Can You Paint Concrete?
Concrete is an extremely durable building material that is weather-resistant and long-lasting. It is for these reasons that it is favoured among the construction industry, as it always produces results that offer enhanced longevity and keep a property or structure well protected.
There may be times when you consider giving a concrete application a bit of a spruce up.
Whether this is to improve aesthetics or functionality, people often look to give their concrete a new lease of life instead of maintaining its usual grey appearance.
Here at Concrete Supply UK, we’re experts in a wide range of concrete products having spent years supplying them to domestic and commercial customers across the nation.
With this in mind, we also know what we’re talking about when it comes to concrete maintenance and a question we are commonly asked is ‘can you paint concrete?’
In this article, we’ll take a look at whether you can paint concrete, explaining what you need to consider before doing so.
Read on to find out more.
Can you paint concrete?
Yes, concrete can be painted provided you follow the correct steps and use the appropriate paint. A concrete patio is the most common concrete application that you will likely paint, but you can’t use just any old paint. We’ll go into greater detail about the type of paint you should use on concrete in the section below.
It’s also important to note that while you can paint directly onto concrete, you will need to properly prepare the area in advance to ensure the concrete is ready to receive the paint.
Furthermore, if your concrete has been freshly laid you should wait before applying paint. On average, you should hold off painting concrete for about three months after it has been poured.
What type of paint can I use on concrete?
Before you do any concrete painting, it’s important that you select the right paint.
It is not recommended that you use standard, retail paints when painting concrete as these are designed to be used on interior walls and may find it difficult to adhere to concrete. Instead, you should use specialist concrete paints. For example, epoxy paints are a great choice especially when painting concrete floors.
If you’re planning on painting a concrete wall, then you should consider masonry paint – in particular, go for waterproof versions that will protect the paint from any rainfall or water ingress.
How to paint concrete
Before starting any outdoor concrete painting project, you should make sure the moisture level of the concrete is appropriate. Using a moisture reader, measure how much moisture is in the concrete. If the reading comes back above 10%, then it is too wet to do any painting and it is unlikely the paint will adhere to the surface properly. Instead, you should test the concrete again at a later date and only begin painting when the reading is less than 10%.
If you do not have a moisture reader, you can put metal or plastic over the concrete overnight. If you spot moisture underneath the plastic or metal the next day, it suggests the concrete has a large moisture content and painting should be avoided for the time being.
If the concrete is ready to paint, follow the steps below.
Clean the concrete
Before you get painting, you should take some time cleaning and preparing the area you will be working with. It is normal for dirt, grime and debris to build up on concrete over time, but this can disrupt the painting process so it is important it has been cleaned up beforehand.
Use a brush to sweep up large amounts of dirt or use a vacuum to remove smaller pieces. If there are any stains or particularly stubborn areas, you can also scrub them with a brush and soapy water to make sure all dirt has been removed. This will be easier in dry weather, and as mentioned above you should only consider painting the concrete if it is not wet.
If there is any mould or fungus on the concrete that is being painted, you should make sure it is removed first. Use an anti-fungal cleaner before applying the paint as it may impact the paint’s performance in the longterm.
Prepare for the paint
Once you have cleaned the area, you should then do some final preparations before starting to paint. Inspect the surface and if you notice any cracks or gaps, make sure they are repaired or filled in. If you do use filler, make sure to slightly overfill the crack or hole to account for shrinkage and then sand it down to achieve a smooth finish.
Filling cracks is not essential, but it is beneficial if you are looking to enhance aesthetics.
Prime the concrete
This step will depend on the type of paint you are using. If the paint is not self-priming, you may want to apply some primer to the area first to better help the paint adhere to the surface.
Make sure the primer has completely dried before you start painting.
Paint the concrete
Start at the edges of the area, and apply the first coat of paint. You can use a roller when painting big areas and a brush for any smaller places where you may need to be more precise.
Once your first coat has dried, you should apply a second coat to ensure the paint is fully adhered and the area has been covered sufficiently.
The team at Concrete Supply UK can provide you with a whole variety of leading concrete types, ensuring you always have the right mix for your specific job. Not only will we tailor and formulate products to the bespoke requirements of your domestic or commercial project, we’ll also ensure you always have the right quantity. This means you’ll never or under order and you’ll only ever pay for exactly the amount you need. Offering a comprehensive service, we can also assist with concrete pumping if required. For more information, contact our expert team today.
