Concrete etching brings art to floors and walls.
Concrete etching is also known as concrete engraving. You use special tools and materials to permanently etch patterns or designs into concrete. The process transforms old or new concrete floors, walls, ceilings or steps into art. First, you thoroughly clean the concrete, repair any cracks and then stain it with a penetrating acrylic or acid stain that will complement the planned design. The final step is the most artistic portion of the transformation where you etch the pattern or design into the concrete. Finish off the project by sealing the concrete to protect it from stains, and you will have a one-of-a-kind concrete surface.
Small High Speed Rotary Tools
Small rotary tools do fine etching in concrete.
You use high speed rotary tools to create very detailed graphics in concrete. They are not well suited for long, straight cuts because when they hit aggregates in the concrete they will jump to one side. The bit is the part of the tool that does the cutting and the bits that fit these tools for working on concrete will be diamond coated. Diamond bits come in various sizes and shapes. Some are pointed while others may have ball-like tips. Small, high speed rotary tools work best for small jobs and small areas.
Large High Speed Rotary Tools
Diamond blades on powerful motors cover large areas of concrete quickly.
Unlike their smaller counterparts, these tools use blades instead of bits and they are designed to handle large jobs. They excel at cutting repetitive patterns in concrete like brick, cobblestone, tile and stone patterns. These tools are sometimes set up on a track system to exactly control the cutting process, and the operator can often stand up when using these instead of kneeling as with other kinds of etching tools.
High-Performance Engraving Tools
High-performance engraving tools rely upon air to do their work. You need an air compressor that can deliver the specified cubic-feet-per-minute at a specified pressure as listed by the tool manufacturer. These etching tools reciprocate rather than turning. The tools have diamond or carbide bits and the bits are available in different sizes depending on the size of the details you are etching. The small tools work well for precision designs and fine details and are especially helpful when needing to clean up large designs or get in close to a vertical surface.
Templates and Stencils
Stencils provide an easy pattern to follow when etching concrete.
It is tough to etch concrete freehand so that is why most people use templates and stencils to guide their work. They are made from materials that are tough and durable and they can be reused many times. Some of the patterns available include brick, cobblestone, logos, numbers, letters and emblems. People can also get their favorite designs or art work made into templates and stencils.
