How to Paint Concrete to Look Like Tarnished Copper

Copper develops a unique and natural beauty when it becomes tarnished. The green coating that results as the copper tarnishes is called verdigris. Items in the home and garden, such as concrete planters or benches, can be painted to look like tarnished copper in a few simple steps.

Things You'll Need

• Paint primer, such as Kilz
• Metallic copper paint
• Pale green paint
• 2 old rags (clean)
• Scrub brush (optional)

Instructions

1. Thoroughly clean the piece of concrete that you wish to paint. Use a scrub brush of the piece is not perfectly smooth, so that you can get all of the dirt and dust out of the grooves.

2. Allow the piece to dry completely. If you paint on wet or damp cement, moisture will be trapped beneath the primer and paint, and it will eventually flake off.

3. Paint the entire piece with the metallic copper paint. Follow the directions on the paint can, applying as many coats as the directions say. Some brands need only one coat, while other brands need two or three coats.

4. Allow the metallic copper paint to dry on the cement piece according to the directions on the paint can.

5. Wad up one of the clean rags and apply some green paint to it. Gently press the green paint onto the cement piece. Pull the rag off of the copper concrete piece, and reapply it in an different area. Do this two to four times, until there isn't any more green paint on the rag.

6. Wad up the dry clean rag and press it gently into the green painted areas. This will help remove excess green paint and give the copper painted concrete a look of verdigris. This makes it look as though it is tarnished copper metal.

7. Continue with the two rags, applying green paint with one and blotting the paint with the other, until the entire concrete piece has been painted and looks like tarnished copper metal.