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Re: GBlist: Concrete floor finish



Marc J. Rosenbaum wrote:
> 
> Any recommendations for staining a concrete floor in a new classroom building?
> Like to avoid paint here.
> 
Hi Marc:

Saw something in a book by Malcolm Wells - my recollection is a little
sketchy, since it was a while ago. I believe he used a stain composed of
linseed oil and iron oxide pigment. It looked great. I imagine you'd
need a thinner (natural turpentine, or perhaps something more benign?)

There's a dark blood red colored concrete floor in the theatre at
Taliesin West (Scottsdale AZ) that's been waxed for many, many years and
is absolutely gorgeous.

Don't know if your floor exists and needs stain, or is yet to be poured.
On new floors being poured, you can do a dry shake application of
portland cement powder mixed with iron oxide pigment and trowel it into
the surface - better to find somebody who has done it before with
success. Alternatives include using a separate colored topcoat (1" or
so), terrazzo mixes, etc.

Iron oxide pigments are available at masonry suppliers as "mortar
color", as are dry shake mixes. Color ranges tend to be in the browns,
reds, although you can get yellow. I could post a color chart on our
site if that would help. You can also get lampblack, which is basically
soot (pure carbon).

Blood might work, too ;-)
-- 
--------------------------------------------------------
Norbert Senf			email:   mheat@mha-net.org
Masonry Stove Builders			 mheat@hookup.net	
RR 5, Shawville			website: http://mha-net.org/msb		
Quebec J0X 2Y0			fax:	 819.647.6082
				voice:	 819.647.5092
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