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Stained concrete provides a modern and sophisticated look to your flooring, while also being incredible durable and long lasting. In addition, staining a concrete floor yourself will save a lot of money and be incredibly cost effective.
I look at the DIY stained concrete floor cost along with the cost to have a professional do it for you.
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How Much Does It Cost To Stain Concrete
The cost of stain for your concrete floor is very cheap. The question at hand is who will be doing the staining.
The DIY stained concrete floor cost will be less than $0.50 per square foot.
Hiring a professional to stain your concrete floors will cost a lot more, typically starting in the $2-$4 per square foot range.
DIY Stained Concrete Floor Cost Per Square Food
Staining your concrete floor yourself will save you a lot of money, as the materials are not very expensive.
- Concrete Stain: $0.33 per square foot
- Sealer: $0.06 per square foot
- Wax: $0.03 per square foot
The best concrete stains don’t cost a lot more per square foot of application than cheaper ones. The total cost of materials to stain concrete floor yourself should be $0.42 per square foot.
| Product | Cost |
| Concrete Stain | $0.33/square foot |
| Stain Sealer | $0.06/square foot |
| Wax | $0.03/square foot |
| TOTAL | $0.42/square foot |
This is incredibly affordable, and DIY staining your concrete floor is a very economical way to go.
Professional Concrete Staining Cost Per Square Foot
Hiring a professional to stain your concrete floor will probably get the job done faster and better, but it will cost a lot more. Here are the average costs associated with hiring a professional:
- $2-$4 per square foot: includes application of one stain color, necessary slab preparation, and a final sealer coat.
- $4-$10 per square foot: includes application of one stain color, more in-depth slab preparation, and final seal coat.
- $8-$15 per square foot: includes application of multiple stain colors, in-depth slab preparation, pattern designs, pre-sealer layer, and a final sealer coat.
- $12-$25 per square foot: includes application of multiple stain colors, in-depth slab preparation, hand applied stains, pre-sealer layer, and a final sealer coat.
Additional Factors
There are some other things that could impact the final price of the concrete staining work, such as:
- If the concrete is old, then the initial cost may be higher for repair work.
- Larger areas will typically incur volume pricing, which will drive the price per square foot lower.
Types of Concrete Stain
There are two common types of concrete stain that you can use:
- Acid stain
- Acrylic stain
Acid stain is the most common concrete stain, and is composed of metallic salts that dissolve in acid and water. When applied, the react with the concrete to create a deep and rich color.
Acrylic stain is water based, and does not react with the concrete at all. Instead, the pores of the concrete absorb the acrylic polymers to impart the color. Acrylic stain is a lot safer to apply, as you can imagine.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Does Concrete Stain Last?
Stain permeates through concrete when mixed in at the time of application, and so it will last for a very long time. Stain applied after the concrete was poured will only penetrate the top layer of concrete, and will fade, chip, and wear away over time.
What Could You Concrete Stain?
You can stain a variety of different concrete surfaces at your home, ranging from your driveway, room floors, kitchen floors, bathroom floors, countertops, patios, walkways, and pool decks.
Can I Stain Concrete Myself?
Staining concrete is incredibly cost effective and not very difficult. You will want to spray acid stain onto a damp concrete floor in an even, sweeping motion, allowing it to dry for a minimum of 6-8 hours.
Why Stain Your Concrete Floor
Concrete floors are a wonderful choice for the right home. Concrete will outlast all of the other traditional flooring options, such as tile and hardwood. Concrete flooring is modern and sophisticated, and you can impart dramatic coloring to them through stain.
Staining your concrete floors allows you to have a natural coloring to your flooring, while still maintaining longevity and reducing maintenance costs. It is also incredibly cost effective to install.
If you apply stain after the concrete has been mixed and poured, then it will need to be replaced over time. But this cost is still far less than maintenance costs for other material like hardwood floor.
