How to Paint a Concrete Porch

A porch is an extended part of your house and you want it to be as beautiful as the interiors. Moreover, an attractive porch improves the visual appeal of your outdoors manifolds. There is no doubt that a concrete porch is strong and durable but it has quite a dull and boring look. You can get rid of its drab gray color by adding some exciting colors to it. For this, you have to learn how to paint a concrete porch.

Painting a Concrete Porch

A few essential items need to be procured for this paint job. They are: concrete paint, primer, paint rollers, paint brush, concrete sealant and some cleaning supplies such as concrete cleaner, stiff bristled brushes, pressure washer, etc. The main steps are as follows:

Select the Paint
While selecting the right paint for your concrete porch, you have to be extra careful. Do not purchase any of those cheap paints for this purpose. This is because this area is obviously exposed to heavy foot traffic and any cheap paint cannot withstand that and will wear out fast. There are three options available with you. Latex paint is the cheapest among the three and gives a neat finish. The drawback is that you have to reapply it after every few years. If your porch is not exposed to heavy foot traffic then you can opt for this one. Oil paint is more expensive and lasts for a longer time. Epoxy paint is the most expensive one and is highly durable. However, handling this paint is a major problem as it gives out a foul smell and is toxic in nature.

Clean the Porch
As the porch area is open, it is exposed to a lot of dirt, stains and debris. Therefore, a thorough cleaning is a must before painting. First of all, use a broom to sweep off all loose dust and dirt from its surface. Greasy stains need to be washed off with a cleaning solution made of water and detergent and a scrub brush. You can also use a pressure washer for this purpose. If you notice some stubborn stains or mold and mildew growth that refuse to go after washing, use muriatic acid on them. Then rinse off the area with pressure washer one more time.

Repair any Defects
Any cracks or holes on the concrete surface which are usually not visible tend to gain prominence after painting. Therefore, you have to inspect the porch carefully to check out for such defects. Those spots need to be repaired with the help of concrete caulk. Fill up the cracks, holes depressions with this compound and let it cure for at least 24 hours and then start painting the porch.

Apply Primer
Many people skip this step of application of primer on the concrete porch. However, it is important because it improves the bonding between concrete surface and paint and thus the paint will last longer. Moreover, it adds a lot of freshness to the color of the painted surface. A latex primer is suitable for both oil paint as well as latex paint. Use a paint roller fitted with an extension stick to apply the coat of primer on the entire porch surface. Usually, a primer needs a couple of hours to dry up. Still, it is advisable to check out the instructions provided on its label and give the applied primer that much of time to dry up.

Apply Paint
At last, the porch surface is ready for the first coat of paint. To begin with, apply the first coat of paint to the edges of the porch near the walls using a paint brush. You have to use a paint brush as a roller cannot reach out to these narrow areas. Now, to paint the main portion of the porch, pour some paint on the concrete and move the paint roller over it using back and forth motion. You have to apply at least 2-3 coats of paint. The first coat should be thick but the next 2 coats can be thin. There should be a gap of 3-4 hours between application of the two coats so that each coat can dry up properly. Sprinkle some sand in between layers of paints so that the painted surface become slip resistant. Once the final coat of paint dries completely, apply a concrete sealant to protect the painted surface from water damage.

You must select a sunny day for painting concrete. Another important point to be noted is that you must wear full sleeved clothing and protect yourself with a pair of rubber gloves, goggles and breathing mask as the paint and the cleaning agent is not good for you.