stained concrete Archives - Stamped Artistry

Your stamped and stained concrete is strong; it’s meant to be as permanent as possible. However, like anything else, it must be care for and maintained. The stain in your concrete only goes so far past the surface. This means that is can wear out over time as a result of weather or traffic. So, it’s necessary to take steps to prolong the life of your stained concrete.

Protecting Stained Concrete

To maintain your concrete’s staining, manufacturers recommend protecting the surface with a few coats of sealer. This sealant adds shine, as well as protecting your floor. It also makes it easier to clean up dirt and prevents wear to a certain extent. You will still need to maintain your floors. Traffic over the years will affect your concrete significantly if your flooring is in a high traffic area.

Cleaning Stained Concrete

If your floor is indoors, its needs will vary according to the amount of traffic. High traffic will need more cleaning, as well as buffing and waxing. It’s best to clean gently once per week, then do a more thorough clean twice a month or so. Then, buff and re-wax the floor twice per year, or so. Your flooring manufacturer can give you some recommendations.

If your stained concrete is outside, you may not feel the need to clean quite as much. Of course, the elements will affect your outdoor floors more. You can sweep them clean, wash them down, and use mild cleaners so as not to add wear. These floors may need stronger seals, but you may not need to re-apply those seals more than every year or two.

Stained concrete makes for beautiful floors that last a lifetime. We will not only install the perfect floors for you, we’ll teach you more about protecting stained concrete. Call Stamped Artistry today.

Cleaning the floor is not most people’s favorite pastime. Some floors make it easier than others, and of the types of flooring there are to clean, stained concrete is one of the easiest. There are no fibers to catch dust and debris, or grout and crevices that make mopping well difficult, etc. Instead, you have beautiful, smooth floors that are comparatively easy to clean.

They’re Easy to Clean

That does not mean that your stained concrete floors need no maintenance. You will need to clean them well and with some care to maintain their appearance. For example, exterior stained concrete will be subject to the elements, which can cause some wear. Resealing may be necessary on a rare occasion; doing it once per year as a precaution may be a good idea. This will continue the surface protection from wear and tear.

The frequency of cleaning and resealing will depend upon the frequency, and nature of the wear and tear. For example, is the flooring outdoors near the pool? It is a patio? Or, is it indoors? If the concrete is outdoors with no shelter, you will get wind blowing dirt and debris around, as well as rain and other potentially damaging weather-related events. Indoors, however, there will only be the traffic you bring inside.

For basic cleaning, dry dust the floors; vacuums are often a little too rough on the floors. When you mop, use water, or a mild cleaner. If you need something stronger for tougher stains, try a stronger, but still gentle, soap solution, or vinegar. If the floor is no longer shiny, try waxing.

Staining takes durable concrete and turns it into a beautiful, and permanent part of your home. Whether it’s indoors or outside, your stained concrete will last with cleaning and care. Let us help you find the perfect stained concrete for your home at Stamped Artistry.

Driveways are highly functional. We don’t consider them much when it comes to renovation for aesthetics. If they’re cracked, we have them fixed because our tires bump every time we drive over them, and because they are unsightly that way. However, how often do you really notice a driveway because it is so very nice-looking?

A driveway like that is possible to have. Stained concrete is a way to make it happen. You can have the best-looking driveway in the neighborhood with stained, and even stamped concrete. Plus, it offers more than just great look.

It’s durable. If you’re worried about something that nice being out in the weather, don’t be. Stained and stamped concrete is sealed and meant to last. Its surface is tough and it’s even stain resistant. It is even made to resist chipping and fading.

It’s not too expensive. Despite how nice it looks, stained concrete can be very affordable. It is even less costly than some more common materials.

It’s better for your tires. It’s not good for our tires to roll on rough surfaces all of the time. Sure, standard concrete will do, but it’s boring and cracks over the years. Stained concrete is finished to a shine in any color mixture you like. It is laid smooth with good traction. You’ll never have a problem with your tires on this driveway.

It’s nice enough to be extra hosting space. If you don’t have a patio, or you just need some extra space for entertaining, a driveway this nice is a great place to do it. Suddenly, your driveway seems far more functional, as it’s nice enough to use for more than driving and parking your car.

Get the nicest driveway in your neighborhood. Call Stamped Artistry today and ask about stained and stamped concrete driveways.

Stained concrete can be a beautiful addition to almost any home. The ability to get creative with style and color means many possibilities to make it match with décor. It is also a durable type of flooring, capable of lasting for years. It looks particularly good outdoors as patio and pool area flooring. Of course, like any other flooring, it requires care to keep it looking its best. If you’ve noticed that your floors have lost their sheen, here are some tips to help you maintain your stained concrete.

Start with a good clean.

First, if you clean your floors regularly, do so with professionally recommended materials. Not all cleaners are made equal, and some may dull the shine on your stained concrete faster. Ask a professional what you should use.

Reseal your floors.

Stained concrete is sealed during installation for protection. It’s made to withstand time, weather, UV rays, stains, moisture, and much more. That is also what gives the floor its shine. It is far better than standard concrete. To maintain this protection, you should have your floors resealed from time to time—every few years, ideally. This is particularly important for stained concrete that sits directly in the sun every day. You may be able to go longer between resealing projects if your floor is protected by shade and cover.

For some, resealing may be a DIY project. It is possible if you have some experience with similar work. However, there are some things you could consider before attempting it. If there are stains, chips, or cracks, those will have to be addressed before resealing. In some cases, those are things that professionals should handle. You want to make sure to get the right sort of cleansers to remove stains, as well as the proper sealant.

Generally, it’s better to let a professional come in and help you maintain your stained concrete floors. Call us at Stamped Artistry. We’re happy to help you find the floor of your dreams, get it installed, and keep it looking its best.

Sinks in kitchens and bathrooms have become more than just functional. They have a big impact on the aesthetics of the room and can affect the way that the entire room looks. One possibility that you may want to consider when you are looking into a sink for your home is a concrete sink.

Concrete is moldable so you can create a concrete sink in just about any shape that you can imagine, and to fit any space that you desire. You can also create a concrete sink in a variety of different colors, styles and patterns. Concrete sink patterns can be as unique as natural stone sinks but can come in more colors and be more versatile due to the fact that it is easy to mold concrete.

Choosing a sink made of concrete is a creative and innovative choice, so homeowners who want something different should look into this option. Contact Stamped Artistry today to learn more.

We spend lots of time talking about why you SHOULD get concrete flooring in your home. However, nothing can be perfect, right? So let’s take a look at some of the potential negatives, and discuss if they would really be an issue for you.

Potential Negative: Concrete flooring can be slippery at times.

Rationalization: Well, sure if they get wet they will be slippery. That much is true. However, the myth here is in the flawed logic. You see, a wet concrete floor isn’t going to be any more slippery than wet tile, vinyl, smooth wood, etc. The key is to keep them dry and you will be fine.

Potential Negative: Concrete flooring is cold.

Rationalization: Again, this can be true, but not any more so than other hard types of flooring. And if you live in a hotter climate (like the Houston area where we service), cold flooring is best for the majority of the year. As far as our brief winter, well, you can always use strategically placed rugs in bedrooms where you tend to walk barefooted.

Questions about stained concrete flooring? Contact us now!