The floor in concrete has always been an important design feature of industrial-style homes but it’s now showing up in interiors of every type.
Painting concrete floors in white and grey adds texture to open-plan layouts, while hiding dents and scratches. If you’re not sure what paint type to choose for this task, epoxy paint is durable while acrylic latex is easy to apply by the amateur.
Preparation
Use a floor paint for concrete floors when it is already dry. Water will create bubbles or peel paint on concrete, so do a moisture test and choose a place that’s both hot and cold for your work day.
If a concrete or cement screed surface does not powder or flake, is free of cement laitance layer, and is hard and dense, further mechanical surface preparation may be needed to ‘open up’ the surface so that a bond can be obtained with floor paints. The most effective and economical method is the mechanical vacuum blast cleaning but also rotary scabbling, grinding etc. can also be used to do the job.
After blasting and sanding, vacuum dust, debris and soluble salts out and clean them with DRYLOK Concrete and Masonry Liquid Etch & Clean (this also brightens). : Use construction/garden gloves to prevent acid exposure and disposable mask to avoid acid exposure; after complete etching, sweep and vacuum to remove softer or more friable materials which could lead the next floor finish to blister under osmotic pressure.
Primer
Your concrete painting project will only last as long as you use a primer. The same way there are wall primers that are made for painting walls, there are also masonry primers that are made to be used on concrete. If this process is not considered, painted walls crack much quicker than usual.
Primer also seals in porous concrete, and makes topcoats wetter so they spread better – great when you’re applying cement floor coating that you need to roll rather than trowel.
Some concrete floor finishes self-prime, but even these brands should have you apply them after a moisture test. Concrete floor water will come from below and wash away paint and result in mildew or mold. A moisture-reducing primer like CFI’s WearCOAT 1080 Moisture Mitigating Primer will help you here.
Color
Concrete floors may be seen in a business setting, but with the right paint color you have a whole new world of design possibilities. Neutrals, darks and whites, concrete paint will give a room new and airy feeling.
: When choosing your color, ensure to use concrete floor paint made for concrete. They are usually thicker than normal interior or exterior wall paints and will survive the traffic and chemicals more effectively. When you need a temporary solution quickly, DRYLOK Latex Concrete Floor Paint is one-coat and doesn’t require additional primer. Family Handy Man described it as one of the “best concrete floor paints for 2021”.
Scribble a stencil or sponge the pattern on top for some artistic look and layer your shapes and lines using different colors as your base colour, over that.
Finish
Paint can be a cheap and quick substitute for concrete floors, as it can be a cheap and quick replacement for your concrete floors. A gallon of concrete paint and some other needed tools is all it takes to make any room from bland to amazing!
The best possible barrier against moisture and sunlight can be provided by epoxy paint but it takes longer to prepare than acrylic latex coatings.
And whichever style of decorative concrete flooring you like, from a painted look to something more experimental such as acid etching and stenciling – the options are unlimited. Use stencils with an adhesive backing to create fake area rugs or borders and medallions; acid etch to create the illusion of marble or limestone. Be sure to conduct moisture vapor transmission testing before staining or painting, as water will raise the surface and grow mildew or mold on it.
