Anyone ever stain & score your floors?

[GN One Day...]

As in acid etched, stained and scored concrete floors. Thinking about pulling up the vinyl (whatever) stuff in the kitchen and the carpet in our bedroom and doing this. Looks like a good DIY project and a lot cheaper than hardwood floors. I've seen it in some new houses and if done right it can look REALLY good. Kind of a marble appearance almost.

(See if I can get some pictures to link)

This is what I have in mind:
http://www.decorative-concrete.net/images/photos/stained/floor_residential_stained4.jpg

A possibility, might be easier due to fewer cuts in scoring?:
http://www.decorative-concrete.net/images/photos/stained/cugini500.jpg

http://www.decorative-concrete.net/images/photos/stained/chemstain.jpg

http://www.decorative-concrete.net/images/photos/stained/floor_residential_stencil10.jpg

 

[SinistrV6]

Haven't done it myself, but see it in many houses around here. Looks GREAT! I intend to have my floors done that way when I build again (as soon as this one sells!!)

 

[gn1220]

Do you think that would work/hold up in a garage? I really like the way that looks.

 

[GN One Day...]

I don't see why it wouldn't work fine in a garage, I was kind of thinking that myself. From what I've read (the very little that I can find) is that the key is in prepping the surface well first. Grease, oil any kind of contaminants can mess it up and you have to redo that area. Any oil marks might be the hard part, but it would make it look pretty good once it was done. I think the acid and then the stain react with metal particles in the concrete, which creates the marbled look. Since it's a stain, I don't see why it wouldn't hold up fine, especially since you apply a sealer afterwards.