Acid Wash Concrete Floor Before Painting

Although predominately thought of as dull and gray concrete floors are becoming trendier and more appealing to homeowners.

Acid wash concrete floor before painting.

Do not confuse this process with acid staining which colors the concrete. However etching or washing concrete with acid opens the pores of the concrete and prepares the surface to accept its next treatment. Shot blasting and acid etching are the two methods commonly used to prepare the surface for painting. Leave the sawdust or cat litter on the floor for at least one day.

It also reduces the surface alkalinity of the concrete that can cause some paints to adhere poorly. Concrete that hasn t been treated in any way after being poured can be too hard and smooth to accept paint or protective sealants. Acid washing is dangerous for people plants and metal objects especially indoors where fumes can concentrate. Cover grease stains with a layer of sawdust or cat litter.

Muriatic acid acts like liquid sandpaper by roughening the surface of the concrete. I ve looked at several sites on how to do this and they all say to acid wash the floor before painting but it seems that they assume there is oil on the floor. I just bought a newly constructed house that has a large 20x20 attached shop with a concrete floor. Etching the surface of the floor opens the pores in the concrete again to improve the paint adhering to the concrete especially on smooth glossy surfaces that may repel the paint.

Thoroughly clean concrete floors before painting using a heavy duty cleaning solution. If you are planning to acid wash near asphalt drywall or tarmac then it is important to create a barrier. Research what cleaning products react with the kind of acid you ll be using and plan ahead. Muriatic acid can work wonders on filthy concrete and it can also be very useful in cleaning excess smears of dried mortar and grout or when attempting to alleviate tough rust stains.

Step 2 create a barrier. Even if you rinse the floor with water the cleaning products you use may leave residues that will react with the acid in dangerous ways. You roughen such a floor by etching it with muriatic acid. Before you power wash or paint seal your garage floor you ll want to attack any oil grease or rust spots.

Clear all loose grit grime and debris from the concrete. Sweep the entire concrete flooring with a broom. A smooth concrete floor must be roughened before paint will stick to it.