Acid stained floor

Absolutely not. Ideal Stain acids are formulated to react only during the 4 hours following application. Once the application is finished and the flooring has been treated with surface protection, even where there is underfloor heating, no substance is released that could be harmful to health. Tests carried out discovered that the acid stain flooring come within class A+ as regards the quality of the air measured inside interior environments.

Absolutely, yes. It will be necessary to carefully assess the thickness available for creating the floor in order to choose the most suitable technical solution: concrete, Betontop, Microtopping. Moreover, Acid Stain or Nuvolato floors created in concrete or Betontop give better results, in terms of heat conduction, than other flooring systems.

As with all types of concrete slabs, acid stain floors are also jointed. The cutting acts to encourage the natural contractions of the concrete and so create expansion joints. It is the task of the Ideal Work installer to define the design and the arrangement of the cuts. Once complete, the joints can be filled with special colored resins that can be the same color as the floor.

With continuous surfaces made in concrete or similar products, it is possible that cracking can appear due to the contraction of the concrete and other external influences. The installer undertakes, in any event, to adopt all the strategies necessary to limit the appearance of cracks, although these can appear for reasons other than the workmanship including settlement of the structure. In the event that cracks do appear, it is in possible to take action, repairing the cracks with specific products in order to conceal them, obtaining a pleasing aesthetic result.

Cleaning an Acid Stain floor is very simple. A damp cloth is sufficient to clean the surfaces with the addition of a little neutral detergent for floors (for example PERFETTO! Ideal Work, a specific detergent for decorative Ideal Work surfaces). It is recommended to periodically treat the pavement with protective products based on self-polishing waxes dispersed in water (for example, Ideal Cera) or beeswax (for example EASY WAX). Detergents based on soap, acid, ammonia, chlorine or any abrasive detergent product are absolutely prohibited. It is recommended to use only NON AGGRESSIVE, neutral PH detergents.

Ideal Work offers a wide range of protection. The choice of the right protection depends on the requirements of the end customer. In principle, even if the surface treatment effectively protects the concrete from rapid penetration of accidentally spilled liquids, it is well to remember that all liquid substances, especially those most used in the domestic environment such as wine, oils, vinegar and coffee, must be eliminated quickly from all surfaces before they can penetrate to any depth.

Certainly, it is possible to create stairs or even vertical surfaces. When dealing with projects that require special processes, it is important to assess the most suitable technical solution with your Ideal Work installer in order to obtain the final result you require.

The thickness of the floor depends on the traffic and the type of loads that the floor must support. Based on this information, the thickness and the type of concrete to be used can be established. As a guide, the thicknesses used in normal conditions are the following: 7-10 cm, exterior or interior residential pedestrian only areas, 13-15 cm, light vehicle traffic areas (cars), 18-20 cm, medium-to-heavy vehicular traffic (cars-lorries). In the case of lower thicknesses of between 5-6 cm, rather than creating a support in concrete, it would be wise to use BETONTOP, a special multifunctional additive suitable for creating supports with specifications similar to concrete, but suitable for low thicknesses. These values are entirely indicative and should be used as such. It is the job of the designer to establish the thickness and resistance of the concrete based on the loads (even occasional). It will, however, be the responsibility of your Ideal Work installer to advise and assist you in choosing the finish most suitable for your requirements.

Absolutely, yes. As monolithic concrete flooring, they are extremely resistant to walking, impact and vehicle traffic. Due to the chemical reaction with the concrete, Ideal Work acids become part of the surface. They are not subject to fading, scratches, stripping or cracking and are as resistant as the concrete slab itself.

Technically, a Nuvolato floor made with the hardener Ideal Floor Pewter (light grey based titanium aggregate) is the base surface for later acid stain treatment with Ideal Stain acid dyes. It can therefore be stated that the Nuvolato flooring is the starting point for Acid Stain flooring. Structurally, they do not change: assessment of the thickness, resistance to abrasion and compression, protective and maintenance treatments are practically the same. The difference is aesthetic: the colors and the effects are completely different. The Nuvolato floors feature pastel colors, greys and whites; the texture of the finish is softer and tends to be more uniform compared to an Acid Stain floor, which is notable for the greater intensity of colors, unique textures and irregularities similar to those of leather.

Generally, yes: acid stain flooring can also laid on an existing screed. In such cases, it will be important to assess the quality and type of screed on which the new flooring will be glued. Based on the thickness available, Ideal Work offers various technical solutions: MICROTOPPING, suitable for application on thicknesses of 3-4 mm; TOPFLOOR, specific for creating flooring with a thickness of 1-2 cm and BETONTOP, suitable for thicknesses between 2 and 6 cm. However, it will be the responsibility of your Ideal Work installer to advise and assist you in the choice of flooring most suitable for your requirements.

Absolutely, yes. In the case of exterior applications, it will be fundamental to assess, together with the installer, the finishing of the flooring, which must be slip-resistant, as well as the most suitable protective treatment.

The colored acidic solution containing metallic salts comes in contact with the cement flooring and reacts with the alkalinity of the concrete itself, condensing the metallic salts that release the color. The result is unique for every surface and depends on many variables: the chemical composition, the mix design, porosity, age, texture and color of the concrete, the number of applications and other factors.

Acid stain floors are unique surfaces with a definite personality, featuring unrepeatable plays of color and textures. They are designed to create variegated finishes. It is possible to partly reduce the intensity and the variegations of the effects by adding water to the product during the mixing and application phase. If a more uniform effect is sought, it is generally recommended to choose a Nuvolato floor.

Ideal Stain dyes are available in 7 standard colors: Fern Green, Amber, Terracotta, Brown, Turquoise, Ebony and Jade. It is possible to change the color or reduce the intensity by mixing several colors together and diluting the product with water. The acids are not resins, varnishes or paints: the color is created, in fact, by the chemical reaction that takes place between the alkaline part of the flooring and the acidic part of the product. If a specific color is desired, it is recommended to choose a Nuvolato floor.