Durham and would love to learn your methods. I wouldn’t mind paying
Hi Chris. I’ve thought about doing that for a while but I wasn’t sure if there would be any interest. What would you want to see a class on?
@@TimDCVA mostly epoxy and polyaspartic coatings. I have a small painting business here in the durham/Raleigh area and would love to offer that to my clients but would like to get trained by someone like you brother. I wouldn’t mind driving up to VA for a course
Cool. It would be fun to put something like that together one day.
In the meantime… I do have an epoxy/polyaspartic course that’s pretty thorough.
DecorativeConcreteSchool.teachable.com
Awesome job!
Thanks!
I have something like this in my log home in basement the old owner had it done but it’s not looking the best I think it needs done again I’m in mi u close by lol I need this done :)
Haha. Sorry that’s a little too far for us. Hope you can find someone in your area.
I'm not sure if you mentioned why you chose a water-based product for the sealer but also after using the water-based epoxy or why wouldn't you just go straight to the urethane clear coat? Is it for the look and creating depth? The urethane is going to be more durable than the water-based epoxy so I understand using that but why would you even bother with the epoxy? And how durable have you found the water-based epoxy to be? Which keeps leading me to those questions as far as why you chose to use both or either one in general over a 100% solids epoxy skim coat and a urethane top coat? I dove head first into floors after 30 years in the painting industry and it's been a trial by fire costly adventure but I'm a glutton for punishment. So a gobble up any information I can get. Thanks
The wb epoxy seems like it wets the color out better than urethane. The epoxy also has a much stronger bond than most urethane’s. So we figure epoxy for the bonding and urethane on top for abrasion.
I don’t like 100% solids clear because moisture can cause lots of issues with it. I’ve had that haze up a few times so I try to stay away from it when we use clear sealers.
Wb epoxy and wb urethane are breathable so moisture doesn’t cause nearly as many issues.
How many gallons did you mix at a time
We just removed carpet from our basement revealing large cracks. I would like to do this on my floor. I don’t really want to get rid of the cracks I kinda like them. Do you have any suggestions for me?
We don’t ever try to cover cracks on stained concrete. I would just do whatever prep is necessary (grind to remove carpet glue or sealer) and stain the floor as is.
The samples you did on the floor for client, how did you cover them? Or blend them with the actual color they chose?
What about waterproofing? Like if I do this to my basement? What step would I put down a radon barrier?
Im not sure. I’m not very familiar with radon barriers.
What color did you use on this one?
Quick update on the project. I received the Fast Stain, EC-11 and SC-65. However I assumed the Fast Stain came with the Acetone when I ordered it. Apparently it doesn't. (whoops!)
So I'll still need to order that. (Should I stick with Westcoat or would any Acetone work? I'm guessing I should stick with Westcoat..)
Also, the project I'm working on is my house. Which I'm currently living in. My plan is to do this in two parts (probably two separate weekends) moving furniture as necessary. Have you had any experience with blending in connecting rooms that are done at different times? Am I crazy to do this? :)
Thanks for the awesome videos, and I really admire your camera / editing work. Seems like Concrete isn't the only thing you enjoy doing. :)
Hey Dave!
Thanks for the compliments. I do enjoy the video process… I’m glad someone noticed. Ha.
We buy acetone at Lowes or Sherwin so you’ll be okay.
Please be careful with the fumes. Make sure all gas pilot lights are off. Wear a respirator & keep the area ventilated.
I’m not sure about matching it in two sections. I would imagine that it’s going to be a little different no matter how hard to try to hide it. Just try to pick a good spot for the seam… maybe in a doorway or at the end of a hallway.
Let me know how the project goes. I’d love to see photos. @timdcva on IG
What is the maintenance upkeep through the lifetime of this style stain. I plan to just use the epoxy sealer with no urethane.
Keeping dirt and grit off of it on a regular basis it will help it last a long time.
If it gets scratched, then you can wax it. I have a video showing that process on this channel.
@timdcva how/where can one purchase West Coat products? Their website seems to be all product information and no retail or sales info. Love the video. Thanks
They sell through different concrete speciality stores. Call them and ask for the closest supplier to you.
Thanks! I appreciate the encouragement. 👍🏻👍🏻
What if the concrete has no sealer or anything on it prior to being stained? Should we go ahead and grind it down to prep it? I read somewhere that it needs to be rough?
