Stained Concrete Flooring in Lawrence IN - color you've seen on your own floor first
Tired of a plain gray slab in your basement or garage? We stain it a rich, varied color and seal it so the color holds up.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
What does staining a concrete floor actually do?
Stained concrete flooring in Lawrence, IN colors the slab you already have. Acid stain does it by reacting with the cement in the surface, so the color becomes part of the floor, in a mottled, varied pattern no other floor will match.
Most people who call about stain have a bare basement or garage slab and want color without covering the concrete up. The price turns on how big the floor is, how much old paint, sealer or glue has to come off first, and whether you want one color or a layered pattern. The schedule mostly turns on the slab itself, because a damp floor or one under an old coating has to be dealt with before any stain goes on. When I come out, I check all of that and write up what we'd do and why, so your figure comes from your floor and not a guess.
How do you know a floor is ready for stain or a fresh seal?
Bare gray concrete
You've got a sound basement or garage slab that still looks unfinished, and that's usually a good floor for stain. The longer it sits bare, the more spills and marks set into it, and stain won't cover them later.
Old paint flaking off
Flaking paint or a patchy old coating means stain can't reach the concrete in those spots, so the color would come out blotchy. It gets messier as more of it lifts, and all of it has to come off before any stain goes on.
Stained floor gone dull
When a stained floor looks dull or worn where you walk most, it's usually the sealer wearing thin, not the color. Resealing then protects the stain, and if you wait until the sealer is gone, the color itself starts taking the wear.
What our stained concrete flooring work includes
We start with the slab, because nearly every failed floor I've seen came back to the concrete underneath. Our crew checks it for moisture, strips old paint, sealer and glue, and cleans it so the stain can reach bare concrete. Stain doesn't cover cracks or old marks, so before we do the whole floor we test a spot on your floor and show you the real color. Once you've seen it and said yes, we put the stain down, clean off what's left of it and seal the floor to protect the color.
Stain is one way to finish a slab, not the only one. If you'd rather have a polished floor with stone chips set right into it, terrazzo flooring is a different job with a different look. If the room is a basement and you're weighing stain against other finishes, our basement flooring work covers what holds up best in a space below grade.
Acid-based stain
Acid stain bonds with the slab and is essentially permanent, and it gives the mottled, one-of-a-kind look most people picture when they think of stained concrete. It suits you if you want the color for good and like a floor with some movement in it.
Water-based stain
Water-based stain sits on the surface instead of bonding, so later on it can be lightened, darkened or covered with a new color. It suits you if you might want a new look someday, and I'll help you weigh that before we pick.
Get a written estimate for your stained floor
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set up a time. I come out to check your slab and write the estimate myself, free and with no pressure to book.
(317) 463-6468- Based in
- Lawrence, IN 46226
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–9 PM
What happens after you call about a stained floor in Lawrence?
Here's how a stain job runs from your first call to the final walk-through, and what you'll have in hand at each point.
Call or send a request
You call (317) 463-6468 or fill out the form, and we get back to you to set up a visit. Pick a time when the floor is easy to get to, since I'll want to see as much of it as I can.
I check your floor
I look at the slab, check it for moisture and old coatings, and talk through which stain fits how you use the room. If the slab isn't ready for stain, I'll tell you that before anything else.
Read your written estimate
You get it in writing, with what we'd do to the floor and why, so you know what you're paying for before you say yes. Prep is usually where the price moves, and the estimate shows how much your slab needs.
We stain, seal and walk it
Once you're ready, our crew preps the slab, stains it and seals it. At the end we walk the floor with you so you see the finished color before we call it done.
Why Lawrence homeowners call us for stained concrete
I write your estimate myself
I come out to look at the floor and write the estimate, and our own crew does the prep and the staining while I check the work along the way. The person who sized up your slab is the one keeping an eye on it.
Slab prep first, since 2017
I ran prep crews and fixed floors that didn't hold before I started this business in Lawrence in 2017. That's why we spend the time on the concrete first, since stain only looks as good as the slab it soaks into.
Licensed and insured, easy to check
We're licensed and insured. Lawrence sits outside the city of Indianapolis, so you check any contractor's license with the City of Lawrence at 317.545.8787, and you're welcome to check ours.
If you're thinking about stain, send us a request or call (317) 463-6468 and I'll come take a look at your slab.
Permits and prep for stained concrete in Lawrence
The City of Lawrence takes permit requests from both contractors and property owners through the Resident Access option on the city's permit portal. When a job needs a permit, we file for it with the city and tell you where it stands, and if it's unclear whether your floor needs one, we check with the city before we start. Lawrence also runs its own contractor registration, so a contractor with an Indianapolis license registers by showing proof of it, and one without registers by uploading a general liability insurance certificate for city staff to review.
Most floors we stain around here are basements and garages that have had other finishes on them, so old paint, carpet glue or worn sealer usually has to come off before stain will take. We see the same mix on jobs in Fishers and Greenfield, and we prep those slabs the same way.
Questions about stained concrete in Lawrence
How much does stained concrete flooring cost in Lawrence, IN?
Across the US, stained concrete flooring usually costs about $2 to $25 per square foot, and that's a national range, not a Lawrence price or ours. Intricate acid stain patterns with several colors cost much more per square foot than a basic design. For a figure on your floor, I'll come out and write up an estimate.
Will concrete stain hide cracks or old stains on my floor?
No, acid stain won't hide cracks, flaws or stains that are already in the concrete. Its color also depends on the texture and makeup of your slab, so the same stain can look different from one floor to the next. That's why we show you a test spot on your own floor first.
How long does a stained concrete floor last?
With proper care, a stained concrete floor easily lasts 20 years or more. The sealer on top wears faster, and a contractors' association guide says lighter-traffic indoor floors need new sealer every 4 to 5 years, with busier or sunlit areas every 2 to 3 years.
How soon can I walk on a stained concrete floor after it's sealed?
At 70°F, sealer is typically dry to the touch in 1 to 2 hours and ready for light foot traffic in 3 to 4 hours. The same guide recommends keeping furniture off a freshly sealed floor for a full 24 hours or more, so plan to move things back the next day.
How do I know if my concrete floor is ready to stain?
It's ready when it's cured, clean, bare and dry. One stain maker's guide says the concrete should be at least four weeks old, with all old sealers, paints, adhesives and coatings stripped, and suggests taping plastic over one square foot of floor and pulling it up the next day. If the floor under it is wet, it shouldn't be stained and sealed, and I check moisture when I come out.
What is the best way to clean a stained concrete floor?
Keep muriatic acid off it, because one stain maker warns it destroys the minerals the stain needs for its color. When we walk the finished floor with you, ask which cleaner suits your stain and sealer, and we'll tell you.
Other floor work that pairs with stain
Terrazzo Flooring
If you like the idea of a decorative floor but want a polished surface with stone chips set into it, terrazzo gives a look stain can't.
Basement Flooring
Basements bring their own questions about dampness and old finishes, and this covers the floor options we'd weigh for a room below grade.
Cities where we stain concrete floors
Lawrence Epoxy Floors and Concrete is based in Lawrence, Indiana, and works across the 12 cities listed here, including Carmel and Noblesville. If you don't see your city, just ask.
Lawrence, IN
Start your stained floor estimate today
When you call (317) 463-6468 or send the form, tell us the floor's size, its age and any old paint or coating on it, so I come out ready to check the right things.