How to clean, prep, paint and stencil your concrete patio to enjoy all spring and summer long!
The next segment of CLWL Fixer Upper is here! In Florida it’s common to have a lanai (screened in patio/pool). Ours just happened to be carpeted by the previous owners.
We tore up that outdoor carpeting to reveal plain, solid concrete. With a bit of cleaning, concrete stain and a cute stencil this space received a massive transformation!
We did a ton of research on painting versus staining concrete, plus consulted with my parents who refinished their indoor concrete flooring to come up with a plan.
Ultimately we ended up choosing concrete stain in the hopes of avoiding chipping, a common issue with concrete paint.
View my previous stencil project here.
DIY Concrete Patio Stencil
Supplies Used
- Power washer
- Muriatic Acid
- Rustoleum Concrete Repair Kit
- Behr Premium Solid Color Concrete Stain – Tintable
- Behr Premium Porch & Patio Floor Paint – Slate Gray
- Stencil
- Foam Roller (Stencil)
- Paint Roller w/ Extension Pole (Stain)
- Painter’s Tape
Step 1: Clean the Concrete Patio
Power wash the concrete to remove old gunk and grime. If you don’t feel like power washing removed all the tough stains and grime, you can use muriatic acid to get a good cleaning and “etch” your concrete.
Because our concrete is adjacent to our pool, we wanted that etching/texture to aid in preventing a slippery surface. The ratio will vary, but typically you’ll use 10 parts water to 1 part acid. (Always adding acid to water and not vice versa.) Apply the mixture to your concrete and use a push broom or large, firm bristled brush to scrub. Hose off when done.
**Muriatic acid comes with a risk. Use proper PPE when handling.
Step 2: Repair Concrete Cracks
Once the cleaning was done and completely dry (24 hrs), we repaired cracks and small gouges with the Rustoleum Concrete Repair Kit. Using this kit made repairs extremely easy with a drying time of 8 hours.
I will mention though that this application is gray and will be visible with a transparent or light colored stain. Our stencil design masked its visibility just fine.
Step 3: Concrete Staining
Stain or paint your concrete. I used a paint tray and roller with an extension pole to apply our solid concrete stain. Honestly though you could get away with just pouring the stain directly onto the concrete in small areas and rolling it in.
The concrete absorbed quite a bit of our white solid stain. I used two coats, but if we weren’t stenciling I would have gone for a third coat.
Step 4: Stencil Your Concrete
Concrete stencil is the most time consuming step in this entire process. It would be in your best interest to use a large stencil.
I opted to start my stencil in the middle of the concrete patio on one end to avoid uneven cutoff areas. So once you choose your starting spot, use painter’s tape to hold down your stencil.
Pour your patio paint into a mini tray and apply to your foam roller sparingly. You will want to roll off any excess paint before rolling your stencil otherwise it will get underneath and you won’t have clear lines.
Tip: Take a piece of cardboard and practice a few times with rolling your paint. There is a learning curve to getting the right amount of paint with the right amount of pressure while rolling over your stencil.
Pickup your concrete stencil and move on down the row. You shouldn’t have to wait in between each movement. The concrete absorbs the small amount of paint quickly.
Stencils are fairly flexible and can be bent in half or positioned easily in any difficult areas.
Because you’re using concrete stain and paint, it is not necessary to seal it, although you certainly can use a concrete patio sealer to prolong the life of your newly painted patio. One of the reasons why we didn’t is because our patio is adjacent to our pool and most concrete sealers are not recommended for use near pools.
The Reveal!
This space is very long, so I broke it up into 3 separate areas: outdoor dining, kid’s area, and outdoor living/relaxing.
We still have plans for more decor, built-in grill table and more. Stay tuned!
