How to paint a concrete porch or patio

I finally tackled a project I have wanted to tackle (and debated if I should do) for quite some time and I am happy to report I am thrilled with the after! We have worked hard to make out back porch/patio an extension of our home and a place where we love to spend time and the ugly/dirty/stained concrete was such an eyesore.

By the way you can find links and info on last years spring back porch here:

Here are some pictures of the before with all the stains. This is after pressure washing and using a concrete cleaner/etcher which did help clean some of the red mud staining off but still, lots were left.

So after debating for over a year if I wanted to or should paint it I finally bit the bullet and did it and I am so glad I did! I will detail the process and what products I used below and next spring I will try to add an update to how it has held up.

As far as color you can get the Behr Porch and Patio paint in several pre-mixed colors or a selection of colors that they recommend for concrete, or you can have it custom mixed in any color you want. I opted to have it mixed in the same paint color as our house which is SW Elephant Ear. Keep in mind that paint used outdoors will always look lighter because of the sunlight and sky reflection and paint on a horizontal surface will look even lighter. I almost wish I would have gone one level darker just because it reads much lighter on the flat horizontal surface than on our house even though the color is a perfect match.

What you will need:

Concrete cleaner/etcher (gloves, eye protection, boots)
Concrete binding primer
Porch and patio floor paint
rollers – 3/8 nap for the primer and 1/2 nap for the paint
long extension handle for roller – I would not try to paint a floor without this!

Here’s the process I followed:

1. Pressure wash your concrete. Clean thoroughly of any dust and dirt.

2. Use a concrete cleaner/etcher product. Rinse well.

-Be very careful with this product and read and follow all instructions. It contains acid which can cause chemical burns so make sure to wear eye protection, gloves, use in a ventilated area, etc.)

3. After the concrete has dried completely (I waited several days) then you are ready to paint. The directions on the products I used said to use a concrete bonding primer so that I what I did. This is a milky, clear, very thin product that went on very easily. Let dry for at least 4 hours.

4. Paint!

This BEHR porch and patio floor paint went on very easily and covered in 1 coat. I used about 3/4 of the gallon for my entire porch. Since I was doing the same color as our house color I did not have to tape off or be super careful about cutting in but if you are doing a completely different color you will want to tape off the surrounding areas or be very careful cutting in. I still did have to use a brush to do around the edges, the front edge, in between the cracks, and some spots where the concrete was very textured.

So ready to see the after!?

I am so thrilled to have all those stains gone!

Here’s some before and afters…

This picture probably more shows the true color. It really does match the house color but the reflections and light just make it seem lighter. If I was to do it again or repaint it in a few years I will go a bit darker. I also have seen some amazing stripes, stencils, or faux tile look created with paint and think that would be super fun! Our porch is fairly narrow and once I the rug and table and other things added I just wasn’t sure you would see much of any design… but maybe I could go back with a stenciled design that would be darker on top of this one day? For now, I am just happy to have all the stains gone, have a clean pretty back porch, and get it all set up so we can enjoy meals and this gorgeous spring weather out here! (You are supposed to let it cure for 72 hours before heavy traffic and use.)

One of my other concerns I had was if the paint would make it slippery. It hasn’t gotten wet yet but there is still the exact same concrete rough texture to it so I don’t see this making it more slippery. Now if I was doing this around a pool that had constant water and kids running around, I would probably opt to add a non-slip additive or use a non-slip paint.