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Can You Paint Concrete Patio

Tips To Make Your Paint Job Last

How to Make Old Concrete Look New! Painting Concrete Patio DIY!

As mentioned earlier, making a paint job on an exterior surface such as a porch last is slightly difficult. To make sure it does, follow these tips.

  • Follow the manufacturers instructions to a tee. If you are confused, speak to the paint dealer who will give you a better idea about how exactly the paint should be applied.
  • Simply sweeping the surface to be painted to remove dust and debris is not enough. It requires a pressure wash before even etching the surface.
  • Etch the surface with muriatic acid so that the paint adheres to the surface strongly.
  • Add an anti-skid agent to the paint to reduce its slipperiness.
  • Allow each coat of paint to dry thoroughly before you apply the next one. Keep pets and people out of the way.
  • Follow the temperature guide provided by the manufacturers, which means you may have to wait until the external temperatures are suitable to your requirements.
  • Apply a sealer once your paint job is done. Sealing is the final most important step to ensure that your paint lasts. Apply a single, thin coat and allow it to cure for 72 hours. Then apply a top coat and wait for another 72 hours before you place any furniture on it.

How To Paint Concrete Floors On Your Patio

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Learn how to paint concrete floors on your patio! This tutorial shows you how to transform your porch or patio with paint!

Our patio was looking rather drab. I really wanted to paint the brick on our house but havent been able to convince my husband its a good idea. I did manage to get him to go with painted concrete floors!

We went back and forth on whether or not to do a stenciled design and ultimately, for simplicity sake, went with stripes. Our patio is HUGE and doing a stencil design on the concrete would have taken ages.


Can You Paint Concrete

Almost any concrete surface thats in sound condition can be painted. That includes interior floors and walls as well as exterior surfaces such as patios, sidewalks, and pool decks. Just make sure the surface is clean and free of existing coatings or sealers that could prevent the paint from adhering.

Because concrete paint is a surface coating and vulnerable to abrasion, its not the best choice for high-traffic areas such as concrete driveways. For these applications, an acid-based stain or dry-shake color hardener will offer better wear-resistance.

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How To Paint A Concrete Patio With Epoxy Floor Paint

As for the color, I didnt want the concrete to be too far off of an actual concrete color, But for now, I chose the DRYLOK® E1 1-Part Epoxy Floor Paint in Gray, and I am really happy with how much better it looks!

Also, because our kids run around back here all the time, I wanted to make sure that coming from damp grass to painted concrete wouldnt be too slippery. We decided to add the DRYLOK® Non-Skid Texture Additive.


Best For Your Walls: Rtg Supply Co Concrete Paint

How to Paint a Concrete Patio With Tutorial &  Tips

RTG Supply Co., which sells almost exclusively through Amazon, offers great interior and exterior concrete paint for the money. At $29.99 for a quart, this paint is a little more expensive than some others in the lineup, but it doesnt require any primer or applicator . It also extends pretty far, as a quart will completely cover 80100 square feet.

RTG Supply Co paints are available in four colors: white, light gray, sand, and amber/clear. This paint is UV stable to resist fading in sunlight and has high ratings for ease of use. This product is not made to be as tough as a garage or driveway paint, so take that into consideration if your wall faces a yard thats mowed often and will have debris thrown on it.

Price on Amazon: $29.99

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Advantages To Painting Concrete

Painted concrete certainly has its advantages. A fresh coat of paint or stain can really spruce up concrete basement or garage walls and floors, bringing new life to a worn concrete patio. Concrete paints and stains help to mask surface discoloration and signs of wear and tear and they extend the life of concrete by preventing further damage. Coating a concrete surface with paint can also make for easier cleaning and maintenance.


The Best Time To Paint Your Concrete Patio

Like any paint job, good timing and fastidious prep work is key. Choose a time of year in your region when the temperature isnt too cold or hot or the weather too wet. The paint can will have the proper temperature range listed.

You might have some wiggle room with these high and low temperatures, depending on the type of paint you use but these general guidelines hold. That means for most folks, youll be able to paint an outdoor concrete patio throughout the year, with the exception of very cold winter days or very hot direct sun summer days.

You will want to paint your concrete patio outside of your regions wet season. Rain or snow will affect how the paint adheres to the concrete and how it dries, so choose a time of year when you know youll have proper dry time. The side of the paint can label will usually provide dry times to touch and to walk on. If youre painting a covered outdoor concrete patio, or a garage floor, you can paint if its wet out, just make sure water cant leak onto the slab and ruin your work.

