A Durable Choice for Exterior Concrete

HEADNOTE

Nawkaw water repellent stains offer concrete protection and color.

With a continuing rise in commercial construction, there has also been an increase in staining for large-scale concrete projects, especially when the building owner wants to increase

curb appeal while adding surface protection. There are acid stains and waterbased stains, each equally as innovative. Both excel at providing abundant and vibrant colors for concrete and other substrates. For more than 20 years Nawkaw has been manufacturing water repellent stains for brick, mortar and concrete using a water-based, low VOC content product, ensuring applicator safety while decreasing environmental impacts associated with many other exterior coatings. If you're choosing concrete stain, you're increasing your design options, simplifying your application process, and helping to make an environmentally conscious decision.

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For concrete contractors, choosing between paint and stain is most often a budgetary decision. It can be cost effective to paint the same square footage on a tilt-up or precast structure than the cost of staining. However, painting usually requires frequent reapplication over the project's lifetime, adding to building maintenance costs. In comparison, staining has been proven to withstand decades of weathering without the need for re-application. It is also a cost savings choice when compared to precast panels embedded with thinbrick. Molded precast, with a brick surface pattern, can be stained to mimic the look and texture of brick, without the maintenance of clay brick faces. Comparing the cost of several different concrete finishing methods can often lead to dramatic savings for a project.

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The more texture and porous the surface, the better the absorption of stain. This absorption into the surface helps give the application the longevity contractors want. Paint will mask concrete texture, diminishing the surface details that were specified for the project. Many stain clients look to stain when color is inconsistent after walls are up in new concrete construction. Color admixtures may not produce a consistent look, and staining can then be utilized to blend those areas together. Concrete construction, even without color additives, can sometimes cause unwanted variations or patterns in the concrete. These unwanted color variations or patterns can be blended together or decoratively colored with stain. With most of Nawkaw's applications, colors are custom mixed to your specifications or to help you match an already existing color.

Nawkaw concrete and masonry stains have been proven to withstand even the most remote temperatures and climates on projects ranging from hospitals, parking decks and hotels to historical concrete monuments and homes. The proprietary line of products has been developed to specifically permeate brick, block, mortar, pre-cast, concrete, stucco, EIFS and manufactured stone surfaces. Staining can be used for decorative addition of color, renovation color matching, restoration and repair blending, and corrective coloring. Products are backed with years of extensive field and laboratory testing and a 25-year warranty is available.

For more information, as well as project references, please visit www.nawkaw.com. Test data and specifications are also available for online viewing. To find a Nawkaw representative in your area or to inquire about our test sample policies call 1-800-905-2692.

- Article by Nawkaw