Product Description
Red
Red is exactly what it sounds like. Deep, saturated, and immediately commanding. Not a bright cherry red, more like dried chili or dark brick. It has weight to it and is very dramatic.
As a standalone color it is bold and direct. As an accent in a larger palette it adds contrast that can completely change the energy of a project. It will draw attention wherever it’s applied.
Use it in sun and moon designs, Southwestern palettes, or any project where you need a strong warm anchor. Diluted it adds a warm blush to earth tones, and mix with whitewash to create your preferred shade of pink concrete stain. Applied strong it stands entirely on its own and does not need anything else around it to work.
Find Your Color
Tru Tint WB is offered in 40 hand-selected colors — from natural earth tones to bold architectural shades. Visit our full color page to browse, compare, and plan your project.
- Semi-translucent finish — layer colors for a mottled, natural look
- Mix colors together to create a completely custom shade
- Full range of stain colors to mimic any stone in your concrete project.
What Is Water-Based Concrete Stain and How Do I Apply It?
A fast, forgiving way to introduce color, refresh a surface, create a natural look, or highlight logos and patterns — indoors or out.
Semi-Penetrating, Not Paint
Water-based concrete stain works like a wood stain on concrete. It contains special resins that bind pigment (a bunch of really small particles) to and just below the concrete surface — the water carries the pigment into the slab, and the polymer bonds the color in the pores. The result is a natural, translucent finish that shows the character of the concrete beneath it.
You can see in the graphic that the more porous the concrete, the bolder the color will become. The thicker the concentration the less you will see any surface below the particles. This is why surface prep matters — a denser, hard-troweled surface will absorb less stain and show less color than an open, textured one.
A simple way to test whether your surface is ready is to drop a small amount of water on it — if it absorbs quickly, the surface is open and ready to stain. If it beads up or sits on top, the surface is too dense or has a sealer or curing compound present that will block the stain from bonding. In either case, light grinding or sanding will open the pores back up and give the stain something to grip, ensuring consistent color penetration across the whole surface.
Unlike acid stains, there is no chemical reaction. Colors are predictable, application is forgiving, and cleanup is simple. Tru Tint WB can be applied with a sprayer, roller, brush, or sponge. Lyayer and mix different colors to create a completely custom look.
Be Careful, More Isn’t Always Better
If you continue to layer and pile on more and more stain, it will get darker and more opaque. However, you are creating a new surface that is made entirely of concrete stain particles!
A layer of particles is nowhere near as strong or durable as concrete. Additionally, when you seal the surface after staining, there is no longer any surface roughness or exposed concrete to hold the sealer in place. This can lead to the sealer coming off in a shorter time frame than expected, appearing milky or cloudy across the surface, or lifting completely off. Think of it like trying to glue something to a pile of loose sand instead of a solid floor. The bond simply has nothing reliable to grip onto, and over time or even immediately under foot traffic, the whole finish can fail.
Here at Walttools, we’ve seen and tested various scenarios of stain application. You can trust in our decades of experience to guide you to get your job right. Follow our application guidelines and you’ll get a finish that holds up for years.
Prepare the Surface
The concrete must be clean and free of any existing sealers or curing aids. Test by dropping water on the surface — if it absorbs quickly, the surface is ready. Degrease older concrete and pressure wash thoroughly before starting.
Shake and Mix the Stain
Pigments settle over time. Shake or stir thoroughly before use to ensure all pigment is fully suspended. Dilute with water for a lighter, more transparent effect.
Apply in Circular Overlapping Passes
Use a sprayer in a circular motion, overlapping each pass to avoid hard lines. Avoid applying like paint — Tru Tint WB is semi-transparent by design. Too much product will block the surface and prevent the sealer from bonding properly.
Layer for Depth (Optional)
Apply a second color while the first is still wet for blended transitions, or allow it to dry fully before reapplying for more distinct color separation. Both techniques create beautiful results — it just depends on the look you’re after. Scroll down to the project inspiration section to view pictures and videos of past projects we’ve done. Or go to our main Tru Tint WB Page to see how our colors combine using the tool we offer.
Seal to Lock In Color
Always finish with an appropriate concrete sealer. The sealer locks in the pigment, reduces UV fading, and enhances the stained areas by deepening the color. Do not skip this step.
Waterbased Concrete Stain Project Inspiration
Precision Detail Work
Applied with a brush, Tru Tint WB lets you color logos, stencil patterns, and design elements with precision. The semi-transparent finish keeps detail visible while adding a layer of color that reads as part of the surface — not painted on top of it.
Layer multiple colors for shading and depth, or dilute heavily for a barely-there wash that highlights the concrete’s existing texture.
Using Water-based Stain to Create Realistic Stones
Watch how to use a variety of Tru Tint WB concrete stain colors to finish off a vertical concrete hardscape, and bring your work to the next level.
Get the Pacific Northwest Stone Color Pallete as Seen in the Video
Completely Custom Projects
A custom concrete project can truly become a work of art, a masterpiece. You can carve your design directly into the surface or talk with our design team about getting a custom stamp made for your business or next project.
Create a visually stunning display with something as simple as water-based concrete stain. Implement a hot and cold, high contrast color palette like this sun and moon design so you can stun your clients.
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