Benefits of Concrete Stain in San Diego

Concrete, one of the strongest and most versatile building materials available, is nearly everywhere. From sidewalks and bridges to condos and houses, concrete's uncanny ability to hold up to abuse and the fact that it can be poured in place make it perfect for many applications that would be very cumbersome if done with another material. While there are numerous good things that can be said about concrete, the fact remains that it's kind of ugly when left as is.

San Diego Concrete Staining vs. Concrete Painting
The most obvious way to make concrete more visually appealing is to paint it. Cheap, quick, and to the point, a layer of paint on your concrete porch, patio, or garage floor will brighten up its appearance in no time. In fact, for homeowners in an environment like southern California, painted concrete is likely to hold up better than it would in other parts of the country because it won't be exposed to snow, slush, rock salt, or drastic changes in temperature.

Unfortunately, paint, no matter what kind of weather you have, will eventually peel and crack. For homes in San Diego, concrete stain is often a better choice. Unlike paint, concrete stain actually causes a chemical reaction in the surface of the material that changes its color, rather than simply covering it up. This effect is permanent, and will never crack or peel.

San Diego Concrete Staining: How It's Done
This process is a rather involved one, and it's unlikely that even a seasoned do-it-yourselfer will be able to manage it in most cases. Once the concrete is poured and set, the surface is then ground down to a smooth finish. The stain color of your choosing is then applied to the surface, creating a permanent color change. Once the pigment is fully realized, the concrete is sealed and polished to a high shine. Stained concrete will be very beautiful, but it is difficult to predict exactly what patterns will appear beforehand because the stain will interact differently in different areas depending on the varying levels of chemical concentrations.

Places You're Likely to See Stained Concrete
In San Diego, concrete staining is often done in commercial settings where heavy traffic is expected, but it can also be found in many contemporary residential settings. Its look is very modern, but most would agree that it has charm and elegance not unlike natural stones like marble and granite. Of course, concrete stain can be used wherever the material already exists. The appearance of an old porch or patio can be greatly enhanced by using stain and the proper finishing techniques.

San Diego Concrete Staining Prices
Painting a garage floor yourself can often be done for less than $100. Applying a tougher epoxy coating to a single car garage floor generally runs somewhere between $1,000 and $2,000. To hire a professional crew for concrete staining, San Diego residents should expect a bill of between $2,000 and $3,000 for an average-sized room, and $4,000 or $5,000 for multiple rooms. Though it is a more expensive operation, its appearance is also far better suited to areas like kitchens, bathrooms, and living rooms than either concrete paint or epoxy coating.