Using Muriatic Acid To Stain Concrete

Work in sections as needed.

Using muriatic acid to stain concrete.

You roughen such a floor by etching it with muriatic acid. A smooth concrete floor must be roughened before paint will stick to it. Muriatic acid is the strongest acid available to the public. Use an acid resistant airless paint sprayer to neatly and evenly apply the stain on the concrete slab.

Go over each sprayer coat with the paint roller for a smooth and uniform finish. These solutions are for etching the concrete. The surface becomes etched and clean which allows for the proper adhesion of a new coating. If the acid comes in contact with skin wash it away with large amounts of water.

The muriatic acid etches the concrete allowing the color to seep into the concrete. Muriatic acid is commonly recommended to clean and remove rust stains from concrete. Muriatic acid is dilute hydrochloric acid. It is excellent for cleaning away rust stains and efflorescence but must be used with extreme caution.

It also reduces the surface alkalinity of the concrete that can cause some paints to adhere poorly. You may also use a paint roller or handheld brush for stain application in smaller areas and tight corners on the slab. In these products the muriatic acid is mixed with a stain color. The acid works well on concrete and on many masonry projects because it neutralizes alkalinity.

Muriatic acid acts like liquid sandpaper by roughening the surface of the concrete. Clean stains from toilets and kill mold. Pool owners need muriatic acid to maintain the acidity of the pool water. Mix 3 to 4 parts water with 1 part acid or follow label instructions for a 10 concentration 15 for hard smooth concrete.

As long as you follow safety precautions you can use it around the house to clean concrete stains etch concrete for painting. If you re just removing mineral deposits efflorescence use a much weaker mix 10 1 or 16 1 for muriatic acid. Muriatic acid is a strong acid cleaner used on masonry surfaces to clean stains. With proper use it removes stains when other cleaners fail.