What was the over all cost of the job
I plan on staining the floors of my new home soon, my question is would I still need to grind the concrete if it is brand new construction?
Did you figure thus out. My same situation. Floor is dirty from dirt but brand new
@nicolelawson6854 it depends on what the sealer you use requires. You just need to check with the manufacturer.
Can these products be brought over the counter.
I believe they sell through distributors. You just need to find one near you.
Hey Tim. Sorry to comment a year late. This looks amazing! I am doing a large area that was a garage, but is now going to be a wedding reception hall. I have filled areas where old partition walls existed, but you will be able to clearly see them through the stain. Slurry coat bonded to the base to even out the concrete? Also what's your opinion on texture? I'd hate to have someone slip and fall on a wet floor.....
Thanks in advance for your expertise!
Another question please. I noticed you used two sealers epoxy sealer and then urethane sealer is that a standard? Can I use one or the other or both?
You can use epoxy + urethane or two coats of westcoat urethane.
Thanks for the vid.
👍🏻👍🏻
What do you typically charge per sq ft for a grind and seal with stain such as the one in this video with the epoxy and urethane top coats?
Hi! Thank you so much for this well produced video. Question: how much does this cost per sqf? We want to do this in our home in Westchester NY.
Thanks! Prices vary across the country… but a project like this one would be around $4-$5 per foot here in VA for most jobs…. Larger projects are less per foot.
@@TimDCVA That's what someone would charge to polish, dye, epoxy and poly?
You're talking just labor not including materials right? Seems too cheap compared to what I've seen haha.
Also forgot to say loved the video haha. Straight to it, explained it well and time lapse where needed. Nice not have a pointless 5 min monologue in a video
Thanks!
$4-$5 is the going rate for larger projects like this one. It covers everything. It goes up per foot for smaller jobs.
How much did this all cost ? I want to do so bad . I have a 1440 square foot home
Can this be done on a outside concrete patio?
Do you have to go back after a year or so to reseal the floor? If you do, do you do the epoxy and then also the urethane as you do the first time around?
No we don’t usually need to reseal them.
We do occasionally wax them if they show signs of wear.
If you do want to reseal them, you just have to sand it with a sanding screen on a buffer before you apply another coat of urethane.
@@TimDCVA Great! How long will they last for?
And what do you wax them with?
How to Wax a Floor - Applying Floor Wax to Concrete, VCT, Tile or any Solid Surface
ua-cam.com/video/9Q67gY77fFU/v-deo.html
A long time… a local university has stained & sealed floors that we did >10 years ago… and they still look good.
Hoping for advice ... ~ I'm new to this process and need expert advice. We have an old flat stone walkway
to our rustic house. We added smaller side stones to widen the path, hoping to make it safer. Then put concrete between all the stones to prevent tripping.... B U T the concrete looks light and doesn't blend in. I want to stain the random strips of concrete to kinda match the mostly grey stones. The walkway is about 30 feet long. I'd love to get it more blended .....don't want it perfect! we're in the mountains and like the natural look. I'll check back. ps~ I actually am a portrait artist (oil on canvas) and don't mind painting / staining. Thank you.
BTW = You guys are amazing ......... the explanations are very explicit and the work thorough !
Good job !
It’s hard to stain concrete gray… but H&C makes a product that you can get at most Sherwin Williams stores that might work. I believe it’s called Infusion Semi-transparent stain. Good luck w the project.
do you ever have to use a floor leveler before staining?
Yes sometimes. There are a few videos on this channel that show stained concrete overlays. I prefer a troweled overlay to a leveler… but it just depends on the circumstance.
How would we fill any holes in the concrete?
What color of stain did they end up going with?
I’m not sure. I think it was Red Brown.
What does something like this run per sq ft?
I want take course which includ all kind of floor as well stain the floor is it possible ?
Im working on making a course for everything we do. 👍🏻👍🏻
@@TimDCVA I also want a full course on all floors design I want to expand my skill set from Lagos Nigeria.
great job.
Which pump-up sprayer do you prefer?
How will that floor be maintained?
For doing your samples what was the name of the sprayers? And where do you get them?
Preval sprayers: amzn.to/3gRrF4f
What about leveling or cracks? Your floor looked pretty crack free but mine has lots of cracks and is not super flat. Did you have to do any prep beside cleaning?
You can’t really do much patching on stained concrete. The patches always look pretty bad. It’s usually best to stain it and live with cracks/low spots.