Acid mix for etching concrete

[Walter R.]

My concrete walkway is slightly discolored in a 4'x6' area. It was that way when I bought the house 15 years ago. Don't know what may have caused it originally. The white spots are burn marks from burning seeds that came off a burning palm tree.

I have a 1 gal jug of muriatic pool acid. Can I use this acid to etch the concrete and hopefully remove the blemishes? How should I dilute the acid?

How about using a concrete stain to blend in the irregularities?

[Oren]

This looks like the efflorescence we get in our area. Hard water sprinklers or drips and the calcium leaches through the pad and block walls.

Dilute the acid! No more than 1 part acid to 4 parts water. Always poor the acid *into* the water. Never poor the acid into the water.

I might even start with 1 part acid and 6 parts water.

Nice tile job. Have you thought of tiling the rest of the walk?

You could stain it after cleaning.

[Oren]

Sorry, should read never poor water into acid.