Questions and Answers for Eagle 1 gal. Etch and Clean for Concrete in 4:1 Concentrated

A:  Yes thats what I use it for

A:  The Etch and Clean is an acidic solution for cleaning and etching concrete. Because it is an acid, it could etch off color from stamp release powders or color hardners on concrete if they are present. Always do a test area to determine compatibility.

A:  Hello Gary, I am not an expert in this area, so my response is based on my experience. I treated a new concrete floor in my newly built garage a few years ago. I watched several DYI videos on the process to etch and clean, and acid stain a concrete floor. I remember the only circumstance where concrete would not be suitable is when it is painted. Therefore, I believe Etch and Clean would work for stamped and colored concrete. To confirm, you mean colored concrete is because a color powder was added to the concrete, correct? the concrete was not painted (with paint) afterwards.

A:  Yes, etching the concrete BEFORE painting will improve the paint adhesion. Follow the directions.

A:  I did not use this on a garage floor but on my basement walls and floor prior to treating and painting. You definitely use some cleaner prior to painting.

A:  The Etch and Clean is a cleaner and etcher we use to open the porosity of the concrete to aid the adhesion of our sealers. Reach out to Behr to determine compatibility with their product.

A:  yes, it is very important to etch the concrete before applying any kind of paint

A:  Yes, I painted my garage floor with Etch and Clean, the result is much better than the earlier time I painted my other house's garage floor (The paint start peeling off only several month). The paint still solid stay on the garage floor for two years now.

A:  It might, but I would suggest a product like Zep, or Rid Rust (also available from HD).

A:  Depending on how deep the staining, the Etch and Clean may remove the rust stains from the concrete or at least lighten them enough to blend in with the acid stain.

A:  No, this product will not remove glue.

A:  The Etch and Clean will most likely not remove glue or mastic. Carpet glues can be difficult to remove and usually need to be chemically stripped or taken of with a grinder.

A:  I can speak from personal experience. It will not take carpet glue off of concrete. If the square footage is manageable, get an angle grinder, dust collection shroud, diamond grinder wheel, large capacity shop vac, dust collection bags for the vacuum. That’s how I I carpet glue and multiple layers of concrete paint off a basement floor prior to tiling it.

A:  No it won’t take off.

A:  The Etch and Clean is a mild acid which will not harm brick but could affect the wood. It may bleach it out some. It would be best to avoid getting it on the wood.

A:  Contact us through our website and we can help you with a solution. www.eaglesealer.com

A:  The Etch and Clean is specifically designed for use on concrete. We would not recommend it for cleaning cast iron.

A:  This product will not remove surface rust from cast iron.

A:  This can be cleaned off with a lawn sprayer and a garden hose.

A:  Pressure washer is best way, using a mop or water will take a lot of water

A:  NO! Definetly not!. That etchant, is to clean the concrete, which will help it look clean, help other products adhere, etc. However, it itself, is an acid. It reacts with elements in the cement. That "etching" is a polite way to say "eating away". In reacting with these elements, it is removing the very substances that the acid stain is intended to react with. That will make an acid stain much less effective.. There is a possibility, that your surface has been previously cleaned with an acid, so you might not have the expected results anyway. There are other ways to color concrete, that are not acid stains. I am not saying that acid stains are not good, they are something I work with myself. However, sometimes acid stains are not the best in a specific situation. Just as an aside, if your project is outdoors, I find that the earthier tones are more colorfast in the long run, than things in the blue and green ranges, especially in direct sunlight. If you are working indoors, on a floor that has previously had carpet or linoleum over it, you might find that some of the pores and been clogged with adhesives. These things are not deal killers, but be prepared for the fact, that good prep may be necessary, either renting a grinder to expose new concrete from under the surface that you see now, or, recoating with a thin coat of a cement based product, made for the purpose of refreshing the surface. That way you get a fresh canvas for your acid stain work. Sometimes, just misting a little water on the concrete, will show you where issues are, and there are some tests you can perform, that will help you to determine if your concrete is reactive enough for acid staining. If you see water beading up and not soaking in, then the concrete will probably reject the stain I suggest that you contact the manufacturer of the specific acid stain you plan to use, and ask then for hints on these issues. You can also get a lot if information from a lady in Albuquerque, whose name is Gaye Goodman, her business is Faux Real. I am not sure it I am allowed to offer this information, but she is a great source on the how tos of concrete acid staining. If this advice is not approved, I may have to edit it, but that is about the best I can do to help you. Good luck, if you take the time to do it right, you will get a beautiful result with acid staining, but clean the crete with detergents, power washers, but not acid etchants.

A:  it says specifically in the specs to use before acid staining

A:  Yes, make sure all is washed off and dry before adding stain

A:  yes it is a etcher. It etches the concrete so that paints/stains can stick better to the concrete