Staining my concrete patio

I spent about 2 hours a day for 2 days and $100 to give my patio a major transformation! 

Before / After

Supplies

The Process

Step 1: use the cleaner to clean & scrub the concrete.  Tape lines where you don't want stain. 

Step 2: Apply the acid.  I didn't follow the instructions for how to apply because i wanted a very textured look.  I applied with a brush and towel, also had a spray bottle of water that i would spray some areas before /after to impact how much acid would react. 

Step 3: you are supposed to let the acid sit for 4-6 hours and then wash it off and neutralize it.  My weather forecast called for an intense storm 1 hour after I applied the acid.. but because I wasn't following the instructions I was all for this.  It rained for a couple hours on the acid that had only set 1 hour. 

Step 4: I removed the tape and neutralized the acid / scrubbed it once the rain stopped.  Normally there would be an "acid residue" you have to scrub off but since mine sat in the rain so long I didn't have this.

Step 5: Once it is completely dry (I waited 24 hours) apply the sealer.  This gives it a much darker "wet" look. 

The Result...