How to Paint A Concrete Floor Yourself

Painting a concrete floor is actually easier than painting most other surfaces. The most important thing is getting the right concrete floor paint. Luckily, most concrete floor paint is the same and can be used inside or out. So whether you are painting a concrete basement floor, painting exterior concrete, or painting concrete patios, here is a step by step guide to getting the project done right the first time.

Things You'll Need

• Scrub brush
• Soapy water
• Wire brush
• Enamel latex floor paint
• Concrete primer/sealer
• Paint rollers

Instructions

1. 

   Remove any old paint if necessary. If there is any chipping paint on the surface you will need scrape it off the best you can with a coarse wire brush before painting. It won't all come off but try to at least get any pieces that are peeling off already.

2. 

   Wash the surface. Some people like to use TSP but soap and water works just as well. Scrub the concrete floor with soap and water thoroughly to remove any access dirt and debris. This part is very important because primer won't stick to the concrete if any loose dirt is present. Make sure the concrete is completely clean before proceeding on to the next step.

3. 

   Apply your concrete sealer/primer with a regular paint roller. Roll the primer on in W shaped patterns to keep a wet edge and reduce roller marks. One coat of primer is all you will need. Primer doesn't have to look perfect because we are going to paint over it anyways. Let the concrete primer dry for at least an hour before painting, or until the paint has no tacky feeling to the touch.

4. 

   Paint the concrete floor your desired color. Now it's very important that you purchase "floor paint" when painting concrete. Regular paint will not work. Home Depot and Lowes carry a wide selection of concrete floor paint that can be mixed to almost any desired color. There are many different types of concrete floor finishes out there so don't confuse concrete floor paint with Acid stain or concrete epoxy coating that is also know as Concrete epoxy or epoxy garage flooring. These are commonly used when painting interior concrete floors such as garages or basements and require a slightly different application process.

   Apply the paint with a roller in the same W motions I talked about in step #3. Wait about 2 hours before applying a second coat. Whenever painting, make sure you are in a well ventilated area.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure to tape off any areas you do not wish to get paint on.

• Always paint in a well ventilated area.