Use Household Ingredients to Get Your Concrete Masterpiece Started

Are you looking for a way to transform your concrete surface, without applying expensive stains or paints? You'll be happy to learn that there are alternatives that will color concrete, and many of them can be made from household ingredients.

Here are a couple of simple recipes that create stains to get your concrete masterpiece started.

Iron Sulphate. This is one of easiest ways to stain concrete and doesn't require any acid. Combine ¼ cup of iron sulphate, also called Copperas, with 2/3 cup warm water. You can see from these results the copper-colored end product. Seal when done to protect the integrity of the color.
Copper Sulphate. If you want to create more of a blue or blue-green color, then this mixture of copper sulphates will do the trick. Mix ¼ cup of copper sulphate (also known as root killer) with 1 cup of warm water.
Copper Sulphates with Potassium Dichromate. To achieve a more orange or green appearance, you can alter the copper recipe by adding potassium dichromate to the mix.
Manganese. Want to achieve rich tones of brown and black? Then follow this recipe using different portions of manganese. Mix ¼ cup of manganese carbonate, 1 TBSP or potassium dichromate, and ½ cup + 2 teaspoons of muriatic acid.

It is important to be careful when working with all of these mixtures, as whenever you are working with chemical combinations. The fun part about mixing your own stains is that you can be creative with the color combinations, and perfect them to your satisfaction. Commercial stains can also be more expensive, and creating your own from these materials will cost you only a fraction of the price. Talk with a concrete specialist in your area to discuss options for your concrete surface.