Difference Between Muriatic Acide And Etching Acid For Concrete Floor

A guide to the acid etching of concrete by w a.

Difference between muriatic acide and etching acid for concrete floor. The following is a guide to procedures required to properly prepare concrete for the application of thin film coating systems by acid etching. The good thing is that there are safer alternatives that are just as effective available in the market today. However for larger commercial jobs older concrete or worn floors we always recommend grinding before epoxy installation. Protection of metal while acid etching concrete floor september 24 2014 this entry appended to this thread by editor in lieu of spawning a duplicative thread.

Acid etching is the process of applying hydrochloric muriatic or buffered phosphoric acid to a slab then rinsing it off with water. You roughen such a floor by etching it with muriatic acid. Muriactic acid is one of the most dangerous chemicals you can buy for home use and it can damage nearly everything it touches. For many years it was a standard method of concrete preparation used by nearly all industrial commercial and institutional floor coating installers depending on the floor size and system to be installed.

One of the less labor intensive methods of roughening concrete is through the application of acidic material to your floor. Some homeowners shy away from acid etching of their concrete floors for fear of the harmful effects of using and handling muriatic acid the main component of acid etch flooring. How does acid etching concrete work. Used improperly these chemicals can result in severe injury.

Acid etching requires the use of strong chemicals. These sorts of products give the concrete a professional looking sheen and also resist water grease oil and other common spills making the floor easy to maintain. Acid etching a garage floor is a great solution for those who are installing the floor themselves and do not have access to industrial grinders. Many acid etching projects are carried out to prepare a concrete floor for the application of a synthetic epoxy or sealant.

After diluting the acid is spread across the entire floor with a sprayer and allowed to sit for 2 15 minutes. Use muriatic acid or another acid etching material such as klean strip green muriatic acid a safer muriatic acid or hydro etch 1000 which is a modified phosphoric acid which is not as harmful as traditional muriatic acids. Muriatic acid is the most common etching acid for this purpose. It also reduces the surface alkalinity of the concrete that can cause some paints to adhere poorly.