Try using white vinegar, CLR, or wood alcohol. Test a small area before you go rubbing it all over your patio. You also may want to find a way to redirect your sprinklers.

These floors should not be considered maintenance free. They are about as durable as hardwood floors. Acrylic sealers must "breath" to allow water vapor to escape from the slab for years. This means they can be scratched if heavy objects are dragged or repeatedly rolled across the floor.

Well, the answer from a cost perspectives "Comparable".

I'd love to tell all my customers that it's cheaper but the fact of the matter is the only time it has been proven cheaper is when you plan for it during the construction phases (In the beginning). This way we can take all the necessary steps in making sure the concrete slab is protected properly, reducing the amount of man-hours in preparing the slab to be stained.

Remodels require additional costs in preparing the floor. Area's where tile has been removed "always" require a new overlay floor be installed, adding to your cost.

But for the most part one thing to always keep in mind is that these floors never look like the neighbors next door. There custom designed to your liking (options are endless) and become the topic of discussion. Also, when properly maintained will last a life time.

No! It's not recommended; doing so could result in permanent discoloration in the area’s they were placed due to trapped moisture/ vapors or sweating conditions.

When covering a slab, we recommend over lapping corrugated card board and taping to the card board. Do not tape to the concrete slab; this leaves dark, blocky marks in the concrete, which are permanent. Some builders have placed 2 x 4 planks along the walls to weight the cardboard.

Ideally, you should contact Decorative Concrete Staining & Scoring prior to construction for a detailed list of items that drastically affect the slab staining process. This information will be made upon request. Due to the difficulty of protecting a finished floor from damage by other trades; we prefer to come in after drywallers, plasterers, painters and tilers but prior to the installation of the kitchen cabinets, islands, toilets and baseboards.

The Engrave-A-Crete System comes standard with a specially designed diamond blade. This will cut a 3/8" wide simulated grout line. We recommend cutting at a depth of 3/32" which is between 1/16" and 1/8". The compact series engravers have the ability to engrave up to a 1/2" deep. Blade widths are available from 1/8" to 1" wide to accommodate your customers design specifications.

Depending on several things like temperature and humidity, with few exceptions, stain manufacturers require a 30-day cure time before staining. Concrete hydrates during cure. As it cures moisture dissipates from the slab. If it is stained to soon the water vapor build up could cause your stain to turn "black" or push the sealer off. How soon a pattern can be scored or engraved depends on the temperature, aggregate type and humidity. Here in the valley we tend to wait a minimum 48 hours for basic saw cutting and the more decorative detailed saw cuts we tend to give a 7 day grace period before cutting fine detailed lines.

Although it may not be practical, concrete can be engraved on the coldest or the hottest days. The concrete temperature needs to be between 40 to 100 degrees for the coloring and clear sealing process.

There are several proven methods that you can use to change the color of ordinary gray concrete. Penetrating acrylic stains give the bricks a new or glazed look. Chemical/ acid stains can give concrete a marble look or an aged antique appearance.

Some stains are more UV stable than others. Everybody's colors change. Fade? Maybe a little but many times a color actually becomes darker. Certain reactive chemical (acid) stains seem to be more stable in the long run. Color fastness depends a great deal on the clear coat used and there are big differences in clears and waxes.

Widening a crack and/or filling it with a special super-duper epoxy compound does not work. Smearing a crack with polymer cement slop won't fix a crack either. That crack is going to remain in the concrete, Period! A crack can be tolerated if it’s hidden and disguised in the pattern.