How to stain concrete

[canopy]

Are there any suggestions on how to stain existing outdoor concrete like fence posts or culverts? The idea is to make them a more natural color like green or brown. Priming and painting aren't durable enough in my experience. Any products to look for? I would prefer something simple off the shelf rather than hunting for hard to find ingredient mixtures.

[bankruatsteve]

You can thin the color you want by 50-60% with water and apply liberally to stain. It will fade some after a while (1-2 years). Use a cheap grade of paint and a big brush to slop it on it won't take much time. Unless really dirty the normal prep isn't necessary.

[manfredtillmann]

cheap: rusty water.

prepare in plastic bucket, use water and old nails or bolts. leave for a few weeks, stirr frequently.

wait for a few days of dry weather, than paint on as many coats as you want. the water will carry the iron - oxide into the concrete and give it a red / brown stain.

alternately sump - oil (preferbly from a diesel engine), but be prepared to loose all your plants in the vicinity. not a very eco - friendly method.

expensive: paint all surfaces with a bonding agent, than mix high strength sand /cement with an oxide and apply it with some hessian or an old pair of jeans. it will stay on for years.

in the end it will always be concrete, but.

[sirineou]

How about commercially available concrete stains,

Hundreds available in the west, I cant believe they are not available in Thailand

do a search on YouTube "concrete stain"

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[canopy]

Of the responses so far, I think the best bet is to look carefully for a product like sirineou suggests. The long term effectiveness of the other ideas might work, might not. Don't mind some fading, just don't want to have to do it all over again anytime soon or have it turn out looking blotchy.