If I have an already acid stained concrete countertop (15 yrs old) and a considerable portion of the finished acid stain has already been removed just from regular use, can I use a wet sanding process to remove the remaining acid stain down to the original color of the concrete? And what would be required to further prepare the surface to accept a different color acid stain? Any other ideas such as chalk paint or other finishes?
Yes, you can grind down to bare concrete and then acid stain. The surface prep is the same as the surface prep for resealing with Omega. Please see this article: concretecountertopinstitute.com/free-training/reseal-concrete-countertops/ Chalk paint is not appropriate for concrete. You can use acid stain or a microcement/microtopping/overlay such as this: directcolors.com/concrete-overlays/
@@TheConcreteCountertopInstitute Off subject, yet somewhat similar. Subject: Grinding asphalt, can this be done? My street was re-paved w/ asphalt some time ago. They paved on top of the existing street (made of asphalt) and continued to the edge of the curb. As a result, there was very little available volume left for drainage so when it rained, the street runoff would end up in my flower bed, yard, and eventually in my garage! With the city not being much help, I decided I had to address this on my own. I used a heavy splitting maul to remove the asphalt that was preventing proper drainage in the street curb. However, it is rough leaving my driveway. I need to find a way to grind the edge of the street to a gradual slope to smooth the transition when pulling in or out of my driveway! Haven't found much information on asphalt grinding, UT was wondering if some type of diamond honing attachment for an angle grinder would produce the results I need? It's not a large area...just the width of a two car garage driveway? Any input you can offer would be welcomed!
Hi Jeff, you mention that you can use this 400 grit wet technique to keep a cream finish and avoid acid etching. I’ve always just done the etching. What are the benefits of avoiding acid etching? Will using only the 400 grit help avoid having to grout pinholes?
Hi Mark. A lot of people swear by acid etching. There's no reason to avoid it unless you just don't want to work with acid. I'd say keep doing what you're doing. As far as pinholes, there's always a risk of exposing those even with 400 grit honing.
My kitchen cement countertops are now 20 years old. I would like to 'restore' them. There are acid etchings from lemon juice and some darker stains from various foods but what concerns me most is pitting around the sink. Can I diamond sand enough to get a smooth surface next to the sink and then seal them with Omega?
Hi Angie. You can, but it will take some work and will definitely change the appearance of the concrete and expose sand/aggregate. If you want a consistent appearance, you need to sand the entire countertop surface. Please see this article for details: concretecountertopinstitute.com/free-training/reseal-concrete-countertops/ Also, hand sanding will be time consuming and laborious, and it might not be capable of removing enough concrete to eliminate the pitting. Therefore you might need a diamond polisher with 5" diamond pads. This page has extensive information about diamond polishing concrete countertops: concretecountertopinstitute.com/free-training-category/processing/
If I am looking for a salt and pepper finish with TK6 sealer, should I just wet sand with 200? That seemed good to me. This will be my first concrete attempt! But I have been reading and preparing for months now.
Hi Amy, and congratulations on your first concrete countertop! Yes, wet sanding with 200 grit should do it, but the amount of sand grain exposure will depend on the hardness of your concrete. Just keep going until you get the look you like. Be aware that you might expose pinholes in the concrete, which you will need to fill with grout. See this article: concretecountertopinstitute.com/free-training/how-to-grout-to-fill-pinholes-in-concrete-countertop/
Hi Jeff - thank you for the video series. I have been creating concrete counter tops in my house & your videos have been invaluable. I have been to Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart, & searched Amazon for white Scotch Brite Pads - no luck. I am west of the Mississippi & the Rockies - any idea where I might find the pads or what would be a suitable substitution? Thank you!
Hi Audrey. The white Scotch Brite pad is a higher "grit" and therefore less aggressive than the green Scotch Brite pad. You can use the green one and just be extra gentle!
@@TheConcreteCountertopInstitute thank you for your prompt reply. I am creating concrete counter tops using Ardex (started with Henry’s) Feather Finish & it has been a bit stressful - I want the counters to look like I bought them from you. I thought I was ready to apply the Omega until I watched all the videos sent following my purchase. The wet sanding with 400 grit is a game changer! I had dry sanded, of course , and felt good about the finish I had achieved. Then I wet sanded and it looks beautiful. Today IS the day to apply the Omega!
@@Audrey-km9in Great, that's exciting!! Please send completed photos to info@concretecountertopinstitute.com (or send any questions there). By the way, we have a DIY overlay system like Ardex/Henry's called Finale. It comes in several colors and is very easy to work with, like frosting a cake. Check it out at concretecountertopinstitute.com/shop/finale-diy-concrete-countertop-system/
Hi Chris, please see this free online seminar for lot of information about diamond polishing: concretecountertopinstitute.com/free-training/polish-concrete-countertops/
Hi Jeff, brilliant and informative videos as always. I have used 400 diamond pad on a wet polisher (started with 1000rpm up 2000rpm) would that be ok for water-based, nano-acrylic, reactive polyurethane sealer?
