By Clyde Noel
 Artistic Concrete Stain and Design owner Jed Silver has developed a method of staining concrete, stucco and other porous materials to create natural, subtle color and texture variations. |
Acid staining is the hottest trend in the concrete industry today, especially when colorful earth tones are desired.
To provide that look, Carol and Jed Silver, 20-year Los Altos residents, founded Artistic Concrete Stain and Design; which they operate from their home. Acid staining has become popular because it provides a more affordable flooring option than wood, stone or tile and offers a unique character to flooring.
Jed has restored and created beautiful floors for more than 23 years. After focusing on commercial projects, supermarkets and developers, he has started concentrating on residential applications. He purchased a house in the Rancho Shopping Center area and experimented with stains on his own house. In addition to the floors, he did the stucco work on the outside.
“Cities are requesting earth tones in their building applications, and stucco staining is the answer,” Jed said. “Acid stain is not a paint or coating agent, rather it’s a coloring process involving a chemical reaction on a cement material.”
Jed often uses the word “patina” in his conversation because the process can create instant antiquity. Build something new and make it look old real fast.
“Patina is everything that happens to an object over the course of time,” Jed said. “The loss of moisture in the paint, the crackling of a finish or a glaze in ceramics, the gentle wear patterns on the edge of a plate create patina. All these things add up to create a softer look, subtle color changes and character. Patina is built from all the effects, natural and man-made, that create a true antique or the feeling of age.”
What started as an art form with color experimentation is now a business for the Silvers. Working with his father, Jacob Silver likes the artistic value in what he does. “It’s not throwing down concrete and running away like a lot of contractors,” he said. “The procedure is labor-intensive, and you can spend most of the day mixing so the stains have a natural variegated look.”
The acid-stain solution made with water, acid and inorganic salts reacts with minerals already present in the concrete. The result of this reaction is color. It works very well on new or old concrete. The predominant colors created are earth-tone browns, reddish browns and greens.
Applications to transform new or existing concrete and stucco surfaces with chemically reactive stains include kitchens, bathrooms, mantels, fireplaces and exterior patios and walks. The Silvers are presently working with concrete floors in Palo Alto and staining a concrete wall at a Pacifica elementary school.
The Silvers’ home will be open in August as a living display area to view available applications using concrete staining.
Artistic Concrete Stain and Design is located at 727 Edge Lane, Los Altos. For more information, call 444-1145.
