Concrete Driveway Staining Products

Acid Stain

• Acid-based stains are available at most home improvement stores and decorative concrete stores. Mix the stain by following the directions on the bottle and apply it to the concrete by rolling or spraying it on. Acid-stain will stain the top layer of concrete to give it color. Some colors include cola, aqua blue, black, English red and green. Create a marbled look on smooth concrete by putting down your favorite color of stain using a sprayer. Apply a layer of black stain over that stain to create a marbleized effect on the concrete. Acid-based concrete stains are the most common and most professionally used on the market.

Solvent-Based

• Solvent-based concrete stains are less expensive than acid stains and work like wood stains. Apply a layer of solvent-based stain to the top of the concrete and allow time to dry. To make the stain darker, apply two or three coats. Solvent-based stains will fade and can change color, especially if they are in direct sunlight. Purchase this type of stain online or at your local home improvement store. Some colors available include Bombay, pearl gray and sandstone.

Acrylic Stain

• Acrylic stains are semi-transparent stains that are ideal for covering almost any type of concrete surface. These types of stain act like a dye as they seep into the pores of the concrete to dye it. Besides driveways, you can also use stains on patios, basement floors, garage floors, porches and retaining walls. Apply acrylic stain by brushing, painting, spraying or rolling it on concrete. You can also use a scoring device to cut designs into the concrete before applying any types of stain.

Pigment

• Concrete pigment is available in powder or liquid form. This iron oxide pigment comes in more than 20 different colors. You mix the bag of powder or dye directly in the concrete as it is mixing. Concrete pigment will not fade, peel or chip. Since your mix the pigment with the concrete mix before pouring it, the entire slab is the color you choose instead of like the other stains that simply dye the top layer of the concrete. Purchase concrete pigment at home improvement stores or contact a local concrete contractor on how to obtain it.