Kemiko Stain Question

[ml504]

Does anyone know what the shelf life of this is? I was trying to stain a small section of my shop where the tool room is and applied the stain as I have done before (in our house) but the stain did not take at all. The concrete looks just about like it did before I started. This bottle was roughly 3 years old so I'm hoping that is the problem and I can just go buy a new bottle on Monday and apply.

 

[brownbagg]

just add a little murtic acid to the stain so it can etch itself in. the stain itself is just salts that react with the portland, but if the acid part of it is weak, it can't penetrate into the concrete

 

[Shea]

Did you use a cure and seal on your concrete? Acid stains are reactive and need to penetrate the surface to react with the free lime in the concrete. If there is any kind of sealer on your floor the acid stain with not take.

 

[ml504]

Thanks. I forgot to add that the slab was treated with a densifier when first poured (ashford formula) but I wouldn't think that should have an effect as it still absorbs water, etc (nothing stands or beads up at the surface). I will try adding acid to what I have left.

 

[JCfreak]

Stain is fine. You need to mechanically open to pours of the concrete. I use 100 grit sand paper. Densifier is acting like a sealer. I would start with a chemical stripper before sanding.

 

[ml504]

Actually, scratch the Ashford Formula post. I just remembered when I treated the slab with Ashford, this section of the shop did not receive any. Thanks.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Try lightly sanding in a corner, try the acid again.

 

[ml504]

Thanks for the ideas, just wanted to update the thread for future search results....it was the stain itself had gone bad. I tried a new bottle and instantly it started fizzing and leaving a nice color once it hit the concrete which the other did not. Thanks again...