Acrylistain

Superior Stained Concrete
Next up is the Acrylistain system. This is Concrete Technology of Hawaii's take on stained concrete, but taken to a higher level. Unlike lithochrome or acid staining, we're not staining the original grey concrete, nor does the slab need to be new or fresh to accept the color. We actually use our polymerized acrylic concrete as a canvas for staining. All of CTi's colors are available, as well as custom ordered colors.
The Acrylistain system is perfect in and around the house. We can provide a superior stained look on new or old concrete. Using the same materials as the Hallmark system, you get all the benefits including, but not limited to UV, fade and chemical resistance. You get more than double the strength of standard concrete and a sealed surface that protects your concrete against the elements and is much easier to maintain and clean. Much like the Hallmark system, we can incorporate patterns and borders as well.

Kona Lanai. Sandstone skim coat with desert beige, chocolate and forest green.
As always, clean and bare concrete is the goal. Devoid of paint, grease, dirt or anything else that may interfere with the bond of our products. Cracks are repaired based on the severity of the crack. New cuts are made where necessary to alleviate tension and expansion/contraction. By the time we complete the demolition/preparation phase, the slab should more or less be like new.
With outdoor projects, we can acid wash and pressure wash. We use a 4 to 1 solution of muriatic acid and water. We pressure wash every inch of the area with over 4000 psi and neutralize the solution with sodium bicarbonate. Inside the home or business we always grind with vacuum assisted grinders to clean and open the pores in the surface of the slab. This maximizes our chance for a mechanical and chemical bond.

Koloko Lanai. Acylistain burnt sienna, desert beige and chocolate.
In instances of excess moisture or efflorescence, we may need to treat the slab with a waterproofing agent. In concrete slabs where moisture barriers have not been installed prior to pouring the slab and excess moisture occurs in the substrate, hydro-static pressure may cause efflorescence. Essentially, this is water from under the slab pushing the salts and chlorides to the surface. Water usually finds the path of least resistance, typically up cracks or joints, but this is the number one cause of delamination of coatings or tile or anything that requires a bond to the concrete.
So what do we do? A penetrating sealer applied by airless sprayer that forms a hydrogel membrane and effectively fills the matrix inside the slab. The added benefits are that this treatment also densifies the concrete and protects the embedded steel. This same stuff is used to seal swimming pool shells on upper floors of hotels and other high rises. It seems I may need a future blog on just efflorescence and how we treat it.

Kohala Coffee Mill Acrylistain Floor.
Now that things are cleaned and treated and masked, we are ready for application. We'll start with a thin skim coat of our polymerized acrylic concrete, mixed with our color of choice, much like our Hallmark application. An initial skim coat isn't always necessary if the concrete slab itself is in good condition and no pattern or borders are being installed. Should we decide to install a skim coat, we sand and sweep it once it has dried. Then patterns and borders can be laid out and masked.
Next or perhaps first, we trowel out the texture coat in typically a light shade of color. Either a light grey for cooler looking themes or a light beige or sandstone for warmer color schemes. We can put a lot of texture or a little depending on traction and or cleaning needs. This is all done by hand for a totally custom look.

Acrylistain gazebo in blue and teal.
Once the texture coat has dried completely (within minutes in direct sunlight), we give the job a scrape or possibly a rock-mop where needed. Time for color. We use the same acrylic that we mix into our other coatings and mix it with water this time. So, no acid or neutralizing. This is especially nice inside the house or business. The color is sprayed on in layers with pump sprayers until we achieve the desired results. As things dry, the darker colors seep into the lower parts of the texture and blend naturally. This color coat needs to dry overnight to evaporate as much moisture as possible.
Sealer time. A couple of different options here. Indoor or outdoor are considerations. Amount of traffic. High gloss or satin finishes. We have options for different tastes. The surface needs to be completely dry from the day before then 2 coats of clear industrial grade sealer are applied by roller. Glazes are also available for a glass like finish indoors.

Kona Mountain Coffee in Kona.
Clean foot traffic is possible the next day. Furniture and vehicle traffic can return in 4 to 7 days depending on the sealer and environmental conditions. Depending on the amount of texture, the finished Acrylistain can be mopped clean. Outside, pressure washing is great. We recommend simple dish detergent for the toughest messes. Like the Hallmark system, Acrylistain is resistant to mildew, staining and most chemicals.
Ask Concrete Technology of Hawaii about the Acrylistain system when you call for your free estimate. Dress up your lanai, your living room or even your business. Get the look of stained concrete with far more vibrant colors that lasts for years and years. Add a pattern or some borders for a truly custom and unique look.

Waikoloa residence interior Acrylistain with tile pattern.
As always, feel free to leave comments down below. I'm happy to answer any questions you might not find in the FAQ up above. Pictures of more acrylistain projects can be found in "Our Work" up above and also at our corporate site here http://www.designcti.com/PhotoGallery.aspx. CTi is available in all 50 states and I believe 22 different countries. Concrete Technology of Hawaii is your only source for these incredible products in the State of Hawaii. Call Today for a Free Estimate.





