Stained concrete
Color that lives in the slab
Staining is a chemical change, not a coating. The color reacts with the concrete and becomes part of it, which is why a stained floor reads as deep and marbled instead of flat, and why it cannot peel off the way a painted floor does. The floor above is a Gray and Burnt Sierra job, two colors worked into one slab.
We stain two ways. Solid stain gives an even, dependable color across the whole floor, which suits a basement or a big open room where you want one clean tone. Acetone stain moves and pools as it goes down, so the finish comes out cloudy and layered, closer to polished stone. Chris Miller talks you through which one fits the slab and the room before anything is opened.
Thinking about color on your concrete? Call Crystal Clear, Inc. today.
What is the difference between solid stain and acetone stain?
Solid stain carries more pigment and lands as an even, consistent color, so the floor looks deliberate and matches wall to wall. Acetone stain is thinner and far more alive: it flows, pools, and dries in drifts, so the slab ends up with movement in it like stone or leather. Neither is better, they are different looks, and the right answer usually comes from the room rather than the floor. We bring samples, we show you what each one does on concrete like yours, and you pick. Staining sits alongside the rest of our concrete work in Roanoke, so the same crew handles the slab and the color.
Does the concrete have to be ground first?
Often, yes. Stain has to reach bare, open concrete, and most slabs are not bare: old sealer, glue from carpet or tile, curing compound, and years of grime all block it, and a stain that cannot reach the concrete simply will not take. So we grind when the slab needs it, which opens the surface and gives the color something to bite into. It is also the honest reason a stained floor from us looks different two years on. Industry guidance from the Portland Cement Association is blunt about it: surface preparation decides how a finish performs.
Put real color into your concrete
Solid and acetone staining by the Roanoke coatings specialist working the valley since 1981.
Call (540) 598-3010Can you stain a slab that has already been resurfaced?
Yes, and it is one of our favorite jobs. When a slab is too far gone to stain directly, we bond a fresh cement surface over it first and then stain that, so a cracked, patched, ugly floor comes back as a rich, even, finished one. The basement above is exactly that: resurfaced, then stained. We rebuild the failed spots first, which is concrete repair in Roanoke done before any color goes near the floor, and it gives you a new floor without anyone breaking up the old one.
Where does stained concrete work best?
Basements, living areas, entryways, shops, showrooms, patios, and pool decks all take stain well, indoors and out. Outside, we seal over the stain so Roanoke winters, salt, and UV do not wash the color out, and we can add grip where the surface gets wet. Inside, a sealed stained floor wipes clean and never needs replacing like carpet or vinyl. Where the slab has saw-cut joints, filling them levels the surface, tidies up the lines, and stops the joints becoming a dirt catcher, which is the finishing touch on most of our joint sealing jobs.
Ask the coatings specialist
Clear answers to your concrete questions
How much does stained concrete cost in Roanoke?
It depends on the size of the floor, how much grinding and repair it needs first, and whether you want solid or acetone stain. Staining is usually one of the cheaper ways to get a finished floor, and you get a written price before any work starts.
What is the difference between solid and acetone stain?
Solid stain gives an even, consistent color across the whole floor. Acetone stain moves as it dries, so the finish comes out cloudy and marbled like stone. We show you both on concrete before you choose.
Will the stain peel or flake off later?
No. Stain soaks into the concrete and colors the slab itself instead of sitting on top of it, so there is no film to peel. The sealer over it wears and gets refreshed, the color does not.
Can you stain an old, stained-up garage or basement floor?
Usually yes, once we grind it. If the slab is too damaged or contaminated to take color evenly, we resurface it first and stain the new surface, and we tell you which one yours needs before we start.
Can I pick the color?
Yes. We bring samples and can blend tones, like the Gray and Burnt Sierra floor on this page. Concrete is never perfectly uniform, so every stained floor comes out slightly its own, which is the point of it.
How do I look after a stained floor?
Sweep it and damp mop it. That is most of it. We seal the floor when we finish, and resealing every few years, sooner outdoors, keeps the color deep and the surface easy to clean.