Staining Exterior Concrete Foundation Walls

Brush stain onto the concrete working in small areas.

Staining exterior concrete foundation walls.

What s the difference between concrete dye or concrete stain. A concrete dye penetrates the pores creating a solid color of your choice. Because they penetrate the concrete surface most acid and water based stains have excellent uv stability and wear resistance permitting you to use them on both interior and exterior concrete slabs see the types of concrete stains and how they work. Prep the concrete wall for staining a concrete wall is less likely to have contaminants than a floor but that doesn t mean that you don t have to prep the wall before staining.

If it is an outside wall a pressure washer is normally a good choice before staining concrete walls. If you plan to stain a concrete driveway patio or other outdoor surface just make sure to check that the concrete stain you use is suitable for exterior applications. That article also describes products for deliberate coloring or staining of concrete floors walls or ceilings. The white and gray stains shown on the poured concrete basement wall at left are due to water and moisture seeping through the wall at concrete form ties that were not adequately sealed on the wall exterior after initial construction.

See these diagnostic articles effloresence brown deposits efflorescence salts white deposits. They both add color to your concrete surfaces but with different effects.