Absolutely, cracks enhance the look of stained floors. Most stained floors use a combination of cut designs and colors to add beauty. The cracks are complimenting.

We cannot forecast cracks in concrete. However, after application, the surface will be a lot less porous because of the seal coat. Cracks that previously allowed a lot of water penetration can be greatly reduced. Consequently, less water is retained and the effects of cracking caused by freeze cycles should be noticeably reduced over a period of time.

If the floor is cracked it is advisable to use an anti-fracture membrane, otherwise cracks may transmit through the tile. Also as stated in question #2 you cannot tile over a painted concrete floor.

Therefore we would rather "work with" the crack. That is put the crack in the design of the deck to camouflage the crack. Our surfaces will feather down to the edge of the drain with out changing the direction the water runs.

The salts react with the hydrated lime deposits in the concrete. A true stain is defined by the chemical reaction that takes place when applied and not related to dyes or paints that simply coat the surface. A true stain will be translucent, in other words you will still see the same variations of the non-stained concrete even after the stain is applied. This is what gives the varied look or “patina” as some call it.

We use an extremely durable epoxy that penetrates deep filling up the micro pores. It also creates a tin layer above the concrete to protect against lemon juice, soda spills and other acidic products. This creates a satin finish that is soft to the touch and stain resistant.

Yes, we can stain the floor in light oak, dark oak or antique pine (softwood only). We would advise you not to stain hardwood, pre-finished and laminate floors.

Good mix design and proper curing are the keys to prevention. The NeoMix System is designed to minimize cracking. Our NeoMix Admixture has micro-reinforcement fibers that help to contain cracking, and our NeoMix Water Reducer helps lessen the amount of water needed in your concrete countertop mix while maintaining its workability—another way to help prevent cracks. The fibers and water reducing agents are inclusive in NeoMix Pro-Formula.

Cracks in concrete are there for a reason. Even if they are patched the foundation will continue to move and separate at those relief points or cracks. We typically advise against any type of crack repair due to its high installation cost and high failure rate. But pits, cracks, joints, mild elevation differences, and relief cuts, can all be brought level to create a perfectly seamless Epoxy floor.

The most common causes of separations are Mother Nature and dryness. The loss of moisture results in the most frequent reason for shrinkage of individual pieces and cracks. Most cracks are seasonal – they appear in dry months, or the cold season when heating is required, and close during humid periods. This type of separation and close is considered normal. In solid 2 ?" wide strip oak floors, "dry time" cracks may be the width of a dime’s thickness (1/32nd").

No, if you have large gaps between the boards, this is likely related to the relative humidity in your home. See "How Moisture and Humidity affects Hardwood Flooring" for more information. The FreshStart process includes a fill operation which will, at least temporarily, cure this problem.

Cracks in your basement floor can also be caused by settling and shifting in your foundation walls, in the footer underlying your foundation, or in the floor (or "slab") itself. However, floor cracks are more frequently caused by hydrostatic pressure. The water pressure from below the floor must escape somewhere, so it pokes a hole or crack in your basement floor.

Power troweling provides a nice-looking, smooth finish on concrete floors. It creates a "hard cap" (crust) on the surface. But when overdone, the surface becomes shiny and the crust may be very thick (1/8" instead of 1/32"), which may lead to problems. (Uncured lumps pushed into the surface while still plastic will become stress points that may cause spider web cracking later. The thick hard cap may spall as the concrete underneath cures and shrinks.

We seal all of our countertops to ensure water and stain resistance. But this does not mean that they are totally stain proof. Acidic substances such as lemon juice, vinegar, or red wine should not be left on the countertop for more than several hours if spilled to avoid staining. Cutting directly on the countertops or placing extremely hot pots on the countertops may compromise the sealer allowing liquids to seep in and stain the concrete.

Our concrete is a composite product. It is harder and stronger than regular concrete and is sealed in order to prevent staining. We recommend cleaning any spills as soon as possible from the concrete countertops. Sealing concrete countertops is recommended annually.

No, in rare cases the existing concrete may not accept the stain. Job site samples are a necessity. The samples will serve as a close representation of what the stain will look like on your floor. The samples should be located under cabinets, carpeted areas, or hidden locations.

There is no way that we can prevent oil from dripping on concrete pavers. Yet, because pavers are denser than regular poured concrete, they will be easier to clean if the stain is cleaned soon after it happens. If you are working around your paver patio, walkway, or driveway with paint, cement, or mortar and should accidentally spill this on your paver surface, you should clean it off right away before it has a chance to dry. Otherwise, it will stain your pavers.

Smaller cracks are filled with I.S.T. Coatings or urethane. Larger cracks are filled with epoxy, welding the separated pieces of concrete together. Shrinkage cracks require no additional treatments.

UltraFiber 500™ has over 1 billion crack-fighting fibers in a cubic yard of concrete when used at the recommended rate. That's over 20 times more fibers than typical polypropylene. Additionally, in contrast to polypropylene, UltraFiber 500™ easily disperses uniformly throughout concrete, has higher fiber tensile strength, has 28 times more surface area for interfacial bonding, and bonds better with cement.

There are many reasons why concrete cracks. Cracks rarely affect structural integrity. The majority of concrete cracks usually occur due to improper design and construction practices, such as: omission of isolation & control joints, improper jointing practices, improper subgrade preparation, the use of high slump (very wet) concrete or addition of water on the job, improper finishing and inadequate or curing.

Cracks are cut out and vee grinded clean and then filled with MARBELITE Flex-Epoxy. The cracks are then covered and reinforced with fiberglass like fabric embedded in elastomeric. Then smooth coated with MARBELITE cement locked onto the fabric. This helps eliminate any possible chipped on cracked areas proving to be the solution for this problem. Larger structural cracks that may move can be reinforced with large steel plates stitched and set into the base concrete.

Even though we have a crack bridging process we perform, there is always a chance the cracks will mirror up through the overlay.

Ultimately the decision is yours. We believe all wood should be stained because it seals better & enhances its beauty. Stain is an upgrade and does cost more. If your decor supports a natural finish, we will be happy to accommodate you.

A.This is a job we would not recommend you undertake if you are a novice. Peter has stained hundreds of floors and knows how much skill you need to tackle this job. He has also seen a lot of floors that have been badly stained and it's not a pretty picture. When a floor is stained well it has a beautiful even colour with depth to it. Stained badly and it can look patchy and dull with a dirty appearance.

In is common for cracks to appear in floors, especially with wider planks, due to shrinkage and expansion over the years. Small cracks are not harmful to the floor and most will only appear seasonally due to changes in moisture levels. In order to reduce or eliminate the chances of getting cracks in your floor, make an effort to maintain a humidity level between 45% and 55% throughout the year.

All open cracks, including those in your expansion or "tool" joints, if applicable, will be repaired. Additionally, larger surface imperfections will also be repaired. Extensive crack and/or patch repairs may be subject to additional charges.

Yes, Try to cross at an oblique angle so all the wheels are not in the crack at the same time. Go slowly. If you have a problem, put sheet metal across the crack and hold it in place with duct tape.