Drying Times for Concrete Etching

Preparing the Surface

• Before applying concrete etching to concrete, you must prepare the concrete surface so that the etching goes onto the surface in an even layer. This requires rinsing the concrete surface with clear water to remove standing dust and using a cleaning brush where necessary to remove stuck-on grime. After brushing, rinse the surface with clear water a second time and let the floor dry completely until it no longer appears wet.

Etching

• The directions that come with concrete etching kits can vary somewhat, but the process of etching a concrete surface is basically the same: Pour the etching solution over a small section of the concrete surface and scrub it into the floor's surface with an acid brush or push broom. After spreading and scrubbing the solution over the surface in a roughly even layer, you'll leave the etching solution on the floor for the time the manufacturer recommends, which is usually 10 to 20 minutes.

Neutralizing

• Some, but not all, etching solutions require neutralization after rinsing to return the concrete to its normal pH and stop the etching process. You accomplish this neutralization by spreading an ammonia mixture over the etched floor surface and then dragging the solution off with a squeegee. Once the surface dries, the pH should be back to normal and you can stain, dye or paint the concrete.

Coloring

• Acid stain kits for concrete are generally designed to etch during the coloring process, which means that you won't need to etch prior to coloring. For other concrete coloring jobs, though, you can apply dye or paint after etching. Dilute any concrete dye or paint with water to the color that you want, and test it in a back corner of the concrete surface before application. Once you are happy with the color of the dye or paint, apply the coloring in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.