When upgrading the patio at your Bloomington home, it is easy to get confused about dyed concrete versus acid stained concrete. Dying and staining concrete are both hot trends, each with their own advantages. However, these two techniques are unique, so it is important to learn the difference between the two so that you can make an educated decision.
Dyed Concrete versus Stained Concrete
There are two types of concrete dyes, including natural and synthetic. While natural dyes come from fungi, berries, wood, roots, and other plant sources, synthetic dyes are manmade. If you prefer to choose environmentally friendly products, natural concrete dyes are the way to go, but if you want a huge range of color options, then you might want to consider synthetic dyes.
One key difference is that the color pigments are much finer and smaller in dyes. Because pigments are similar to ink, they can easily penetrate into tight concrete spaces. Although some dyes are solvent-based, usually with alcohol or acetone, others are water-based. Keep in mind that having dyed concrete applied to the patio at your Bloomington home will produce more uniformity.
Like dye, acid stain penetrates the concrete’s surface, becoming a permanent characteristic. However, because the stain reacts to the minerals in the concrete, the look is variegated or marbled, not uniform, as what you would get from dyed concrete. There are some other things to consider. For instance, acid stain has a low VOC content, it is resistant to harsh UV rays, and it wears incredibly well.
Because there are many more advantages and disadvantages of both dyed and acid stained concrete, it is important that you do your homework before deciding. Then, once you know the direction that you want to take, make sure that a top product is used, that a professional performs the work, and that a top sealer is applied for enhanced protection.