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How To Paint Concrete That Has Already Been Painted

  • Written by Anubhav Kapoor on Jun 30, 2010To ensure our content is always up-to-date with current information, best practices, and professional advice, articles are routinely reviewed by industry experts with years of hands-on experience.Reviewed by

It’s easy to paint concrete. Concrete surfaces are common in households, especially on exterior walls and surfaces surrounding the home. Even though its rough texture makes it a piece of cake to get fresh paint to adhere to untouched concrete, every so often your concrete need to be touched up with a fresh coat of new paint, which is a bit more challenging.


Repainting concrete surfaces is a bit more demanding than painting freshly-laid concrete. Aged concrete surfaces are coated with various things, such as staining compounds, sealants, and of course older paint, all of which present difficulties.

Here’s how to update your worn-down concrete the correct way.

Step 1 – Cleaning and Scrape

Prepare a solution of water mixed with any household cleaning chemical. Scrub the surface with a long-handled brush. Allow the concrete surface to dry.

Existing paint needs to be scraped and sanded. Scrape any areas with loose or flaking paint, and lightly sand using fine sandpaper. Lightly sand intact areas of paint as well to give them the grit needed to receive new paint.

Clean the surface with a dry mop.


Step 2 – Buff the Concrete Surface

Step 3 – Removing Curing Compounds

Step 4 – Preparing the Epoxy Paint

Is There Anything Concrete Staining Cant Do Better Than Paint Or Epoxy

Can I Paint…? Concrete patio slabs

It is important to note that while paint and epoxy are opaque, concrete stain is translucent. Normally this is an advantage, because translucent tones add more depth and beauty to your concrete. However, if your patio is old, with many cracks and patches, you may prefer a product that will cover those imperfections with a flat, opaque color rather than let them show through. This really is just a matter of personal preference since imperfections can add interest and depth to stained concrete by creating tonal variations, which some people like.

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How Can I Paint Concrete

Concrete, in and of itself, is rarely beautiful. Making it something other than a dreary expanse of gray depends on you. The first thing to realize before beginning to paint concrete, however, is that all concrete is not created equal. Some of it presents a surface that is smooth and rigid in other cases, older concrete might be pitted and porous.

Thus, traditional paint is sometimes the wrong covering to use for concrete. Stains specific to concrete have filled a niche in the paint industry, even as they penetrate and fill niches in the surface they’re designed to cover.

Nevertheless, that penetrating power is a mixed blessing. Unlike concrete paint, a concrete stain is forever. Some varieties even form a chemical bond with the concrete itself. Therefore, a decision on what color to stain a concrete surface has to be a final one.


If you decide to paint concrete, you will have the opposite problem: a tendency for the paint to separate from its surface over a short period of time, especially in high traffic areas. Experts on painting or staining concrete recommend that color not be applied until the surface has had at least a week — and, according to some, as long as 28 days – to dry and cure. Curing compounds have been developed to accelerate the setting and drying processes. The problem is, these compounds can often keep paint from properly adhering.

What Is The Best Paint For Concrete Patios

When it comes to a paint that has been specially designed for exterior concrete floors, our experts highly recommend 7200 RustOleum Floorcoat. This is a highly advanced solvent-based floor paint that is hard-wearing, easy to apply and is ideal for use on a wide range of exterior floored surfaces, including concrete patios driveways and garden block paving slabs. It provides the durability needed for a concrete patio as it contains a polyurethane that offers superb abrasion resistance. This ensures that the paint film remains intact, preventing paint peeling or flaking that will require constant maintenance.

Aside from its performance, 7200 RustOleum Floorcoat offers excellent versatility in terms of finish. It is available in both satin & gloss finishes and it can be mixed in almost any colour. This means that no matter what look you want to achieve, it is possible. When it comes to painting an exterior surface like a concrete patio, you get what you pay for. As any professional decorator will tell you, if you buy a cheap paint, you will have to buy it twice!

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Kilz L573611 Interior/exterior Enamel Porch And Patio Latex Floor Paint

The KILZ brand has built quite a reputation and this porch and patio paint is just as durable and functional as their other products. A good porch and patio paint should be easy to clean, it should not crack and it should not fade. Also, it should be able to prevent mold and mildew growth. The KILZ L573611 offers all these and more.


This acrylic paint is also suitable for painted surfaces, so if you have painted your patio before and you need to repaint, this is just the right paint to use. Just a gallon of this paint will cover more than 300 square feet on smooth surfaces.

