Content

• Steps
• Tips
• What do you need

Painting a cement floor improves the overall appearance of a room, can mask surface imperfections and make it easier to maintain. But certain actions must be taken in order for the painting process to reach a successful completion. The surface must be thoroughly cleaned before painting. You will need heavy duty paint for the job, it has certain characteristics that will require you to complete the job in less than a day, and other restrictions must be considered before starting. Follow these tips to learn how to paint your cement floor.

Steps

1. 1 Before starting a project, make sure the conditions are right. Concrete is difficult to paint. It should be processed so that the paint adheres to it and painting should only be done within the specified temperature range and dry conditions.
   • Test the moisture in your concrete by placing a piece of plastic tape on the floor and letting it sit for 24 hours. Condensation creates moisture on the plastic and seeps through the floor.
   • Moisture on the outside of the plastic indicates that the room is too humid. Use a dehumidifier to create the conditions required for painting.
   • The water on the inside of the plastic means that moisture flows through the concrete. Clean out your gutters and pipes to fix this problem.
   • Do not paint your cement floor if the room temperature is above 900 F (32.20 C) or below 400 F (4.440 C).
2. 2 Clean your floor thoroughly. The concrete floor must be properly prepared so that the paint adheres to it.
   • Remove all furniture from the area you will be painting. You will be using a heavy-duty paint to paint your concrete floor, which requires timely application. You will have to paint the entire room at once, so the furniture should be in a different location.
   • Sweep the floor, including the baseboards. Make sure there is no dirt as debris will ruin your work.
   • Use a degreaser as needed to remove grease and other substances from the surface.
   • Clean the floor with a solution of detergent and water using a brush. Your floor needs to be free of dirt for the paint to stick.
   • Wash the entire floor with clean water and let it dry.
   • Repair cracks and other defects in the floor using repair kits and a trowel. Repair kits are available at hardware stores.
3. 3 Protect the skirting boards with adhesive tape. With tape around the perimeter of the floor, you can finish the job faster.
4. 4 Choose a paint for your project. Epoxy floor paints are ideal for concrete floors. They are abrasion resistant, adhere well to concrete and are easy to use.
   • Mix your epoxy floor paint with a catalyst. The catalyst makes the paint thicker, so once you mix the paint you should start working right away.
   • Brush along the baseboards.
   • Use a roller for the rest of the surface. Paint from the far corner.
   • Allow the surface to dry completely before applying the second coat. Remember to mix the epoxy paint with the catalyst every time you paint your concrete floor.

Tips

• Try sprinkling water on the floor before you mix the paint. Wait for the floor to absorb water. If the water rolls into balls, you may need to spray the floor with a hydrochloric acid solution to make the concrete more susceptible to paint.
• Designers suggest staining concrete floors, rather than painting, in order to give an unusual look. The process is similar to painting. Make sure you are using a paint that is designed for concrete floors.

What do you need

• Epoxy floor paint.
• Paint catalyst.
• Broom.
• Scoop.
• Cleaning brush.
• Detergent.
• Bucket.
• Air Dryer.
• Degreasing agent.
• Mop.
• Repair kit.
• Putty knife.
• Brush with 4 in. (10 cm) bristles.
• Wide roller.
• Roller tray.
• Clean rags.
• Protective glasses.
• Work gloves.