Have you ever wondered about painting concrete floors?Done properly, it can be an extremely effective way to revitalize or totally change the character of a drab concrete floor.Concrete takes paint well, and the results from painting concrete floors can last almost indefinitely if you use the proper tools and techniques.Here are the tools and materials you will need: Power washer You might have noticed that at least half the tools and materials needed are for preparation before painting concrete floors. That's because surface prep is extremely important in getting a good result when painting concrete floors. Concrete floors have to be de-greased and cleaned. You should also check for any curing compounds that might interfere with the adhesion of the new paint. Moisture in the concrete can be seriously problematic, too. In fact, if there is moisture in the concrete, you shouldn't paint it until you remove the moisture and fix whatever problem is causing the moisture. If possible, using a power washer to wash the floor is best. But if you're indoors this may not be possible. If you're indoors and are faced with removing old paint, you'll have to do it the hard way: with a scraper and a wire brush. You should use your concrete patch mix to repair any surface defects after you've cleaned the surface. The manufacturer's instructions will tell you how long you have to let the patch dry before painting concrete floors. The next step after degreasing and checking for moisture is to check the floor's "profile." This term refers to the floor's surface texture. To hold paint best, it should feel like medium grade sand paper. If it is smoother than that, you'll need to use acid etcher to get the surface ready to accept paint. After you've used acid etcher, you must thoroughly wash the floor to remove any acid residue. Most masonry surfaces have to be sealed and primed before you paint it. The sealer is clear and will keep moisture from coming through the concrete. If you're painting concrete floors in a basement, you'll definitely want to seal it first. To find out if your floor has already been sealed, you can do this overnight test: tape a sheet (1 foot x 1 foot or thereabout) of clear plastic kitchen wrap onto the floor. Let it sit for 24 hours. An unsealed floor will leave condensed water on the underside of the plastic wrap. The two step process of sealing and priming your concrete floor will give you the best possible foundation when painting concrete floors. When it comes to choosing paint, epoxy based paints are a good choice. If you need to make the floor more skid-resistant, you can add silica sand to the epoxy. This will, however, make the surface difficult to clean. If the floor needs to be protected from abrasion (chemical or mechanical), you should use a higher gloss finish by using a two component top coat when painting concrete floors. When the surface is finally prepped, dry, sealed, primed, and ready to be painted, you can begin painting! Multiple thin coats work better than one thick coat. Paint forms a harder surface from thin layers on top of one another. If you try to do one thick coat, you may get a "gummy" surface. Many manufacturers make paints specifically for masonry, and some of these are specifically for masonry floors. You can buy texture additives for the paint if you want or need it. It won't change the paint color, but can prevent slips and falls. Once you've painted at least two thin coats, follow the directions for letting it dry before applying the top coat. After the top coat is applied, allow the paint to cure for the entire recommended time. Otherwise, you could end up with permanent footprints that will distract from the beauty of your floor. Once you learn how to paint concrete floors and get a little practice at it, you can totally transform the look of your concrete surface. Another technique is using concrete dye when painting concrete floors. Dyes allow you to achieve vibrant yellows, blues, and purples that you can't get with paints alone. Plus, you can mix dyes right on-site to get the color you want. Sometimes dyes are used in partner with acid stains to achieve a variegated look. Translucent dyes penetrate the concrete and dry quickly, requiring minimal cleanup afterward. Most water based, urethane based, and solvent based sealers are compatible with concrete dyes. Meet-Mr-Concrete.com provides concrete construction advice at no charge and in good faith for consideration only. We do not warrant the implementation of its content and are to be held harmless when and if any advice or ideas provided are utilized. The risk from using it lies entirely with the user.
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