How to Create a Beautiful Concrete Floor

There are many different types of concrete floors that you can install in your Northwest Arkansas home. What type you choose to install is purely up to your personal preference. You may want an authentic stained concrete floor, a smooth colored epoxy floor, or maybe you would like the unique look of a stenciled concrete floor design. Whichever you choose to install, both options are straightforward and can be completed on the weekend by you or by the quality concrete services of NWA.

Eight steps for a beautiful concrete floor

A concrete floor is a perfect canvas for many types of residential, commercial, and industrial projects. With these eight steps, you can create your beautiful concrete work. 

  • 1) Preparing the Surface

    Before laying down layers of liquid plaster or quality epoxy, you should prepare the surface to be painted. If the concrete is very rough from being poured, you should smooth it out with a floor sander. You can rent one from your local concrete contractors. If you don’t want to do that, use a wire brush and an angle grinder instead.   

    A wire brush attachment on an angle grinder allows quick surface cleaning in tight spots with minimal dusting. You can also make scores in the concrete with a hammer and chisel if you need them to be deeper than what a wire brush can reach. Another method of smoothing is with a belt sander.

  • 2) Primer

    Once the surface is clean and dry, it’s time to prime it. Apply both water-based and oil-based primers to the entire surface. This will help your stain finish adhere to the floor better. If it’s a large area, you can use an airless sprayer for this job. You don’t need much to coat the floor, so it shouldn’t take very long with one of these machines.  

  • 3) Tape Off

    Tape off all areas that are not to be painted with low-tack painter’s tape. Make sure to press down on edges and seams well, so no concrete gets under them later in the process. Clean up any excess mud or dust before taping off your work area. This keeps it visible and easy to clean should overspray find its way through the tape later on in the process.  

  • 4) Base Coat

    For this step, you can use a water-based, oil-based, or epoxy base coat, depending on your preference. Apply the material evenly to the floor with a roller. Let it dry for about 3 hours before adding another coat if using pure basecoat. It takes 20 minutes for solid colors and 30 minutes for metallic colors to dry enough to apply an additional layer of color, as stated by many concrete services. 

  • 5) Rub Back

    Rub-down the wet base coat with a rubber trowel. This creates ridges that give you more surface area for later coats to bond to. You can also create patterns by running various types of scoops over the surface in different directions. The tape will keep overspray contained, so it doesn’t matter if the whole floor gets painted.  

  • 6) Clean Up

    Clean up any base coat that got on your walls, cabinets, or other surfaces that you don’t want to have to paint. This can be done with a damp rag, or you can use whatever cleaning chemical is safe for the surface it landed on. Tape off any areas where the basecoat might have gotten through your tape work before it dries completely. Let it dry for another 3 hours before applying another layer of color using a pure base coat.  

  • 7) Apply Clear Coat

    Apply a clear coat over the basecoat according to manufacturer instructions using a quality polyacrylic-based sealer like this one. You can also apply two coats of epoxy. Be careful when rolling it around because once you start brushing on the coats, the first coat is no longer dry, and you will need to re-roll it on yourself.  

  • 8) Brush On Top Coat

    If you are using pure epoxy instead of diluted epoxy, brush the topcoat on. This has to be done within 8 hours of applying a clear coat, or it will not be set up correctly. According to Sikkens paint, epoxy takes about 24 hours to cure fully but can last for 20 years with proper care.  

  • 9) Tape Off Again

    Once the topcoat is dry, you need to tape off all of your base coat. This time it will be to protect it from overspray from your topcoat instead of protecting other surfaces from being accidentally painted. Apply the topcoat with the same process as the base coat and begin rubbing down after about 20 minutes.   

    Make sure you wait for one light dry before applying another layer and then wait 3 hours again before adding a third and final layer if using pure epoxy like this. After that, let everything sit for 24 hours and remove all tape.

