Pool Deck Concrete Question

[mitch10196]

I just had my pool deck finished today. I went with the basic concrete that has a nice design, going out a bit on certain areas. They did a trowel finish instead of a broom finish.

When it's wet... it's a dark gray and I like it. To my surprise today... it dried and became almost white!!! Whoa, it's bright. It's so light. My husband says it will darken up over time... but how much time. I'm not sure I like it. It is so bright and ghosty. I was hoping for it to be on the more tan side. But they say the tinting is expensive... it wasn't in my budget.

Am I living with this for years? Anyone have any experience.

 

[kurtgrice]

I wonder about this too. As part of a renovation, the pool deck was redone in April of this year. In June, the satellite imagery for Google Maps was updated for our area. WOW, you can see it from outer space :-o

 

[Guest]

Newer decks will take an acid stain pretty well. You both might look in to that.

 

[dmanb2b]

It will certainly darken over a year or so, just like sidewalks, driveways etc. Tan cement is tinted tan and is more expensive. White cement is also more expensive, so I doubt they used that too. Light gray = new cement

 

[Shane1]

You can buy concrete sealer that will give you that wet look you desire. The contactor that poured our landscape curbing suggested it. I just havent got around to it. Plus it seems it will be a yearly expense and maintenance item.

 

[tcrb]

There are lots of concrete stains on the market. Sherwin Williams is a good place to start:

http://www.sherwin-williams.com/do_it_yourself/staining/concrete_stain/

I'm betting that Home Depot or Lowes might have some in stock as well.

 

[Guest]

Had a customer buy a pool that I built one time and order San Diego Buff (pretty sure it's a Davis color), and after decks were poured it was obvious somebody goofed! It was natural concrete, and the deck man never got the info, so he assumed it was natural. It was not his fault, but he said that he had heard of a stain that might work, and if the homeowner was willing to try it (and was satisfied in the end) then he would give it a shot.

It is still probably one of the most even looking colored concrete jobs I have ever seen. The stain worked perfectly, it was not blotchy in the least and it was (is) absolutely gorgeous still to this day.

I'm not sure that you could expect the same from existing concrete, but fresh stuff should take pretty well, as it is still curing out (technically, concrete takes 40 years to fully cure, I'm told!). And, because it is a stain, it should hold, as it will enter into the concrete, not sit on the top.

 

[mitch10196]

Does anyone have any experience in acid staining? Does it hold up? Or is it something you have to maintain every couple years??