How To Give Your Concrete Patio a Makeover With Just Paint
Most concrete patios come as they are—smooth, grey and unfinished. They are functional but rarely seen as aesthetically pleasing. But now, homeowners can beautify them with various paint colours and decorate them with outdoor furniture, grills and more. Here’s how you can upgrade your patio from a dull space to a lovely area with paint in two parts:
PART 1: Preparing the Concrete Patio
Concrete is durable, hardy and lasts for many years. However, that doesn’t mean it’s immune to damage and that you can just paint on it the moment you decide to upgrade its look. You need to prepare it before using paint, or else you’ll find that the results aren’t as good as you imagined they would be.
Here is a step-by-step guide:
Clean the Concrete Surface
If the concrete patio is newly built, you can just do a good amount of scrubbing using water and a cleaning solution. Then, it should be ready to go. However, if it’s still a little dirty, you can put some muriatic acid on it, which effectively removes dirt from concrete surfaces.
If the patio is too dirty or used as a garage, power washing is the best cleaning method. However, this particular method isn’t advisable to be used by amateurs and must only be used by professionals. If you don’t know the right power washing setting and solution to use, you could cause more damage to your concrete patio.
Fill in Holes and Cracks
You need your concrete patio to be smooth before painting over it. Fill in holes and cracks, then sand them, but don’t use silicone since paint doesn’t adhere. This part may take time and patience, especially when it needs attention to detail, so it might be better to have a professional do this process as well.
Once your concrete is filled in and smoothened over, it’s ready for its new look!
PART 2: Painting the Concrete Patio
The best paint type for your concrete patio is concrete or masonry paint, but you can also use epoxy formulated explicitly for this kind of application. Some homeowners also like staining untreated concrete since it lets the grains and natural stone shine through. Moreover, your paint should be weather-resistant, cover surface defects, fade-resistant, non-skid and self-levels when applied.
If you want your patio to be clean and straightforward, a nice grey colour will do. But if you want it to match your landscape, a rust colour or an earthy look is your best bet. Some homeowners coordinate their patio’s colour with their home exterior.
For instance, some people prefer the look of deeply saturated jewel tones on concrete slabs, and others prefer a deep charcoal colour to create a modern and stately vibe in their outdoor space. Moreover, highly imaginative and creative people also choose a wild option: a pop of bright colours.
Here are some things to note on paint colours:
- Light colours reflect heat, while dark colours absorb it
- Lighter colours show signs of wear and tear quicker than dark colours
- Trendy colours can look outdated in a few years
- Consider a border colour around the edges of your concrete patio, which is different from your primary patio’s colour
Conclusion
Whatever colour you choose for your patio, you should consider the design and the work that goes into it. You can do the process by yourself, but patience, quality, and attention to detail are something only a professional can recreate. If you want your patio to look the best possible way, professionals are your best choice.
Spare your time and stress, and let the professionals handle your concrete patio project. At The Brilliant Group, we specialise in house and exterior painting while ensuring that surfaces are free of damages and defects. We are a residential and commercial painting service in Townsville, North Queensland, offering our services for more than 15 years. If you want a high-quality job done, contact us at 1300 86 82 48 today!