Are Concrete Paints Slip

How to Paint a Concrete Patio

Painted concrete surfaces can become slippery when wet. For areas that receive a lot of foot traffic, such as porches, steps, pool decks, and patios, a good option is to use an anti-slip concrete floor paint that contains fine aggregate, which gives the surface a light sand finish. If your paint is not slip-resistant, you can find anti-skid additives that can be mixed into the final coat of paint to improve traction.

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How To Paint A Porch Floor With Concrete Paint

One project that Ive thought about doing for years is updating my porch floor with concrete paint. This year I moved it up on the priority list and finally got it done. It has made such a tremendous difference that I cant believe I didnt do this sooner!

This is how it looked before. I had removed the furniture and power washed it about a week or two before I took this photo. You can hardly tell it was even power washed because the concrete was badly stained.

What You Will Need to Paint Concrete*:

Olympic Maximum Stain and Sealer in 2 contrasting shades

Ruler

One reason I waited so long to do this is that I wanted to do a good amount of research before choosing a concrete paint. Using something that would hold up to the elements and daily foot traffic was most important. I had used Behr granite grip on a small patch of concrete in my backyard and that has held up well for over a year. However, that is not the look I wanted for the front so I had to find something else.

My plan was to paint this to look like wood planks, much in the same way I did the painted shiplap wall in my bedroom. One day on Instagram I saw another bloggers video showing how well her painted concrete porch floor had held up after two years. After contacting her, I was confident with choosing the same paint she used. Its called Olympic Maximum and its actually a stain that comes in colors much like paint.

How to Paint Concrete:

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Porch Decor

Choosing Concrete Stain Instead Of Paint

Choosing to stain the patio instead of painting it offers several benefits. Lets compare the two.Paint coats the concrete surface. The surface does not absorb it. This makes it easy to wear away. In the absence of a vapor barrier in an exterior surface, paint is more likely to bubble and flake. Problems may also occur depending on the weather of the area you reside in. Paint can become slippery and thus, become dangerous. Finally, if your patio is heavily used, the paint job will not last very long.

Stain, on the other hand, is absorbed by the concrete surface. This makes it less prone to wear and tear in comparison to concrete paint. It also maintains the texture of concrete making it less hazardous. It is definitely longer lasting and requires lesser maintenance than concrete paint. On the downside, staining is a relatively expensive procedure and is best done by hiring a professional. Also, the color options are more limited in this type of treatment.

Whatever option you choose, remember that regular maintenance is essential. If you are not confident enough to get the job done yourself, get it done professionally. It may cost a few extra bucks, but youll be stress-free and have a great looking porch by the end of it.

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Do I Need To Seal Concrete Pots

Do Concrete Planters Need To Be Sealed? Concrete pots only need to be sealed if you are growing a plant in the pot that needs more acidic soil. Sealing the concrete will help prevent some of the lime from leaching into the soil. However, I recommend soaking the pots in water for three days before sealing.

Best Paint For Outdoor Concrete Patios

How to paint concrete patio with Behr Granite Grip floor covering

Outdoor concrete patio paints have come a long way in the last decade. Many of them are formulated for concrete and for the wear and tear of the elements and heavy foot traffic. Choose a concrete or masonry paint or epoxy specifically formulated for the application. Staining certain untreated concrete is also a popular option that lets the grains and natural stone shine through. PPG has several different paint formulas for outdoor concrete patiossome more heavy duty than others. A professional paint expert will determine which is best for your slab.

In general, though, youll want a concrete paint that is weather resistant, can cover surface defects, is non-skid and fade-resistant, andwhen applied properlyis self leveling.

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How To Paint A Concrete Porch Or Patio

I finally tackled a project I have wanted to tackle for quite some time and I am happy to report I am thrilled with the after! We have worked hard to make out back porch/patio an extension of our home and a place where we love to spend time and the ugly/dirty/stained concrete was such an eyesore.

Here are some pictures of the before with all the stains. This is after pressure washing and using a concrete cleaner/etcher which did help clean some of the red mud staining off but still, lots were left.

So after debating for over a year if I wanted to or should paint it I finally bit the bullet and did it and I am so glad I did! I will detail the process and what products I used below and next spring I will try to add an update to how it has held up.

As far as color you can get the Behr Porch and Patio paint in several pre-mixed colors or a selection of colors that they recommend for concrete, or you can have it custom mixed in any color you want. I opted to have it mixed in the same paint color as our house which is SW Elephant Ear. Keep in mind that paint used outdoors will always look lighter because of the sunlight and sky reflection and paint on a horizontal surface will look even lighter. I almost wish I would have gone one level darker just because it reads much lighter on the flat horizontal surface than on our house even though the color is a perfect match.

What you will need:

Heres the process I followed:

4. Paint!


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