Service · Staining
Concrete staining — custom color that lasts.
Concrete doesn't have to be gray. With the right stain system, the slab becomes a canvas — rich, custom-colored, and permanent. Stained concrete bonds with the floor itself; it doesn't peel, chip, or wear off like paint.
What we mean by staining
Color that goes into the floor — not onto it.
We offer four staining systems — each with different aesthetics, application requirements, and longevity. We help pick the right one for your floor, your space, and the look you're after. Every project starts with sample applications on the actual slab so you see the real result before committing.
Four staining systems
Pick the right tool for the look.
- 01
Acid (reactive) stains
A reactive chemical stain that bonds with the minerals in the concrete to create rich, variegated, marbled color. Permanent, organic-looking, with natural variation no two pours produce alike.
- 02
Water-based dyes
Modern, vivid, predictable. Full color range — including grays, blacks, blues, and earth tones — with consistent saturation. Faster install, cleaner application than acid stain.
- 03
Integral color
Color mixed into the concrete itself at the time of pour, so the color goes all the way through. Doesn't fade or wear off — ideal for new construction where you can specify before placement.
- 04
Shake-on hardeners
Pigmented dry-shake applied to fresh concrete during finishing. Adds color AND surface hardness simultaneously. Common on commercial floors that need both aesthetic and abrasion resistance.
Where staining works
Indoors, outdoors, commercial, home.
- Restaurants & retail
Restaurant floors, bar tops, retail showrooms, brewery tasting rooms — where the floor is part of the brand experience.
- Residential interiors
Kitchens, living rooms, basements, accent walls, fireplace surrounds — bringing custom color to existing slabs.
- Outdoor spaces
Patios, pool decks, walkways, driveways — UV-stable systems that hold color in direct sun.
About concrete staining
Common staining questions.
- How is stained concrete different from painted concrete?
- Paint sits on top of the floor as a film, eventually chips and peels, and has to be redone every few years. Stain — whether acid-reactive or water-based dye — becomes part of the concrete itself. Acid stains chemically bond with the minerals in the slab; dyes penetrate into the pores. Neither flakes, chips, or peels. With proper sealing, stained concrete holds its color for decades.
- Can you stain existing concrete or do we need to pour new?
- Both work. Existing concrete needs to be clean, structurally sound, and free of sealers or coatings (which we can remove as part of surface prep). For new pours, you can also choose integral color or shake-on hardeners that build the color into the concrete during placement. We help you pick the right approach during the quote.
- How many color options are there?
- Effectively unlimited. Acid stains give natural earth tones and metallic hues with organic variation. Water-based dyes come in every color from soft pastels to deep saturated blacks, blues, reds, and greens — and they can be mixed for custom shades. We do sample applications on every project so you see your actual color on your actual slab before we do the whole floor.
- Does stained concrete fade?
- Properly sealed stained concrete is remarkably colorfast indoors — you can expect 20+ years of stable color with normal maintenance. Outdoors, UV exposure matters more: acid stains and integral color are highly UV-stable; some water-based dyes need a UV-resistant topcoat in direct sun. We specify the right system for your location.
- Can stained concrete be polished?
- Yes — staining and polishing combine into one of the most beautiful and durable floor systems available. We typically stain after the initial grinding passes and before the final polishing passes, so the color penetrates and then gets locked in by the densifier and final polish. The result is a colored, glossy, sealed floor in one integrated system.
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