Modern technology provides us with two common procedures for treating, coloring and sealing concrete floor, countertops, patios etc. They are Concrete Acid Staining and Concrete Polishing.
Why Acid Staining? Before this process was developed, concrete dyes were commonly used. Early concrete dyes consisted of generic printing inks that were dissolved in mild solutions of alcohol and applied to concrete surfaces to add color to grey concrete. There were problems with these earlier dyes. When alcohol-based dyes are exposed to sunlight, the color either lightens or fades completely.
Manufacturers moved beyond these alcohol based dyes because of the fading problems. They began dissolving these same printing inks in different carriers such as acetone, lacquer thinner and other solvents. UV inhibiting agents were added to new dyes to help with UV instability issues. While the results were improved color maintenance, there was still substantial fading when exposed to sunlight.