Tools you will need.

Fortunately, acid staining is not a job that requires numerous specialized tools that will cost you a fortune and you will only use once. For the most part, most acid staining jobs can be done with a minimum amount of tools; most all of which are readily available. In fact, you may already have everything you need.

What is absolutely necessary:

For the most basic job you will need the following tools (with estimated costs)

- A mop and mop bucket (new $40)

- A vinyl bristle scrub brush with long handle ($10-$20)

- An all-plastic pump-style garden sprayer ($20-$30)

- A paint roller with long handle ($10-$30)

- At least two paint rollers with a 3/8″ knap ($5 - $15)

- A paint tray, preferably with plastic insert ($5 - $20)

- A wet/dry vac (rental costs $10 - $20 a day)

- Baking soda for neutralizing acid stain ($2 - $5)

- Respirator for applying sealant ($20 - $50)

- Acid stain (cost will vary, but start at 50 cents per square foot)

- Sealant (again, cost will vary, but start at 50 cents per square foot)

- Wax (less than $20 for most jobs)

- Gold star for your grand achievement ($1.00 splurge)

Additional tools you may want or need:

- Circular saw and abrasive blade for scoring (saw $50+ and blade $15 - $50)

- Chalk line and chalk for scoring lines ($10 - $15)

- Dust mask for scoring process ($2 - $10)

- Paint brushes for unique stain effects ($10 and up)

- Orbital buffer for cleaning acid residue (rental costs $10 - $30 per day)

- Tape for segregating various stain areas ($5 - $10)

Because of the highly flexible nature of acid staining, you may want to research and experiment with various forms of unique, artistic application. For the time being, this website will only cover a basic application process. Additional techniques and applications could, of course, require more additional equipment and supplies not mentioned here.

Also, this tool list assumes proper floor preparation. The equipment and supplies needed for floor preparation depend entirely on the condition of the floor. You can get a better idea of equipment needs and costs in the floor preparation and concrete repair sections.

Next: Picking a stain.