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The Frugal Homemaker

Your guide to turning your house into a home... one DIY project and yard sale find at a time

How to paint a concrete porch or patio

April 13, 2021

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.

Spring Back Patio Refresh-4

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

  • Spring back patio refresh with links
  • DIY farmhouse table tutorial
  • DIY hanging plant wall

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. 

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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. 

How to paint a concrete porch or patio

 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. 

How to paint a concrete patio or porch-1

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.

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So ready to see the after!?

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I am so thrilled to have all those stains gone!

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Here’s some before and afters…

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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.)

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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. 

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Have you wanted to paint your concrete porch or patio?  Or have you already?  I’d love hear what you think and if you paint yours!

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Comments

  1. Sally says

    April 13, 2021 at 12:53 PM

    This looks amazing! Have you done a similar project to your garage floors? Would love to see that in the future if not

    Reply
  2. Sandy Endle says

    April 13, 2021 at 7:16 PM

    Do you think you could use this in a garage?

    Reply
  3. Tessie says

    April 14, 2021 at 1:07 AM

    That’s an amazing transformation! Its pretty cool what a little paint can do. Good job!

    Reply
  4. Samantha says

    April 14, 2021 at 12:10 PM

    Nice work. Thanks for sharing your idea.

    Reply
  5. Helen E Fountain says

    April 17, 2021 at 12:50 AM

    Been wanting to do this to our patio—you make it look so simple—I think I’ll give it a try. Thanks

    Reply
  6. Fuller says

    July 3, 2021 at 8:18 PM

    Hey Christina!
    Thanks for sharing the post. Great tips and pictures help me out how we paint a concrete porch. Please continue posting. Cheers!

    Reply
  7. Cez says

    July 22, 2021 at 12:20 AM

    I’d like to paint mine but I want it in stripes. Maybe a blue & white or gray & white. I want to use non-skid paint for safety. It could be slippery when it snows.

    Reply
  8. Patricia Gross says

    September 4, 2021 at 10:59 PM

    What does your porch measure. You said you used a gallon of paint 1 coat but I don’t see the measurement of the porch
    to compare

    Reply
  9. Garrett says

    October 14, 2021 at 8:22 PM

    Love what you did with your concrete porch! I actually used to be a painter and recently started a concrete business. It’s great to see you put both of those things together. What a transformation!

    Reply
  10. Tony says

    October 21, 2021 at 6:38 PM

    Do you know the paint color you used?

    Reply
  11. Janice says

    October 26, 2021 at 1:24 PM

    Is it slippery when wet?

    Reply
  12. Thami says

    October 26, 2021 at 5:23 PM

    Great ! I have my front porch for make over . This is a great idea for me to start. Thanks.

    Reply

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Hi!  My name is Christina . . .

I love doing simple, frugal things to make our house feel like HOME! Come learn along with me how to have a beautiful home on a budget.

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