Surecrete Eco Stain Water-Based Stain for Concrete - 4 oz Tester - Aztec Gold

This review is for the Surecrete Eco Stain Titanium Gray stain. My patio stone (manufactured concrete) is in two variations, square, with the step edges being elongated. Over time, the longer stone became darkened and mottled. Cleaning them with concrete/paver detergent. and a scrub brush did not improve the looks much. I purchased a sample and tested a few patio blocks laying around and liked the look. I added one 32 oz bottle in a gallon plastic jug, filling the rest with water to make a gallon of stain solution. I then poured a small amount in a tray and used a sponge (about the size of my hand) to apply the stain to the block. I chose a sponge over a sprayer, roller, or brush as it gave me total control over where and how to apply the stain. The sponge proved the least messy technique for avoiding splatters and potential over-spray, and allowed me to 'cut' against the edges of the other stone, round underneath the lip, and get into any nooks and crannies for an even coat. This evened out the coloring of the block, and as a bonus visually highlighted the step down which makes it safer. I only needed one coat of stain, so a little goes a long way, making this economical. Bonus: Since this is a water based stain, cleaning up any accidental drips was super easy. I just kept a spare sprayer of clear water and a clean rag on standby. I sprayed any drips/drops of stain with the water and wiped it off the concrete/stone, which effectively removed the stain. Also, any stain that was accidentally smeared on to my white vinyl trim simply wiped off without any residue. This stain is really pretty forgiving. I then applied a concrete water repellent to all of the patio stone. This is an important step, as the water based stain will wash away/fade without some sort of sealant. I chose an eco-friendly water based sealant that is not "glossy", so it provides excellent water repellent without adding any "slickness" to the texture. I applied the water repellent with an inexpensive, disposable hand sprayer (from my local "big box" store) which performed beautifully. The whole process only took a day. As far as durability and longevity, only time will tell. But I have to say I learned a lot through this process and I'm pleased with the results. Literally anyone can do this if you: 1) prep the concrete first (clean, scrub, remove any spilled paint, oil stains, etc.., 2) sweep and make a final pass with a leaf blower to ensure there are no leaves, dirt, etc..., and 3) take your time applying the stain and water proofing. In my case, I saved thousands of dollars

Very easy to use. Use sample bottle to stain a step worked very well. Did more than one application to get it darker.

I bought a couple colors of this stain, and it was easy to apply but seemed to pull away from the edges even though I added more stain to the area. We built 2 porches onto our house last summer and made 1 concrete step for each porch. The stain that was applied near the area that was up against the porch kept receding, so the edge does not have color. I guess if I had been able to apply to the backside of the concrete (the side against the porch) it may not have done this. The stain also seemed to fade after it was applied. If I had it to do over again, I think I would have tried to saturate the concrete more with this stain, but I didn't want to get this on the white porch cladding and making the step and then installing it against the porch wasn't and option (too heavy for my husband and I to move). Not sure if I would use this again or not. The colors I used were nice, but it didn't seem like it penetrated as well as I thought it should, it was more just a surface stain. It's possible I needed to re-apply after an hour or so, but I don't remember seeing anything about having to apply multiple times on the directions.

Tried the Harvest Yellow color on a small weathered gray-concrete lawn ornament. This "dye" looks and acts like plain water with a small dash of food coloring. Multiple coats had no coloring effect; just slightly darkened the concrete, as a splash of water would do. Used the whole bottle. Waste of money.

This stain seems to be of good quality. However, it’s for mixing with concrete. Not for staining existing concrete. It seemed to be more clear than stain color but again I got it for existing concrete and couldn’t use it. I’m sure I’ll find a purpose for it eventually. Hope this helps

I had a small job covering some mortar that I floated. The color was pretty much the same color as the mortar which isn't quite what I was going for but that's not a fault of the stain. My issue it that it shouldn't be "pre-mixed" as when using you can vary the water added to get different results and this didn't allow it. My other complaint is it's very expensive for the coverage you get. They say 2-3 coats for best results but this little bit doesn't cover very much to see if it meets your needs.

If you are trying to get crisp lines, it does bleed a bit. We were trying to mark edges in our steps so that people could see (bright white concrete in the sun - people were tripping) This helped mark the edge and seems to hold up well, but as a stain, the lines of the painters tape were not enough to keep crisp lines.

I used this as an overlay on top of previously stained concrete floor..I wanted a strong as base and lighter color over top Laying down a deep sea blue first. Very vibrant and pure color. I used a floor sander to rough up the bottom coat. I did this with varying uneven pressure to create an "integral" look I then applied the product with a lambswool rooler which allows an even application Laid down two coats of Thai Green. Sealed it and it was beautiful. Product is easy to use and rich in color I have used various other products and none have the color purity or depth as this product. Competitive value But unsurprised in color.