Concrete staining

Staining gives plain gray concrete warm or cool tones with natural, varied color. It works on patios, porches, interior slabs and storefronts. Indoors it pairs well with concrete floor polishing, and outdoors it is a common finish on a new concrete patio floor installation.

Because stain soaks into the concrete rather than sitting on top, the result depends on the slab: its age, its texture, how it was finished and what has been spilled on it over the years. We clean and prep the surface, test the color on a small area, apply the stain, then seal it to protect the color.

Every job starts with a visit to measure and look at the slab. You get a free written estimate before any work begins, and the walk-on and full-use times in writing.

What is included

What every job includesTap to collapse

• On site measurement and slab check
• Free written estimate
• Cleaning and surface prep
• Color test on your slab
• Stain application
• Protective sealer
• Walk-on and full-use times in writing
• Workmanship guarantee

How concrete stain differs from a coating

A coating is a layer that sits on the concrete. An epoxy floor coating covers the slab with a solid, even color and a surface that resists oil, chemicals and hot tires. Stain works the other way. It penetrates the top of the concrete and colors it from within, so the slab still looks and feels like concrete.

That makes stain a good fit where you want warmth and character more than a uniform finish: patios, porches, living areas on slab, shop fronts and offices. For a garage where cars park every day, a garage floor epoxy coating usually stands up better, because it puts a hard wearing layer between the tires and the slab.

Color variation and testing on your slab

Stained concrete is never perfectly even, and that is part of the look. Trowel marks, small repairs, older patches and areas that were finished harder or softer all take the color a little differently. Two slabs stained with the same color can come out noticeably different.

For that reason we test the color on your concrete before doing the whole floor. You see how it reads on your slab in your light, and we adjust before committing the full area. A sample board or a photo is a starting point. The test spot is what tells you what you will get.

Surface prep for concrete staining

Stain can only color concrete it can soak into. Sealers, paint, curing compounds, oil, grease and heavy dirt all block it and leave pale or blotchy patches. Prep is the part of the job that decides how even and how lasting the color will be.

We clean the slab thoroughly, deal with stains and old residue, and open up the surface where it needs it so the stain can penetrate. Cracks and damaged spots are looked at during the visit, and we tell you how they will show through, since stain colors what is there rather than hiding it.

How a staining job runs

Most residential staining jobs follow the same order.

• Site visit to measure, look at the slab and talk through colors
• Free written estimate with times in writing
• Cleaning and surface prep, with furniture and nearby surfaces protected
• Color test on a small area of your slab
• Stain applied across the floor, then left to dry
• Protective sealer applied over the color
• Walkthrough, then care instructions before we leave

Indoor and outdoor staining in Mississippi sun and rain

Inside, stained concrete faces foot traffic, furniture and the occasional spill. The sealer takes the wear, and a floor that is swept and damp mopped keeps its color well.

Outside, the Jackson metro is harder on a finish. Strong summer sun fades and wears the sealer, heavy rain and standing water test it, and humid spells leave slabs damp for long stretches. We plan outdoor staining around the weather so the stain and sealer go down on a dry slab with dry hours ahead, and in the hottest months we work in the cooler parts of the day. Moisture rising through a slab after heavy rain can also affect how the sealer bonds, so we check the slab before sealing.

Sealing and resealing stained concrete

The stain gives the color. The sealer protects it from traffic, water, spills and sun, and it sets the final sheen. Without a sealer, stained concrete wears and fades much faster.

Sealers wear over time, faster outdoors and in high traffic areas. When water stops beading on the surface or the color starts to look dull in the walking paths, it is time to reseal. Resealing is a much smaller job than the original stain: we clean the surface and apply a fresh coat. Most floors need it every few years, and patios in full sun may need it sooner.

Every floor carries our workmanship guarantee. Where the coating product carries manufacturer coverage, we pass that along too.