Question from Jasmine
Greetings, I currently live in a home built on a concrete slab, which needs new floor covering, but at present I am unable to lay wood or bamboo floors, and would also like to avoid new carpeting. Instead, I am considering perhaps staining the concrete floors as an alternative. If I did stain the concrete, it would have to be as nontoxic as possible, as I am sensitive to chemicals and odors, and also would like to avoid future off-gassing.
In searching the web for non-toxic concrete stains, I see that there do exist some supposedly non-toxic options. It also appears that the stained floors would require some kind of sealer.
I am wondering if anyone has stained concrete floors and if they have any non-toxic concrete stain and/or sealer product recommendations? Or have any other feedback to share on this subject?
thanks much, Jasmine
Debra’s Answer
Readers, what is your experience with this?
I used SoyCrete to stain the concrete floors throughout my entire house, and I wrote about my experience here on Debra’s blog, via my comment to a post titled Q&A: Finishing a Basement Cement Floor. In a nutshell, I found good results with SoyCrete and the sealer (also made by EcoProcote). I am moderately chemically sensitive and very odor sensitive, and could not be around the floors til they cured and aired out for a couple months. But after that, no odor, and beautiful floors which have kept up pretty well. I recommend SoyCrete as a safer floor product, but definitely test for sensitivity before using on a whole floor. (I think my last post got lost in the website transition- sorry if this is duplicate info). Katie DP
Yes, http://www.greenbuildingsupply.com has all of the Non-Toxic paint and sealer needs. Check them out, We order about $400.00 of their products per month and we keep trying new ones they come out with because we love them!
Hi I recently learned that concrete is one of the only floor materials which conducts health-promoting earth energy into your feet if they are bare or wearing sox made of a carbon-based cloth like cotton. This negative electron energy helps ground us and also drains lots of positively-charged, unhealthy energy out of the body which I would guess might help people with chemical sensitivities. So, you might be covering up a substance that would be beneficial to your health. Possibly there is a carbon-based color treatment that would not obliterate the concrete’s conductivity, but I would check this out before coating my concrete floor with anything. I wish I had concrete floors, but I have wood and it surprisingly does not conduct the electrons. One of the reasons most people feel so great at beaches is the flow of earth energy into the body which is enhanced by wet sand, bare feet and minimal clothing. Just thought you’d like to know this.
We have a flooring project and want to take up carpet and decorate (?stain or polish) our existing cement slab with allergen friendly materials for mild chemical and electromagnetic sensitivity. In addition I’d like to retain the earthing / grounding benefit of the concrete.
Any help greatly appreciated.