How to Paint a Harlequin Pattern on Concrete
Porches and driveways are often among the most utilitarian-looking parts of your home. Painting your concrete surfaces can bring new life to your property and spruce up old cement. One of the easiest designs to paint is the harlequin pattern. This design uses two or three colors, looks neat and clean, and can be accomplished with relatively few materials. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Power washer
- Sealer
- Primer
- Outdoor paint or floor paint
- Paint roller
- Diamond template
- Pencil
- Painter's tape or masking tape
Instructions
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1
Use a power washer to completely clean your concrete surface of any dirt or grease. Allow the surface to completely dry.
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2
Follow the manufacturer's directions to seal and then prime your concrete. The surface to be painted should be totally dry before proceeding to the next step.
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3
Decide on paint colors for your design. Traditionally, the harlequin design has consisted of two contrasting colors. You can use this design idea and go with black and while, for example, or pink and brown, or you can go with a more subtle approach and use sky blue with navy, or perhaps mint and sea-foam green.
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4
Paint the entire concrete surface with the lighter paint color. Use the roller for even coverage and apply one light coat. After this coat is completely dry, add another coat of the same color; let it dry.
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5
Hold the diamond template against the surface at the top left corner. Lightly draw around it with the pencil. Move the template directly below where you've drawn the diamond shape and trace around it again. Continue on in this manner until you have a column of diamonds, one directly above another.
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Make another column of diamonds in the same manner, right next to the first. Make sure that all points of the diamonds are just touching the points of the neighboring diamonds, but not overlapping. Continue on in this manner until the entire surface is covered with diamond shapes.
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7
Run painter's tape along the diamond edges to mask off alternating diamonds. Use the roller and the darker paint to fill in every other diamond. Allow the paint to dry, then add another coat of paint and let it dry completely.
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Tips & Warnings
An added design element can be added by putting circles, squares or other shapes at every point where the diamonds touch.
Read the paint container to find the recommended time for paint to cure before walking on it. Do not allow anyone to walk on the paint before this time.
