Plain, gray-scale concrete slabs can dampen a home's aesthetic appeal. Luckily, color can be applied to concrete with a simple paint job. Whether it's a patio, garage floor, exterior wall or garden surround, painting exposed concrete is a great way to liven up a home's exterior, as well as help protect concrete surfaces from the elements. Painting outdoor concrete requires some different steps than traditional, indoor painting, but it is doable for even a novice.
Instructions
1. Clean the concrete first. A common garden hose will do the trick for most dirt and debris, but for stubborn, stuck-on messes, consider renting a pressure washer and spraying the area for maximum cleaning.
2. Wait for the concrete to dry. On a hot, sunny day, concrete may dry in less than 1 hour. On most days, you'll need to wait at least 2 hours.
3. Prime the surface with an exterior primer. Apply the primer using a paint roller with a replaceable sponge. Use a small sponge-brush for tight corners or seams. Check the primer's container to see how long you need to let it dry. Most primers will be dry within only a few hours, others can take much longer.
4. Apply the first coat of paint using a fresh roller sponge. Use a new sponge-brush to paint corners inaccessible via roller. Allow paint to dry. In most cases, you'll only need to wait an hour or two at the most.
5. Apply a second coat of paint using the same roller sponge and sponge-brush or fresh sponges if the old roller and brush have become stiff. Allow paint to dry. Repeat this step as necessary until the concrete is completely saturated with color. Several thin coats of paint are better than one or two excessively thick coats. In the end, thin coats lead to a smoother, cleaner look.
6. Spray a layer of clear coat on the surface for a glossy look. Coating the paint will also seal the paint and help prevent fading amid outdoor weathering.
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