  • 10) Clean Up Again

    Clean up any residue leftover from taping by wiping it down with a clean rag or cleaner designed for those specific surfaces. Now you have a brand new shiny concrete floor in your Northwest Arkansas home.   

    If you want to add some color, mix it up according to the instructions for solid colors and paint directly onto the surface. Don’t forget to tape off when necessary before adding additional colors or layers.  

How to maintain your new stained concrete floor?

To maintain your new stained concrete floor, you will want to sweep the floor at least once a week. Use a wet mop if there is a lot of traffic in the area where the stain was applied, and don’t wear heels on it for extended periods.  

What sort of stains can be used for your projects?

Three types of stains can be used to color your stained concrete floors: acid stains, solvent-based stains, or water-based dyes. The kind you use will depend on what type of look you’re going for and how much money you want to spend on quality materials.  

In addition to the type of stain you choose, another essential factor when selecting any stain is whether or not the stain requires sealing. If it does, then you should probably avoid using water-based dyes since they are difficult to seal.  

Different colors of concrete stains?

There are literally hundreds of quality hues that can be used to color your concrete floor. Some colors look better with light-colored floors, while others look better with dark-colored floors. Your best bet would be to go into a hardware store and test all of the different types of dye stains that they have available so that you can determine which ones suit your tastes best.  

That way, when your friends come over to visit you won’t have any problem explaining why your floors are red rather than brown or white! If you want more variety in the stains you use, you should purchase stain samples at the hardware store. Often, they will sell little bottles that can be used to apply different types of stains to your floor just so that you can see what they look like when applied. This way, if you don’t like the color or the amount of sheen, then you won’t have to buy an entire gallon for your projects.  

Are stained concrete floors waterproof?

Stained concrete floors are very good at keeping moisture away from your home’s flooring. Once an industrial sealer is applied to them, it acts as a dust barrier that helps prevent water from penetrating the solid concrete itself.  

Many people like to install stained concrete floors because they are much easier to clean than carpet. If you spill something onto them, wipe it up with a wet mop, and it will be good as new.  

Are stained concretes slippery?

If your floors ever get wet or if there is snow on the ground, then absolutely, your brand new stained concrete floor will become extremely slippery and dangerous! That’s why you must always apply an industrial sealer onto it once it has dried for at least 48 hours so that the sheen can help provide additional traction underfoot.   

Stained concrete floors are waterproof, so the only time you’ll have to worry about them becoming slippery is when it’s raining, or there’s been an unexpected snowstorm.  

Is it expensive? How much does it cost?

Stained concrete floors may cost between $1 and $6 per square foot depending on the concrete services you hired, where it is installed, what type of stain was used, and whether or not any other materials were purchased.   

If you plan on hiring Northwest Arkansas stained concrete services, then make sure that you consider all additional expenses like mileage costs and extra materials that may need to be purchased before you do anything.   

It would also be beneficial to speak with the concrete contractors about how much their services are and if they can handle commercial and residential projects. If they charge by the square foot, then make sure that you ask them to provide additional information on materials costs.   

Conclusion

Concrete floors are the perfect choice for your Northwest Arkansas home or business. They’re durable, beautiful, and easy to maintain. And they can be stained in any color imaginable! Our concrete floors will last forever, so you won’t have to worry about replacing them anytime soon. Plus, we offer expertise and free estimates on all of our services. 

You deserve a floor that lasts forever without having to do anything at all. That’s why we use only the best equipment, best materials, and techniques for practically any size of concrete floor in Northwest Arkansas. We guarantee our services with an unbeatable warranty covering everything from cracks and chips to stains and scratches!  

Call NWA Concrete Floors right now at (555) 555-5555 for your next project.

HOURS

Mon-Friday: 9am-6pm

Saturday: 9am-4pm

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Springdale | Fayetteville | Rogers | Bentonville

And Surrounding Areas

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NWA Concrete Floors

Springdale, AR 72762

(479) 439-4865