How to Make Decorative Concrete Floors

Learning how to make decorative concrete floors is not that difficult. You must determine how large of a project you are willing to undertake, costs considerations and if you have the time to invest in the project. Popular concrete finishing techniques include stenciling, stamping, painting, staining and brushing.

Stenciling

Choose from numerous stenciling designs and patterns to give a concrete patio a marvelous long lasting finish. Stencils are placed on top of wet concrete and a chemical stain is smoothed over the stencil. After it dries, the stencil is removed and you have a beautiful concrete finish.

Stamping

Select a preference of a natural stone or wood grain appearance. The stamping process requires the use of concrete stamping tools to create the wood or stone look. This is a very popular finish for patio areas, walkways and around swimming pools.

Painting

Make decorative concrete floors come to life by painting. Painting over concrete is not hard, but it is time- consuming. Painting is also relatively inexpensive if you can do it yourself as opposed to hiring a contractor. Newly poured concrete slabs must be completely cured before painting and older concrete must be meticulously clean before painting.

Staining

Hire a contractor or choose to stain concrete yourself. Be aware that staining concrete may require the use of chemicals such as Sodium bicarbonate, Iron chloride or Hydrochloric acid, which some people do not feel comfortable working with.

Choose between acid staining or water based stains. Each technique has its own pros and cons and it is worth researching both techniques to determine which type is better for your needs, the age of your concrete and existing designs. Either type of staining offers several color choices from which to choose.

Brushing

Try finishing your concrete slab yourself using the simple process of brushing. This effect is obtained when the concrete is fresh and still setting up. It is usually done with a concrete broom and literally brushing wet concrete. The effect is permanent and it is an inexpensive process requiring minimal labor.