How to Paint a Concrete Floor

Concrete is a mixture of various ingredients used mainly for construction and other building processes. Concrete is the highest used man-made material in the world and when mixed with steel or fiber reinforcements, may be the strongest building material used. This Buzzle article is a concise guide on painting concrete floors.

Process of Painting Concrete Floors

Though concrete is a very strong and dependable building material, it may seem drab and colorless when used for building processes like floors and walls. Generally, there are many manufacturing facilities, warehouses, homes, and other constructions which have concrete floors. These floors require some type of concrete floor coating. Painting concrete floors is a traditional way of making concrete floors look eye-catching and protecting them from other natural forces.

Step 1: Floor Degreasing and Cleaning
Painting concrete floors is a considerably long process, and the concrete floor should be prepared before applying paint to the surface. Proper surface preparation is one of the most important processes in painting concrete floors. The concrete floor must be degreased and cleaned before painting the floor. There are various degreasers and degreaser chemicals available in the market for this purpose. Depending on the future use and the place where the concrete floor is located, either a general purpose or a heavy duty degreaser should be used.

Step 2: Check Curing Compounds and Dehumidify Surface
Depending on the age of the concrete, it should be checked for any curing compounds used. Newer concrete has various curing compounds which cause interference with the adhesion of the coating on the concrete. Another thing to be checked is the moisture in the concrete. If there are any traces of moisture in the concrete, it should not be coated and painted. Painting should continue only after the moisture is removed, along with the source of moisture being determined and eliminated.

Step 3: Create a Paint Adhering Surface
After the concrete floor has been degreased and checked for moisture, the floor should be checked for its profile. If the concrete is hard and unyielding, the paint will adhere weakly to the floor. To have a favorable profile on the concrete surface, the use of an acid etcher is essential. The best profile for a concrete floor to be painted upon is similar to the feel of medium sandpaper. There are many acid etchers available in the market for this purpose. Once the acid etching is done with, the entire surface should be thoroughly washed with water to remove any residue of the acid. If available, household ammonia can work as an excellent neutralizer of the acid along with water.

Step 4: Apply Concrete Bonding Primer
Once these processes are over and done with, the actual painting of the concrete floors can start. Depending on the use of the flooring, the proper paint and coat should be decided upon. It's highly recommended that you opt for an epoxy paint that is specifically meant for concrete floors, instead of going for a makeshift substitute. The first part of the painting job is application of a bonding primer, that acts as a mediating glue layer between concrete surface and the epoxy paint applied over it. Wait for an entire day and let the bonding primer dry, before going ahead with the epoxy coating application.

Step 5: Apply Two Epoxy Layers & Sealer
For general maintenance on dry and wet floors, epoxy-based paints are a good choice, while if one needs a non-skid floor, silica sand should be added to the epoxy. Silica sand mixed with epoxy, however, makes the surface difficult to clean. If the concrete floor requires higher security from abrasion and other chemicals, a higher gloss finishing should be used. Such a glossy finishing can be achieved by using a two-component top coat. The quality of the floor coating should also be taken care of. Scrimping on money on anything related to building and construction will only mean more expenditure in the future on repairs and maintenance. Apply two epoxy coats, one after the other, allowing the first coat to dry completely (wait for at least half a day), before beginning with the second one. Let the coat dry completely for a few days and then apply a sealer over it, to protect the surface. With that, your painting job is done. Let the floor dry completely for a week, before you start using it.

There are a number of options available to decorate the concrete floors. The perfect profile for painting makes decorative painting for concrete floors possible. Painting an interior concrete floor is simple enough, and does not always require professional help. There are various options for concrete floor coats and paints available in the market. While deciding on a color or pattern, make sure that it goes well with the color and ambience of the room.