Stained concrete is a great surface to choose for durability and a great look that will last decades. At its heart stained concrete is very simple, its your concrete foundation with a layer of sealer to make the concrete waterproof. It may not seem obvious that you need to maintain stained concrete floors to keep them looking nice.
Concrete is a very porous material and people may be surprised to know that concrete without sealer can get damaged by spills and stains. The sealer layer makes the concrete impenetrable from spills making it a suitable surface for living.
Does stained concrete need maintenance?
| Flooring Material | Engineered Wood | Laminate | TIle | Stained Concrete |
| Lifespan moderate traffic | 10-20 years | 20-30 years | 30-40 years | 50+ years |
Yes stained concrete must be maintained. It may seem like since concrete is so durable that nothing would need to be done to maintain stained concrete throughout the years. However even concrete has its breaking points. I know from moving appliances that you can penetrate through the sealer and scratch the concrete.
Usually the biggest issues come from maintaining the sealer layer from being scratched, scuffed and dinged. If you can protect the sealer layer your stained concrete floors will last you a lifetime. Below are ways.
How do you maintain stained concrete?
Three coats of oil based sealer
Preparing ahead of time is the easiest way to maintain stained concrete floors. When installing make sure you or the contractor apply at least 3 coats of concrete sealer. The best defense is a good offense and making sure the concrete is getting enough sealant during installation is the best offense. A single layer of sealer will be hard but will scratch rather easily over time. I know this because a contractor I hired finished the job with one layer and I had to go behind him and add more layers later. Make sure you use an oil based sealer as well. If it smells terrible it is doing its job.
Mop floors regularly
Regularly mop and scrub the floors with a 50/50 vinegar and water solution. You will want to do this periodically just to remove the grime and make it more livable. Dirt and grime can actually attach to the sealer level and make it more susceptible to peeling the sealer. If you want to wax your floor or do touch ups I would recommend starting with a good vinegar mop.
Wax the floor
Best way to maintain stained concrete is waxing the floors every 6 months. to keep its sheen and protection from scratches. Over time the sheen of the sealer will fade and you will be able to more easily see scuffs. The floor wax will cover up scratches and scuffs that develop over time. The wax fills the scratches leaving a glossy finish. It also gives a protective layer for further wear and tear.
Touch up sealer
Spot touch up scratches in the sealer with excess sealer from installation. Over time you may notice spots in the sealer that got scratched from appliances, furniture and moving chairs and stools. The scratch may be small and not even reach to concrete or it may leave a good chunk of the concrete unsealed. It’s crucial to seal these scratches because otherwise the concrete underneath can get scratched or stained.
From an aesthetic standpoint it also doesn’t look good to have visible scratches in the sealer. Use a small brush to cut touch up sealer so the excess isn’t apparent. Make sure the floor is mopped before attempting touch ups.
Fix deeper scratches in concrete
Spot touch up scratches in concrete from stain and sealer leftover from installation. Sometimes a scratch goes so deep it scratches the concrete removing the stain color and leaving gray concrete mark. Think moving a refrigerator, stove, washer and dryer and having a sharp edge catch the flooring.
If this happens you will need to re stain the floor that was scratched and add multiple layers of sealer. If the scratch is deep enough that it leaves a noticeable dent you can fill in the dent with crack sealant filler. Finish off crack filler with the stain and sealer.
How often does stained concrete need to be sealed
Depending on traffic, stained concrete should be touched up every 10 years. There may be specific areas like hallways that have scuff marks from heavy traffic or moving an appliance caused a deep scratch. Clear the area of furniture and give everything a good mop so you don’t end up sealing in dust and debris. Tape off any trim or other surfaces you don’t want to potentially get sealer on. Load up your spray jug with the same sealant that was used during original install. Spray an even layer across the surface of the floor.
Give the sealer 24 hours to dry in between coats. Give 72 hours before moving furniture back onto the surface. Open windows to aid drying.
What is the best sealer for stained concrete
In my experience the sealer from Kemiko is high quality when applied in multiple layers. I used this in my personal house and it is still holding strong 6 years later.
Conclusion
Concrete floors are durable but still need to be maintained to stay looking nice for decades. Maintaining the sealer coat and keeping the floor clean will protect the floor from damage.
More resources: https://www.kemiko.com/