Concrete floors can be a huge pain to paint, but with the right prep, you can achieve professional results at home.
Have you ever seen a finished concrete floor that was painted? It’s beautiful! No more cold, dirty, grey concrete floors! By painting your concrete floor, you can achieve the look of tile, stone, or even hardwood floors. Using concrete paint is the best way to make your concrete floor beautiful. There are many options for concrete floor paint on the market today. Whether you’re painting yo basement floor, your front stoop, or your garage floor, it’s good to know what paint to buy and how to apply it properly. Here’s how to get started.*
What You’ll Need
Painting concrete floors is a do-it-yourself project that is even beginning DIYers can accomplish with a little patience. Preparing the surface is key to a successful paint job, and it will save you time and money in the long run.
What You’ll Need:
Paint
Paint tray
Roller pan or bucket
Paint stick (optional)
Scraper (optional)
Broom
ShopVac
Painter’s tape (optional)
Suggested Products
Drylok Concrete Floor Paint works well for basement floors. This latex-based paint is durable enough for high-traffic areas.
The best thing is that you don’t need a primer coat which means you can paint directly on the concrete floor or over previously painted floors.
This paint dries fast with a low odor and cleans up with soap and water. Available in various colors and white bases for custom tinting
Drylok Concrete Floor Paint by Drylok is an interior/exterior latex-based concrete floor paint.
It is a zero VOC paint that provides excellent long-term performance on concrete, masonry, block, and natural stone surfaces.
It has been tested to have the following physical characteristics:
– Water-resistant
– Mildew resistant
– Cracking resistant
– Sagging resistant
– Scrubbable (when scrubbed after 48 hours of application)
Drylok Concrete Floor Paint will not turn yellow or crack with age when used as directed.
It’s available in 15 standard colors as well as White Base, which allows the user to make their own custom color tone.
Rust-Oleum
The Rust-Oleum Epoxy Shield Basement Floor Coating Kit is perfect for your basement floor because it creates a smooth, even surface that’s easy to clean.
The kit includes some of the accessories you’ll need to begin, including a paint tray and stir stick.
Kilz Concrete & Garage Floor Paint is a special formula that creates a great-looking finish.
It dries to touch in two hours, and you can recoat in four hours.
The paint has a matte look that works on virtually any concrete surface (garages, sidewalks, patios, basement floors, and more).
Prepping Your Floor
Nothing is worse than spending hours painting a floor only to discover that you missed a spot or missed some chipping paint that was before you started painting.
Before you begin painting, start by cleaning the floor thoroughly using a grout brush and mild detergent to remove all dirt, grease, and oil.
Check for cracks in the surface of the concrete as well as loose chipping paint and flaking concrete. Fill any crack with a concrete crack sealer.
A professional can repair any structural damage that’s present.
If the floor has been painted previously, you will need to remove any old paint that is loose.
Make sure the room where you’re going to be working is well-lit so that you can see every crack in the surface of your flooring before you begin applying paint or stain.
Sweep and vacuum the floor really well.
If you have areas that you don’t want the paint to get on then simply mask them with some painter’s tape.
Priming
Now that the floor is clean and dry, you’re ready to apply the concrete paint.
Some floors will need to be primed first.
Read the instructions for your paint can.
It will let you know if a primer is necessary.
All concrete paint is different so follow the application instructions that come with your can. If you’re painting with a roller, make sure it’s new and soft.
If you’re using a brush, use a natural bristle brush rather than one made from synthetic material.
Make sure you de-lint your roller before using it.
That will prevent any loose lint from the roller to stay in your finish.
Here is how to de-lint your roller.
Painting Your Concrete Floor
Begin by applying your concrete paint onto the floor using a roller or brush.
You only need enough to cover the floor area in one coat.
The roller will distribute the concrete evenly across the floor and leave a smooth finish if done correctly.
You may have to wait between 4 hours for the concrete paint to dry before moving on to your next coat.
DryLoc floor paint is suitable for interior or exterior use. Use it on a variety of surfaces including concrete, rough rock, asphalt, sun-baked brick, stone, adobe, and more.
For best results, we recommend adding a pint of water per gallon of paint and letting it dry for 4 hours before adding another coat.
The formula and low VOCs make the paint great for indoor and outdoor use!
In our experience, the first coat works best when thinned with one pint of water per gallon of paint and cures to a hard finish within 24 hours.
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The Process
Pouring some paint into a small container you can hold in your hand will make it easier to handle, and using a 2-1/2-in.
An angled paint brush will help you cover a larger area with fewer strokes.
Paint the entire perimeter of the room first, then fill in the center area, working from one side of the room to the other.
The concrete floor dries quicker than the paint and can result in peeling paint.
It is important to allow the concrete to cure before painting it.
Concrete needs at least three weeks to cure, but it’s best to leave it alone for 60 days before painting.
The best way to paint concrete floors is to use a paint roller.
A 3/8 inch roller nap is optimal.
Start by rolling over one corner of the room and work your way out as you roll.
Use long strokes and keep rolling until you have covered one section at least three feet wide and four feet long.
Make Sure You Mix It
Make sure you stir the paint before using it to ensure even distribution of pigments.
Paint the first coat of concrete paint on the floor.
Allow it to dry for 4 hours.
After it’s dry, apply a second coat of paint in the same manner as the first.
Allow this coat to dry for 24 hours before you start moving anything back on it.