Concrete is a versatile building material that can be used for sidewalks, driveways, patios, and more. When it comes to painting concrete, most people are intimidated by this task. You don’t need professional equipment or experience to paint your concrete properly.
This article will provide you with 7 easy steps to paint concrete.
Step 1: Preparation
The first step to painting concrete is preparation. To get the best results from your paint, you have to remove any dirt or debris on your concrete.
You can use a broom for this step and sweep away anything that will prevent good paint adhesion. After removing all surface dirt, wash off with water alone to eliminate soap residue.
If you have dirt that is hard to remove, apply a degreaser and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Remove the cleaner with water and a scrub brush. If necessary, repeat this step until all of the dirt is removed from the surface of your concrete.
Step 2: Cleaning & Patching
Before you paint, ensure your concrete is free of cracks or holes. If there are any cracks in the surface, it’s important to fill them with a bonding agent before painting over them.
This will keep moisture from seeping into the substrate and causing problems later on down the road. If there are any holes in the concrete, you can fill them with a pre-mixed crack filler and let it dry.
Step 3: Painting With the Right Paint
When painting your concrete, it’s important to use acrylic paint that contains at least 70% solids or more. This will ensure that when applied over old paints, the old paint does not bleed through.
You can also use epoxy paints for this project as they tend to be more durable and long-lasting than acrylic paints.
Step 4: Painting Over an Existing Paint Job
If you already have a coat of paint on your concrete, it’s important that you clean off any loose flakes or peeling paint before proceeding to the next step.
If you plan on painting over an existing coat, it’s important that your surface is clean and free of any gloss or sheen.
Step 5: Mixing Paint & Application Tools
Now mix your concrete paint using a drill-mounted mixer until all ingredients are well blended together. To apply your paint, you will need a sponge roller and roll the solution onto your concrete until it’s completely covered.
A good approach for applying paint evenly is to apply in one direction with multiple passes over an area instead of trying to go back and forth too much.
Apply two coats of your chosen type of paint to your concrete using the roller. Use long strokes for best results. Let each coat dry before applying the next one. This process could take up to three days.
Step 6: Letting Paint Dry
Let your newly painted surface dry overnight before walking or driving on it. You can also use a leaf blower to speed up this process and help the paint adhere better.
Step 7: Protecting Painted Surface
Once your concrete is dry, you will need to protect the surface from potential damage such as oil stains or grease drippings that may come in contact with your newly painted concrete. You can do this by applying a coat of acrylic concrete sealer over the entire surface.
This will create a barrier between your paint and potential contaminants that may cause problems later on down the road.
Conclusion
Concrete is one of those building materials that are versatile enough to be used for driveways, sidewalks, patios, and more. Because of this, it makes sense to paint your concrete to enhance its visual appeal or protect the surface from harsh elements such as snow and rain.
Fortunately, painting over a painted concrete substrate isn’t difficult at all when you follow these simple steps provided in this article.
