How to Stain a Boring Concrete Patio

If your patio is taking a toll on wear or simply needs a new look, you can stain your concrete floors to give them new life. Using stains on concrete allows the surface to breathe, refreshing the concrete while preventing moisture build-up that can cause cracks and other damage. to multi-colored murals, only limited by your taste and imagination.

Materials Needed to Stain Concrete Floors

To get started, you’ll need:

If you want to make something more complicated you can also use chalk to draw the design or lay out the pattern before applying the stain. , to help provide design guidance.

How to stain a concrete floor

First you need to prepare the floor. Remove furniture and decorations from the area and sweep away all dust and leaves. Use a hose and scrubbing brush for stubborn dirt to make sure the concrete is clean. After cleaning the floor with water, allow the floor surface to dry for 24 hours to prevent excess moisture from soaking into the stain.

Once the affected area is clean and dry, you can apply the stain. Pour the stain into the paint pan and use the paintbrush to cut along edges and cracks. This will give you cleaner lines and fewer accidental smudges than using a stain pad.

If the pattern has seams or underlined parts, go through each split part one at a time so that the stain stays in one coat and dries evenly. Rubbing the same spot over and over again after the stain has started to dry will cause smudges and uneven color, revealing streaks and brush strokes.

Note that concrete absorbs paint at different rates. Unless the floor is perfectly flat, recesses accumulate slightly more dirt than other places. Also, the patch probably won’t be exactly the same color as the original concrete. An even, thin layer of dirt with no excess dirt or drips will give you the most even finish, but part of the aesthetic of dirty concrete is that you can see the flaws and imperfections in the finished concrete. If you want a firmer, more flawless aesthetic, then dyeing is not the right finish.

It’s okay to walk on the floor as soon as it’s dry to the touch, but avoid scrubbing and moisture. Empty your patio and let it dry overnight before placing your furniture and enjoying your new floor. If you used chalk to line the pattern, you should let the stain dry for at least 24 hours before hosing the chalk off the surface.