Polished concrete floors have always been admired by many homeowners. This is something that you would not want to remain uncovered or unfinished. While others think of laminated flooring, carpeting or tiling as a means of covering the cold slabs of concrete. If you want to have unique look for your concrete floor, why not have it painted for a change?
Painting concrete flooring begins with figuring out the type of concrete floor in your home. Are you dealing with a polished concrete floor or a terrazzo floor? Once you establish this information, it becomes easier to choose the kind of paint that will be used.
You can pick just about any kind of color that you want but it is important to find the best one. Applying the wrong kind of paint can lead to cracking and chipping.
Water based paints may not be the best kind of paint to use on concrete floors. This type of paint does not adhere easily when compared to oil based paints. Since oil based paints adhere to the surface quite well, you can prevent chipping and cracking in the process.
Classic choice of colors in painting concrete flooring includes gray, chocolate, beige, white and dark purple shades. Other color choices that look great on concrete include olive, red, purple, amber and dark blue.
Solo Color – Not Your Solo Choice
Most homeowners just stick to basic, solid colors when painting their concrete flooring. This is tragic because there can be many ways to beautify rooms in your home with the creation of unique patterns on the floor.
One of the methods to do this is to pour out your choice of paint onto the floor. Roll it smooth then wait for the paint to dry (this can take two or more days). After your waiting period, you can then begin with the lines. Draw lines using a pencil, tape measure and level. Begin on the farthest side of the wall then measure for diamond points. If you want a 20-inch diamond then have each spot marked with this exact measurement. Measure and draw throughout your floor – it can get tedious but hold on there – then tape using Frogtape for the delicate parts.
Use tape on the outer edge of the diamonds. Find a putty knife to achieve a clean edge once you tear the tape away.
Using a foam roller, you can get a nice, even coat for your paint. Give each diamond at least two coats of fresh paint then use brush to apply a lighter or darker hue on the edges of the diamonds. Pull of the tape and enjoy the design that you created.
Painting Floors in a Nutshell
- Follow these steps when you want to have the basic look for your painted concrete flooring. Prepare the floor by making sure that it is completely clean and dry before the project starts. Use a dehumidifier to quicken the process of drying.
- Find a degreasing solution that you can wash your flooring with. Rinse by using a clean mop.
- Scrape and brush away any carpet glue that has been left. The lumps that are left there will look ugly once painted over. Use a lacquer thinner on the floor till it completely evaporates. You can then scrape and brush.
- Use medium grit sandpaper in removing old paint or any markings on the floor.
- Have a vacuum remove the rest of the debris.
- If you find any cracks, rough patches or holes, then find something to fill them with. Use a metal scraper and damp cloth in smoothening the floor surface. As soon as this is done, you can use Quickcrete or other such products to cure the floor.
- Use a roller to apply the primer coat. Make sure that the paint is completely dry before you begin with the actual painting task.
You can then proceed to painting concrete flooring according to the above instructions.