Thank you Hussein! I am unable to comment on surface prep for any other sealer, other than to say that generally any coating needs some texture to adhere to, so stopping at 200 or 400 grit (and not proceeding to 3000 for example) is required. Please consult the sealer's manufacturer for detailed requirements. Surface prep is very important.
Thank you Jeff. I have processed with applying the sealer with 5 thin coats and i have buffed in between. I have done the water test the droplet seems to stay on the surface about 1hr before it bleed into the concrete - I am going to apply a beeswax + carnauba that is food safe. I had limited budget for this project. Any plan of making Omega sealer a lil bit more widely available in UK through Amazon/Ebay? Finding a sealer in the UK that is food safe has been a nightmare.
Hi Jeff- Anything different to do after grouting pinholes and wet sanding with 400 grit by hand for a cream finish. Plan on using Omega sealer. First kitchen counter for my home. Thanks in advance.
Great question Mike! In this situation we recommend a final acid etch and gentle scrub to ensure good adhesion and to remove any surface residue that might interfere with a good bond. The instructions that you receive after purchasing Omega have details about the etching solution (muriatic acid and water).
@@mike-cr4er Hi Mike, how has the sealer held up? I need to re-finish my countertops after only one year so I am looking for a product that will hold up longer. Thank you!
Please see the Omega FAQs page at concretecountertopinstitute.com/free-training/omega-concrete-countertop-sealer-faqs/. Omega is a permanent sealer, it does not need to reapplied. How often do you have to paint your car? :-)
If I have an already acid stained concrete countertop (15 yrs old) and a considerable portion of the finished acid stain has already been removed just from regular use, can I use a wet sanding process to remove the remaining acid stain down to the original color of the concrete?
And what would be required to further prepare the surface to accept a different color acid stain?
Any other ideas such as chalk paint or other finishes?
Yes, you can grind down to bare concrete and then acid stain. The surface prep is the same as the surface prep for resealing with Omega. Please see this article: concretecountertopinstitute.com/free-training/reseal-concrete-countertops/ Chalk paint is not appropriate for concrete. You can use acid stain or a microcement/microtopping/overlay such as this: directcolors.com/concrete-overlays/
Will read the articles...thanks so much!
@@samwimpy2600 You are very welcome!
@@TheConcreteCountertopInstitute Off subject, yet somewhat similar.
Subject: Grinding asphalt, can this be done?
My street was re-paved w/ asphalt some time ago. They paved on top of the existing street (made of asphalt) and continued to the edge of the curb. As a result, there was very little available volume left for drainage so when it rained, the street runoff would end up in my flower bed, yard, and eventually in my garage!
With the city not being much help, I decided I had to address this on my own. I used a heavy splitting maul to remove the asphalt that was preventing proper drainage in the street curb.
However, it is rough leaving my driveway. I need to find a way to grind the edge of the street to a gradual slope to smooth the transition when pulling in or out of my driveway!
Haven't found much information on asphalt grinding, UT was wondering if some type of diamond honing attachment for an angle grinder would produce the results I need?
It's not a large area...just the width of a two car garage driveway?
Any input you can offer would be welcomed!
@@samwimpy2600 That's a very different material. I really can't advise about asphalt, sorry.
Hi Jeff, you mention that you can use this 400 grit wet technique to keep a cream finish and avoid acid etching. I’ve always just done the etching. What are the benefits of avoiding acid etching? Will using only the 400 grit help avoid having to grout pinholes?
Hi Mark. A lot of people swear by acid etching. There's no reason to avoid it unless you just don't want to work with acid. I'd say keep doing what you're doing. As far as pinholes, there's always a risk of exposing those even with 400 grit honing.
My kitchen cement countertops are now 20 years old. I would like to 'restore' them. There are acid etchings from lemon juice and some darker stains from various foods but what concerns me most is pitting around the sink. Can I diamond sand enough to get a smooth surface next to the sink and then seal them with Omega?
Hi Angie. You can, but it will take some work and will definitely change the appearance of the concrete and expose sand/aggregate. If you want a consistent appearance, you need to sand the entire countertop surface. Please see this article for details: concretecountertopinstitute.com/free-training/reseal-concrete-countertops/ Also, hand sanding will be time consuming and laborious, and it might not be capable of removing enough concrete to eliminate the pitting. Therefore you might need a diamond polisher with 5" diamond pads. This page has extensive information about diamond polishing concrete countertops: concretecountertopinstitute.com/free-training-category/processing/
@@TheConcreteCountertopInstitute Thank you!
