Bricks, Masonry, Asphalt and Concrete - Concrete in a bedroom

I recently had one of my aquariums leak all over my bedroom, and I have pulled out all of the carpet and trim, leaving just the bare concrete. The concrete is just bare and untreated, and looks horrible in my bedroom.:(

My question is: what can I do to the concrete to prevent this from happening again? I don't think I will use carpeting again, due to my frequent aquarium spills. I plan to "paint" the concrete somehow, and use area rug(s) (much easier to remove).

I am looking for something that will resist water spills and the abuse given from my saltwater tanks, yet will stand up to everyday traffic (mainly just foot-traffic and office chair wheels).

I looked at Rust-o-leum's "Epoxy-Shield" which I thought would be perfect, but I found that it wasn't recommended for water spills/moisture???

The other thing I was considering was painting the concrete green to simulate turf or grass.:D I saw mainly two things - paint and sealer. Would sealer be the better choice?

I am dumbfounded as to what would be the best choice in my situation. Please advise.

Thanks.

You might want to investigate acid etched staining, which is becoming more popular. It makes concrete quite decorative and beautiful. Paint tends to peel and scrape off when abraded by moving furniture or high traffic.

Also, address the issues of spills and leaks from the aquarium to protect your floors. Frequent spills and leaks on any floor surface will tend to cause discoloring and other problems.

From what I have read, acid etching is a method used mainly on new concrete to prepare the surface for painting/staining, correct? What exactly does staining do to the concrete? Is it like staining wood, where you can still see the "grain" of the original material; or are stains different colors?

PS - Believe me, I'm trying my hardest to prevent any future leaks from my aquariuim, I don't want to go through this again!:mad:

From what I read, acid etched staining is now a decorator's delight with multiple colors options. I have never done it. My kitchen show room has 20 years of paint layers, so I am trying to figure out the cheapest way to approach that problem. Staining is not an option for me.

No matter how you treat your concrete, whether with a penetrating stain or a surface sealant like paint, you will have to deal with chemical reactions, mineral deposits (sodium if a salt water acquarium) and other chemicals and minerals (if a fresh water acquarium). Thus, reading and following manufacturer's directions for surface prep and application are very important whether applying paint or stain. My personal preference is that if there is no paint or sealant on concrete that acid etch staining would be the preferred remedy.

Ok, I just looked into acid etching/staining, and I have my doubts...

It looks very nice, but I just realized something - there are small divots and cracks in my floor that I plan to patch up with some concrete patch. BUT, if concrete stain works anything like wood stain (from what I read, the acid reacts with the lime deposits in the concrete) then the stain will be a different color where I used the patching compound.

I did however stumble across this technique that is used by some business:
Surface Effects uses epoxy resins for base and color coats, then they use a clear non-yellowing urethane by Torginol for the durable top coat finish.

Maybe this could be the solution to my problems? The strength of an epoxy, along with the protection of a urethane coating on top.:)

Hey, can I hijack this thread for a second?

My open front porch has several layers of paint on the concrete slab, which really took a beating from snow, etc. Should I look into staining as well as painting when the current layer of paint totally wears off (which should be next year)?

Never apply stain to concrete previously painted, stained or sealed with clear finishes such as water repellent sealers. All previous coatings must be completely removed prior to the application of concrete stain.

There are some good DIY concrete staining tips at
http://www.ocrealestatefinder.com/home_improvement/articles_082001/concretestain08122001.shtml

Just one last update:
I decided to paint the concrete floor with Rustoleum's "Epoxy Shield" and it turned out great. I would say that it was even easier than painting my walls.

The best part??? It would have to be the DECORATIVE CHIPS.:D Hehe, the kit came with some little chips that you sprinkle on top of the wet paint for added color. The epoxy paint that I used was tan; with black, white and grey chips.