Acid Etching Concrete Countertops

The profiler prepares troweled concrete surfaces for painting or other finishing by giving them a slight tooth.

Acid etching concrete countertops.

Yes you can acid stain any concrete countertop as long as the concrete has not have been treated with any waterproofing agent cleaned with muriatic acid or a heavy trisodium phosphate tsp solution. Remove all furniture equipment and objects from the concrete floor you are going to be etching sweep up or shop vacuum any dust and dirt. Acid stain is not necessary as the necessary acid etch is provided by the gel. An acid either citric acid from fruit or acetic acid from vinegar based foods reacts with the cement paste and any calcium based aggregate gradually dissolving the materials and leaving a rough depression and a light colored appearance.

How to acid stain concrete countertops. If the stain is deeper than the surface you might want to call in a professional once the acid etching and stain has been sanded away wipe away any dust with a damp cloth. Next use the fine grit sandpaper to gently sand the area affected by the acid. To begin remove any any all furniture vehicles and other obstructions from.

Preparing to etch 1. The stenciled area can be left uncolored as in this example or colored with an acrylic stain. Acid stain won t coat evenly if the counter is dirty. Grab muriatic acid or another suitable etching acid.

The acid is applied on the concrete and then rinsed off with water. Clear the concrete of any obstructions. This can range from csp 1 smoothest to csp 9 roughest. Use degreaser for oil or.

Before you start your etching you ll want to make sure you have. Allow the countertop to dry completely wiping with the towel. The acid stain will not take on concrete that has been treated with these products. Acid etching concrete creates only a minimal profile concrete surface profile or csp as defined by the international concrete repair institute icri is a standardized measure for the roughness of a given concrete surface.

Remove all oils and greases prior to etching this can be done by using a degreaser laundry detergent or dawn concentrated dish soap. Tape it securely with painter s tape. Put on goggles and gloves. Acid etching is the process of neutralizing a concrete surface through the use of muriatic or phosphoric acid.

This has been the standard method for preparing the concrete slab for a coating or overlay. Unlike stains etching is physical damage to the surface.