@@angiem.3088 You are very welcome.
If I am looking for a salt and pepper finish with TK6 sealer, should I just wet sand with 200? That seemed good to me. This will be my first concrete attempt! But I have been reading and preparing for months now.
Hi Amy, and congratulations on your first concrete countertop! Yes, wet sanding with 200 grit should do it, but the amount of sand grain exposure will depend on the hardness of your concrete. Just keep going until you get the look you like. Be aware that you might expose pinholes in the concrete, which you will need to fill with grout. See this article: concretecountertopinstitute.com/free-training/how-to-grout-to-fill-pinholes-in-concrete-countertop/
Hi Jeff - thank you for the video series. I have been creating concrete counter tops in my house & your videos have been invaluable. I have been to Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart, & searched Amazon for white Scotch Brite Pads - no luck. I am west of the Mississippi & the Rockies - any idea where I might find the pads or what would be a suitable substitution? Thank you!
Hi Audrey. The white Scotch Brite pad is a higher "grit" and therefore less aggressive than the green Scotch Brite pad. You can use the green one and just be extra gentle!
@@TheConcreteCountertopInstitute thank you for your prompt reply. I am creating concrete counter tops using Ardex (started with Henry’s) Feather Finish & it has been a bit stressful - I want the counters to look like I bought them from you. I thought I was ready to apply the Omega until I watched all the videos sent following my purchase. The wet sanding with 400 grit is a game changer! I had dry sanded, of course , and felt good about the finish I had achieved. Then I wet sanded and it looks beautiful. Today IS the day to apply the Omega!
@@Audrey-km9in Great, that's exciting!! Please send completed photos to info@concretecountertopinstitute.com (or send any questions there). By the way, we have a DIY overlay system like Ardex/Henry's called Finale. It comes in several colors and is very easy to work with, like frosting a cake. Check it out at concretecountertopinstitute.com/shop/finale-diy-concrete-countertop-system/
Hi, I want to take the cream off and see the stones, best to get a wet diamond sander which runs at a higher rpm?
Hi Chris, please see this free online seminar for lot of information about diamond polishing: concretecountertopinstitute.com/free-training/polish-concrete-countertops/
After wet hand-sanding with the 400 grit, does the surface need roughing up with a 200 grit to ensure adhesion?
No, 400 grit wet is fine with Omega. However, you could still do a light acid wash to give the surface a little more "tooth".
Jeff,
Can I remove and old sealer with the diamond grit pad?
Yes, please see this article for details: concretecountertopinstitute.com/free-training/reseal-concrete-countertops/
Hi Jeff, brilliant and informative videos as always. I have used 400 diamond pad on a wet polisher (started with 1000rpm up 2000rpm) would that be ok for water-based, nano-acrylic, reactive polyurethane sealer?
Thank you Hussein! I am unable to comment on surface prep for any other sealer, other than to say that generally any coating needs some texture to adhere to, so stopping at 200 or 400 grit (and not proceeding to 3000 for example) is required. Please consult the sealer's manufacturer for detailed requirements. Surface prep is very important.
Thank you Jeff. I have processed with applying the sealer with 5 thin coats and i have buffed in between. I have done the water test the droplet seems to stay on the surface about 1hr before it bleed into the concrete - I am going to apply a beeswax + carnauba that is food safe. I had limited budget for this project. Any plan of making Omega sealer a lil bit more widely available in UK through Amazon/Ebay? Finding a sealer in the UK that is food safe has been a nightmare.
Omega is available for purchase in the UK from Cheshire Concrete Designs. Please visit www.cheshireconcretedesigns.co.uk or call 07807 040783.
Hi Jeff- Anything different to do after grouting pinholes and wet sanding with 400 grit by hand for a cream finish. Plan on using Omega sealer.
First kitchen counter for my home.
Thanks in advance.
Great question Mike! In this situation we recommend a final acid etch and gentle scrub to ensure good adhesion and to remove any surface residue that might interfere with a good bond. The instructions that you receive after purchasing Omega have details about the etching solution (muriatic acid and water).
Thanks I will order and go from there. Thanks again!
@@mike-cr4er You are very welcome!
@@mike-cr4er Hi Mike, how has the sealer held up? I need to re-finish my countertops after only one year so I am looking for a product that will hold up longer. Thank you!
Holding up nicely. Maybe check with Omega for prepping your countertop. 👍
Hi Jeff, how often do i have to seal the concrete countertop after applying the omega sealer? (Yearly?)
Please see the Omega FAQs page at concretecountertopinstitute.com/free-training/omega-concrete-countertop-sealer-faqs/. Omega is a permanent sealer, it does not need to reapplied. How often do you have to paint your car? :-)