DIY Concrete stain

[HP942]

I’m looking to stain my workshop foundation. I have acid stained my home’s basement and garage floors…looks great, but don’t want to spend the $$ for that on a shed foundation wall. I have used a mixture of 50/50 of used motor oil and diesel on trailer decks for years and it works great. Anyone had an luck “intentionally” staining concrete with such a mixtue?

 

[paulsharvey]

I’m looking to stain my workshop foundation. I have acid stained my home’s basement and garage floors…looks great, but don’t want to spend the $$ for that on a shed foundation wall. I have used a mixture of 50/50 of used motor oil and diesel on trailer decks for years and it works great. Anyone had an luck “intentionally” staining concrete with such a mixtue?

Is this existing concrete or a planned pour? If not poured, there is any one of dozens of powder products that can either be added to the mix or broadcast on the surface after bull floating, but before toweling or brooming. It's not terribly expensive.

 

[HP942]

Is this existing concrete or a planned pour? If not poured, there is any one of dozens of powder products that can either be added to the mix or broadcast on the surface after bull floating, but before toweling or brooming. It's not terribly expensive. View attachment 821831

 

[HP942]

Existing concrete on my workshop.

 

[Tinhack]

I wouldn't use oil, new or used. The smell would be around forever. I have a few spills on my barn floor from rebuilding an engine 10 years ago and I still smell it when I go in there. The only thing that smells better is the cutting oil I use for my mill and lathe.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

Linseed oil and diesel.
Some old timers built hog barns the raw / new concrete would cause skin problems.
Environmentally friendly? probably not but for decades we used a 50/50 mix of diesel and linseed oil would stain the concrete and prevent irritation/damage to the skin of the pigs.

 

[joeyd]

There is water based concrete stain that you can roll on then when dry roll on a sealer. The big box stores sell it and I think it can be sprayed also. The water base product comes in a variety of colors per the Home Depot web site.

 

[EddieWalker]

I've had horrible luck staining concrete myself. It's probably because I didn't spend enough money on the really good stuff, or that I bought from Amazon based on the reviews instead of going to a commercial business. It always looks great when I do it, but then it either wears away quickly, fades quickly, or flakes off like it was painted on and not a stain at all.

 

[Tinhack]

I've had horrible luck staining concrete myself. It's probably because I didn't spend enough money on the really good stuff, or that I bought from Amazon based on the reviews instead of going to a commercial business. It always looks great when I do it, but then it either wears away quickly, fades quickly, or flakes off like it was painted on and not a stain at all.

You can order concrete with the color already in it. I think there's 20-30 colors available.

As far as staining concrete, you have to seal it after staining. And the stain pretty much stays near the surface so chipping or heavy traffic will wear it off. They make special sealers too.

 

[HP942]

Yes, I stained and sealed my basement and garage floors. I am wanting to stain the foundation wall and retaining walls on my shed….all vertical surfaces.