Step-by-Step Staining Acid Concrete

Wear safety glasses, rubber boots and rubber gloves to protect your skin and clothes from the acid stain.

Remove everything you wish to protect from the acid stain, from the surface and surrounding areas of the concrete. Use painter's tape to secure plastic sheets to baseboards, walls or other objects in the near area.

Apply a concrete cleaner to the surface according to the recommended instructions stated on the product's label. Scrub the cleaner into the concrete, using a long-handled, stiff-bristled brush.

Fill a bucket with clean water. Moisten a clean mop with the water. Use it to rinse the concrete free of cleaner residue. Continue mopping the concrete until no soap residue remains.

Remove any standing water on the concrete with a large squeegee. Allow the concrete to dry anywhere from 12 to 48 hours, depending upon surrounding temperatures.

Mix the concrete acid stain in a plastic pump sprayer according to the included color chart and mixing directions. Different manufacturers will have varied instructions for mixing the acid stain colors with water.

Spray a light coat of acid stain onto the concrete, keeping the tip of the spray nozzle at least one foot from the surface of the concrete. Apply the acid stain in side-to-side motions, keeping overlapping lines to a minimum. Allow the concrete to dry overnight.

Apply a second coat of acid stain to the concrete, using the same application methods as the first coat. Allow the second coat of acid stain to dry for the stated amount of time as recommended on the directions.

Scrub the remaining acid stain residue from the surface of the concrete with a long-handled scrub brush dampened with water. Use the long squeegee to remove any trace of standing water. Allow the concrete to dry thoroughly.

Apply a concrete sealer onto the concrete surface as recommended on the product label. Allow the concrete to dry completely before using the surface.