Wood and Concrete Stains Can Help Protect Your Flooring

Posted: Apr 12, 2009 | Comments: 0 | Views: 72 | Bookmark and Share
Most homeowners use stains for decorative purposes. But you can also use these special products for protective purposes. After applying the colors on the flooring, let them dry for a few hours (assuming you use quick drying products) and then apply sealer. The sealer will help protect the surface and give the outer appearance a polished look.

But what happens when you fail to protect the materials properly? Let's look at concrete and wood, one at a time.

Concrete itself is a very tough and durable material. Under most circumstances, it can last for many years with little or no maintenance. But problems arise when tiny hair line cracks start to appear on the surface. These cracks can be caused by temperature changes or wear and tear (due to old age).

When such tiny cracks appear, they often go unnoticed. Dirt, grime and other contaminants will then enter the flooring through these cracks. In time to come, the cracks will start to widen, causing damage to the interiors of the flooring. Sometimes, even air can help accelerate the damage. Air or moisture can expand within the cracks and damage the concrete. The only way to prevent this from happening is to fix the cracks as early as possible. When you apply stains and then sealer on the flooring, you are actually repairing the cracks, whether you know it or not. The sealer adds an additional protective layer on the concrete, thus prolonging its life span.

Wood flooring is even more prone to damage. Most woods tend to rot after a period of time. When the materials age, the layer of lacquer on top, which also acts as a protective covering, erodes away. This leaves the wood exposed to external elements. Plants, dirt, and grime may start to accumulate on the flooring. Over time, the surface loses its shine. It's a clear sign to the homeowner that something must be done to renew the appearance and the protective layering.

The problem is, many homeowners tend to put off applying stains and sealer because the process can be time consuming and cumbersome. If the house is a big one, the process could take days! Imagine having to move the furniture from one room to another, just to work on the flooring. For each room, the wait could take up to 24 hours. So how long will the entire process take if there are many rooms in the house?

The key to this problem, is to use stains that are fast drying. Modern concrete and wood stains like Beer stains dry in a matter of hours. Once the colors dry, you can quickly apply sealer using a special spraying tool. After that, your job is done, and you can move on to the next room. You need to go through this only once, and your flooring will get a completely new look. And this new look can last for many years to come, as it is well protected by the sealer.

(ArticlesBase SC #861842)

Rate this Article
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 0 vote(s)
    Feedback
    RSS
    Print
    Email
    Re-Publish

    Source:  http://www.articlesbase.com/diy-articles/wood-and-concrete-stains-can-help-protect-your-flooring-861842.html

    Article Tags:

    wood and concrete stains can help protect your flooring

    Adding Marble Countertops to Your Home

    Marble countertops look beautiful in any style kitchen or bathroom. To help you make the most of your money, http://www.AsktheDecorator.com host Meghan Carter visits Vermont Marble Museum to discover how to select the right marble countertops for you and how to protect them for staining. (05:07)

    Removing Stains from Wood Floors

    Hardwood floors are beautiful, attractive additions to any home. In short, they are great. The only problem with them is that any stain or damage to them can be expensive to fix, and that is not great. Here is how you can get rid of those stains without s (01:33)

    How to Create Stained Concrete Flooring

    When applied to a finished concrete floor, acid stain transforms an ordinary concrete slab into a luxurious floor that resembles marble or glazed stone. (05:43)

    Using Decorative Concrete in Your Home

    http://www.AsktheDecorator.com host Meghan Carter travels to ACE Concrete in Sun Valley, California to discover the essential decorative concrete information. Whether you're interested in concrete floors, sinks, countertops, mantels or any other type of concrete for your home, Meghan got the essential facts to help you make the right decision when using decorative concrete in your home. (08:37)

    Sewer Back-Up Protection

    Bob Schmidt shows you how to protect a basement floor drain from potential sewer back-up during flood water conditions. (03:01)

    There are many benefits associated with applying wood or concrete stains. Perhaps you will consider applying new color stains after you are more aware of what you stand to gain.

    By: Gen Wright l Home Improvement > DIY l Apr 12, 2009 l Views: 53

    Concrete stains are a great way to save money and get a good looking home all at the same time. So first let's look at what

    By: Gen Wright l Home Improvement > DIY l Jun 01, 2009 l Views: 128

    Concrete sealers are very useful when it comes to finding an easy way to save you from the huge costs involved in concrete floor renovation.

    By: Gen Wright l Home Improvement > DIY l Jun 01, 2009 l Views: 33

    Concrete floors may be tough, but they need to be maintained and protected as well. Without proper maintenance, you can end up having to pay a lot of money for repairs and renovations and that is not a very desirable thing all the time.

    By: Gen Wright l Home Improvement > DIY l Jun 29, 2009 l Views: 44

    Stains are simply brilliant ways to save money and make your home look good while you are at it. These stains are very easy to use and they are easily available online and at a hardware store near you.

