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Paint Concrete Walls and Floors
Tired of the gray concrete walls of your garage or basement? Perhaps the existing paint job is losing its luster? A fresh coat of color can be just the thing to brighten up those concrete walls and floors. Feel free to get creative. Choose a theme, or simply paint with a bright, bold color scheme. It’s up to you.
Visit your local True Value hardware store for the tools, products and expert advice you need to get started then follow the steps below.
Step 1. Clean and Prepare the Surfaces
Before you can paint, all interior masonry walls and floors must be clean and free of loose paint, cement particles or any other foreign matter. Use a wire brush and a solution of Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) to scrub the walls or floors to clean them and remove any foreign matter on the surface of the concrete.
Safety Alert!
- Always wear protective clothing when working with TSP. Follow manufacturer’s instructions carefully.
- If you scrape, sand or remove any old paint, you may release lead dust. Lead is toxic. Exposure to lead dust can cause serious illness, such as brain damage, especially in children. Expectant mothers should also avoid exposure. Wear a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved respirator to control lead exposure. Clean up carefully with a HEPA vacuum and a wet mop. Before you start, find out how to protect yourself by contacting the National Lead Hotline at 1-800-424-LEAD or log on to www.epa.gov/lead.
If the walls or floors are already painted, you will need to use a scraper to take off loose paint and any stubborn surface matter. Vacuum the paint that’s scraped off and mop up any mess. Outdoors, you can use a power washer to clean surfaces. Because power washers can make quite a mess, they’re not recommended for indoor use.
Be sure you remove any oil or grease on the masonry so that it won’t cause discoloration or other problems with your paint job. Once you’ve finished cleaning, make any needed repairs to the concrete walls or floors.
Fix any cracks or holes in the masonry with a concrete patch or a hydraulic cement. Your local True Value associate can help you choose which product is best for your basement or garage. Follow the manufacturers’ directions when applying the concrete patch or hydraulic cement.
Any moisture issues need to be taken care of before you can paint, so it’s a good idea to seal your masonry. Even if you don’t see any actual wet spots on your floor or walls, you may still have moisture hidden in the concrete. This could cause problems when you paint. Tape a few pieces of plastic kitchen wrap to different areas of the wall or floor, making them as airtight as possible. Leave them overnight. If any condensation appears on the plastic wrap, you’ll have to seal the concrete. See Step 3 for tips on how to seal your concrete surfaces.
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Step 2. Acid Etching
New interior walls should be acid etched before painting. Existing paint can be painted over, but any bare spots (including areas revealed when scraping loose, peeling paint) should be acid etched before painting. While it’s recommended this job be left to a professional, an experienced DIYer can etch concrete when the task is done carefully.
Carefully prepare a solution of one part muriatic acid to three parts water, using one gallon per 100 square feet of surface. Use a stiff fiber bristle brush to scrub the solution into the concrete. Allow the solution to remain on the surface until it stops bubbling. Flush the solution off thoroughly with clean water. If the surface is not dry within a few hours, flush again with water. The surface must dry evenly — if puddles develop, the solution will become more concentrated and affect the performance of the primer and paint.
Safety Alert!
- Always add the acid to water to prevent the splash of hot acid – never pour water into acid.
- Muriatic acid can cause severe chemical burns as a result of contact with skin or eyes, as well as irritation of the nose and throat from the inhalation of vapors. Always wear protective clothing such as rubber boots, rubber gloves and work goggles when using muriatic acid. Always follow manufacturer’s instructions when handling acid.
A proper etch will give the concrete a surface texture like #1 or #2 sandpaper. After the surface has dried, use a vacuum or damp rag to remove the powder created by etching. If you don’t remove the powder entirely, you’ll run into problems when you prime and paint. You can start priming when the surface is chemically neutral and completely dry.
Previously painted concrete floors/walls do not need to be acid etched where the existing paint is still in good shape.
Step 3. Seal and Prime
After the surface is clean and dry, the next step is to seal and prime. This will keep moisture from seeping through the concrete and help waterproof your walls and floors. It will also help the paint bond to the surfaces better. Your local True Value carries sealer and complementary primer to build a strong, water-resistant foundation for your paint. Apply the sealant generously using a roller or sprayer. Allow it to dry completely before applying the primer in the same way. Once the primer has dried, it’s time to paint.
Step 4. Apply Masonry Paint and/or Floor Coating
Paint surfaces with a properly formulated, waterproof acrylic latex masonry paint, such as True Value WeatherAll® Masonry & Stucco Paint. Use a roller or sprayer to cover the entire surface evenly. For the basement, apply two to three coats of paint for optimum moisture protection and the best color coverage.
Safety Alert!
- Paint fumes are toxic. Make sure your work area is well ventilated, using fans to circulate air and opening windows where you can.
Unless your basement floor has a plastic moisture barrier, a latex floor coating will give you the best waterproofing. Latex floor coatings allow moisture to pass through dry film, while oil-based coatings will not. Use a roller to apply the floor coating evenly. Let the floor dry thoroughly before walking on it.
Nice job. With a little elbow grease and a few coats of paint, you’ve added color to your concrete and wiped out moisture problems. For all your painting projects, trust the experts at your local True Value for the tools, products and advice you need.
For more projects, go to TrueValuePaint.com. >
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