Application Information

Kemiko Concrete Products, Inc. suggests that you view your project and the use of Kemiko products as a “Path to a beautiful concrete floor”. Please consider the following options, THEN CHOOSE A PATH.

GENERAL INFORMATION:

CAUTION: KEMIKO STAIN CONTAINS ACID. Use safety goggles, rubber gloves and rubber apron. Whenever exposure to vapor/mist is likely, wear a properly fitted NIOSH/MSHA approved respirator, unless levels are below applicable limits.

It is always recommended that a small out-of-the-way section of your project be tested to see if the desired reaction occurs. If it does not, you probably have surface contaminants on your slab.

A new concrete slab must have cured for four to six (4-6) weeks. The optimum time to stain in a new home is after all construction (taping, bedding, texturing, and painting) is completed and just prior to the base boards being affixed, however, staining can be performed at any time after cure if proper protection measures are taken. We recommend that you protect your new slab during the construction phase with plastic, paper, cardboard, plywood, or sheet rock covering as the initial cleaning step will be much easier, but you must make sure that your protection choice does not impede the proper curing of the concrete. All laborers should be advised that the slab will be the finished floor.

If scoring is desired in a new project, giving the impression of stone or tiles, we suggest that it be done within three to four days after the slab is poured, however, scoring can be done at any time. We suggest that the scoring groove be no deeper than 1/8 inch, if you do not plan on grouting your floor. Deeper grooves will collect dirt.


STEP ONE - WASH DO NOT ACID WASH BEFORE APPLYING KEMIKO STAIN

Wash the concrete surface, as it must be clean and free of paints, wax, grease, dirt, and other surface contaminants. Do not acid wash or use heavy alkali cleaners. Kemiko’s Neutra-Clean is an excellent mild all purpose cleaner and when mixed with water, can be used to clean the slab by scrubbing with a slow-speed floor machine and long handled stiff bristle brushes, then wet vacuumed (preferred) and/or mopped (many moppings may be necessary) to remove all dirt. After washing, allow the floor to dry completely.

Protect all walls with painters tape and painters paper. Do not allow the stain to touch any wood or metal and do not apply tape directly to concrete.

STEP TWO - STAIN (First application)

NOTE: Before applying this product, verify that the color indicated on the container is the same as the color ordered from Kemiko Concrete Products. Kemiko Concrete Products expressly disclaims any damages resulting from the application of an inappropriate color of stain.

Generally, you will mix equal parts stain with equal parts water (50%-50%). We suggest you use an all-plastic garden type pump-up sprayer (no metal parts) as you can control volume much easier and remember that (VOLUME EQUALS DEPTH OF COLOR).

Make sure all container lids are tight and shake vigorously before using. Put the water in the spray container first, and then add equal parts stain. Close the lid, pump up the pressure and begin randomly spraying the mixture on the floor by holding the nozzle of the wand approximately 18 inches from the floor. The finer the spray, the more natural the look. Try to avoid precise back and forth motions. You should apply the mixture leaving ‘full moisture, short of puddles’. Try not to leave puddles as puddle edges hold more moisture (Volume equals depth of color). As you apply the stain, there may be varying degrees of fizzing and there may not be a lot of color. Let the floor dry completely.

Drying time will depend on porosity, temperature, humidity and volume, but it may take several hours. Do not walk on the floor while it is wet or damp. Do not remove the residue that is left from the chemical reaction.

Using the same procedure as mentioned above, apply the second application. Again allow the floor to dry completely. You will notice darker tones of color appearing at this time.


STEP THREE - WASH

After the floor has completely dried; scrub off the residue using a slow speed floor machine with a scrub brush attachment, Neutra-Clean and/or water only, or a long handled medium stiff bristle brush, and remove the water/residue mixture from the floor with a wet vacuum (preferred), mop and squeegee. Test: If color is left on a white towel after wiping the floor, clean again. Allow the floor to dry completely.

CAUTION: Choose the ‘Step Four’ that is in your path to a beautiful concrete floor.
NEVER PUT SEALER OVER WAX.

STEP FOUR – WAX – INTERIOR

Kemiko Buff-On Wax is best applied with a heavy floor polishing machine (slow speed {175 RPM}) and three attachments, a stiff natural bristle brush (‘Bassine’, most critical) to apply, a medium bristle brush (‘Palmyra, Union Mix, or Tampico’) to buff, and a buffing pad/brush to polish.

To begin, spread a smooth light coating of wax out from the walls (2-3 inches) and in the corners out to the radius of the floor machine attachment. Put on no more than 1/8 cup of wax on the floor in the center of the first 3 to 4 foot square. It will appear wet and dull. Immediately work the wax by spreading and burning it in with the natural stiff bristle attachment (this may take 4-5 minutes). Move to the next 3-4 foot quadrant and repeat the step only after the wax in the preceding area has turned to a slight glare and the wax ridges have disappeared. Mineral spirits will soften any ridges or excess wax allowing it to be spread and worked in.

When you have completed the application phase, change to the medium bristle brush attachment and buff the entire floor including your original hand waxed areas. After buffing, if greater protection is desired, repeat the first phase applying a thin second coat. Then rebuff. If a slightly higher sheen is desired, buff with the soft buffing pad or white Tampico brush.


STEP FOUR – SEALER – INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR

You must allow the concrete slab to dry before applying Stone Tone Sealer II. It is generally best applied with an airless sprayer or a professional pump-up sprayer. Rollers and pad applicators may be used; however, it is more difficult to control volume. Two coats of sealer will almost always be necessary and additional coats may be necessary on porous surfaces. Stone Tone Sealer should dry 1 hour before re-coat, 4 hours before foot traffic, 24 hours before heavy traffic and
48-72 hours for full cure.

STEP FOUR – STA-NATURAL – EXTERIOR

Sta-Natural is a 0 VOC, extremely user-friendly silane/siloxane emulsion for sealing exterior concrete and cementitious substrates. The substrate should be dry and clean of any contaminants. Sta-Natural is best applied by spraying but can be rolled or brushed. Drying time is 1 hour for re-coating, 4 hours for foot traffic, 24 hours for heavy traffic and 48 hours to full cure. Do not apply if rain is forecast within 24 hours of application.


STEP FIVE – FINISH COAT - INTERIOR

It is always in the customer’s best interest to apply several coats of Kemiko’s Easy Shine Mop-On Wax to all interior projects coated with Kemiko Stone Tone Sealer or Sta-Crete Sealer as it will dramatically minimize scratching of the sealed coat. Easy Shine is best applied by spraying, and then massaging it onto the floor surface with a micro-fiber pad in somewhat of a figure eight, back and forth motion. Drying time is 20-30 minutes. It is not to be applied over Kemiko Buff-on Wax.

MAINTENANCE

All decorative concrete floors require maintenance on a regular basis. Waxed and/or sealed floors are easy to care for. It is best to clean finished concrete floors with a damp mop and water only and/or a very mild detergent, if necessary. Heavy cleaners such as ammonia or bleach products should not be used.

Care should be taken to apply felt pads to all pieces of moveable furniture, and when possible, lift furniture when moving instead of dragging. It is far easier to maintain and re-wax stained concrete floors than to re-apply more sealant.

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