    By: Gen Wright l Home Improvement > DIY l Jun 01, 2009 l Views: 182 l Comments: 1

    Hardwood floors are each an amazing asset and those who have one, have it for a specific purpose. Like you can have them at gyms, on stages and also at basketball courts.

    By: Gen Wright l Home Improvement > DIY l Jun 29, 2009 l Views: 67

    The flooring of a house or an apartment receives the highest amount of wear and tear due to constant friction from daily usage.

    By: Gen Wright l Home Improvement > DIY l May 28, 2009 l Views: 46

    Are you pretty handy around the house? Tired of paying ever increasing electric bills? Can’t afford to pay a premium to have solar panels installed by a company that charges outrageous rates?

    By: Elaine Hess l Home Improvement > DIY l Feb 10, 2010

    As soon as people started using solar batteries for things like watches and calculators, they began to realize that solar energy could change things in many ways. That was the beginning of the solar craze that has been so helpful to so many people.

    By: Elaine Hess l Home Improvement > DIY l Feb 10, 2010
    Thomas Hussey

    With the right home solar panel kits, you can easily create your own renewable energy system to power your house loads! Can you believe that? Well, you better believe so because I’m about to show you the recipe on how to get your system up and running within a few days!

    By: Thomas Hussey l Home Improvement > DIY l Feb 10, 2010 l Views: 1
    Thomas Hussey

    Don’t waste your time building a do it yourself solar power system. Learn why and what other affordable option you may pursue!

    By: Thomas Hussey l Home Improvement > DIY l Feb 10, 2010
    Thomas Hussey

    Do It Yourself Solar Power can help you save money and lessen carbon footprint. I learned how to do it after drinking 4 large cups of coffee…

    By: Thomas Hussey l Home Improvement > DIY l Feb 10, 2010
    Jill Borash

    Discover what steps you need to take for garage tool storage to make your garage look neat, clean, and organized.

    By: Jill Borash l Home Improvement > DIY l Feb 10, 2010 l Views: 1

    A considerable amount of craftsmanship, hard work, and dedication is needed to come up with the best woodwork material that will meet your expectations. Of course, it is only natural for you to aim for these quality materials and designs considering most woodwork will serve as the foundation or feature of the household or any type of serious project. Thus, you have to find the best woodwork that there is available in the market...

    By: Happy Days Goldfinder l Home Improvement > DIY l Feb 09, 2010

    Woodworking is a long and time honoured traditional craft. For as long as man has been around, we've always woprked with tools to render items of both purpose and beauty from raw materials around us. One of the first and most basic materials man has always worked with, alongside stone and metal, is wood...

    By: Happy Days Goldfinder l Home Improvement > DIY l Feb 09, 2010

    Engineering professionals or graduates often make use of similar resources while finding work. The way you approach the job hunt, plays a vital role in your success.

    By: Gen Wright l Careers l Feb 10, 2010

    Mental illness is always much harder to deal with than physical ailments, as it can rob people of their very selfhood. When your loved ones cease to recognize you, there can be nothing more painful than watching them struggle to find a sense of identity amidst the memories that keep slipping away.

    By: Gen Wright l Self Improvement > Self Help l Feb 10, 2010 l Views: 1

    Engineering recruitment management services offer their candidate with superb grooming and expert advice. They also provide their candidates with a few insider tips about the engineering firms that require engineers.

    By: Gen Wright l Careers l Feb 10, 2010

    If you are looking to purchase discus fish for your home or apartment, and you're wondering the best way to get started, remember that a happy discus fish is a healthy discus fish. In order to ensure the proper care for your discus fish health, you must realize that there is more to it than simple feeding and housing.

    By: Gen Wright l Advertising > Direct Mail l Feb 10, 2010

    The advances in medical science since World War II have seen life expectancy rise by several decades. Now, the challenge faced by medicine is - how do you maintain a person's quality of life, for a span of 80 years or greater?

    By: Gen Wright l Self Improvement > Self Help l Feb 10, 2010 l Views: 2

    Improving memory is not something that is done by magic. If you don't use it, you will truly lose it. That's why it's a good thing there are professional cognitive development services such as those offered by Happy Neuron to help you take charge of your mental health.

    By: Gen Wright l Self Improvement > Self Help l Feb 09, 2010 l Views: 8

    Our review of Hair the musical is a comprehensive take on this hit Broadway show. Read our review before you purchase your Hair tickets.

    By: Gen Wright l Business l Feb 09, 2010

    It would sure be nice to know which home improvements would pay off when it came time to sell your house, especially in a down economy. Here are some of the best projects you can undertake that will recoup the majority of your cost.

    By: Gen Wright l Home Improvement l Feb 09, 2010

    Add new Comment

     
    * Required fields
    Author Box
    Articles Categories
    All Categories
    1