How to Blend Concrete Patches on Stained Floors

I recently patched some minor cracks in a concrete floor and now I want to stain the entire floor. Will the repaired areas absorb the stain like the rest of the floor? I want the color to be uniform.

Any time you stain a floor with repaired or patched areas, expect a color difference. The base color and character of the concrete has a lot of influence on the final color and look that is achieved when you apply translucent stains or dyes. Since a concrete patching material will have a different porosity and profile than the existing concrete, it can be expected that the repaired areas will stain differently. Sometimes the differences will be subtle, and sometimes they can be extreme. Always do a test to determine the actual color difference that might occur. If the color difference is unacceptable, consider applying a concrete overlay or microtopping over the entire slab to achieve a new, uniform surface on which to apply your stain.

I saw your Concrete Network articles and those of others about acid-stained concrete floors. But I did not see any articles on retouching stained concrete floors. The reason I'm contacting you is that I have a 2x2-foot hole in the middle of my beautiful stained and scored concrete living room floor caused by jack hammering to repair a water leak under the foundation. Any suggestions you could give me regarding how to go about repairing and restoring the floor to its original condition, and on a $2,270 budget, would be appreciated.

Can the hole be filled in with concrete and bull floated evenly, then rescored with a new diamond blade at the appropriate depth? Can the 2x2-foot bull-floated area be retouched to match the original brownish-red stain color, and if so, can you recommend what acid stains to use? Or will we have to apply an overlay on the entire living room floor to get a reasonable match?

A water leak under this house required jack hammering through the stained concrete living room floor

This is one of the more interesting issues I have come across in 10 years. What a tough break and situation. Trying to patch a stained floor is truly one of the hardest rehab jobs out there. You need to match the texture and finish of the concrete, and then match the color and tone of the stain. Any patch material - concrete or polymer - will stain differently, so it will be virtually impossible to get a good texture and color match with any type of patch. These are the options I suggest:

• Cut the hole to the closest sawcut lines to create a neat and uniform opening. This way you will be working within a designated space and won't have to worry about blending outside the lines. Fill the hole with concrete, then come back with a white or light-colored microtopping skim coat to match the profile and texture of the rest of the floor. Get a professional to work with the stains to match the original color.
• Fill the hole with concrete, then grind down the entire floor and cover it with a microtopping (see Decorative Concrete Overlays). Next, restain and seal the entire floor.
• Since money is an issue, try your best with a patch and use a throw rug to cover the area. Not the best solution, but I have seen it done successfully. Or you could even create a "faux" throw rug by stenciling a pattern over the patch and turning it from an eyesore into a decorative focal point. (See Stenciling Concrete Interior Floors.)

So, basically the options are to try and match a patched hole to the rest of the floor or redo the entire floor. I am not sure either remedy will work within your budget. The patch method also runs the risk of creating a spot on the floor that looks so different, it attracts attention and becomes a bigger eyesore.

Learn more about how to buy concrete stains.

Return to How to Fix Concrete Acid Stains

Vintage America Acid Stain Organic, antique patina, deep penetrating reactive stain.

Acid Stain by Surfkoat Makes up to 2 gallons. Great for marble look.

Stain-Crete by Increte 9 standard colors. Useful for old or new concrete.

Elements® Transparent Concrete Stain Water-based, environmentally and user-friendly

Concrete Stain + Sealer in One Waterproof, strengthen, preserve and beautify in one step

Stone Tone Stain 10 color options. Resistant to chipping and fading.

Concrete Acid Stain BRICKFORM Blush-Tone Acid Stain available in 10 standard colors

In-Fluence Water-Based Stain 24 non-reactive colors that transform concrete.