Many people have a strong opinion when it comes to painting concrete. They mostly think it is redundant or downright tasteless. However, this is a loaded statement when you consider painting concrete floors is a widespread practice. Therefore, if you do not want to bother asking around for advice on how to do this, here are some bare-bones, practical essentials of floor painting with emphasis on the concrete driveway.
A few obligatory items
First of all, you need all the necessary equipment if you plan to do this properly. You need at least two brushes (one as a fallback brush), a heavy duty paint roller, and (of course) a bucket of paint. Having some rags and disposable cloth on the side would not hurt either. Additionally, you will need a disposable dust mask to protect you from breathing in toxins and a pair of worker gloves. Protection is just as important as a job well done.
Move your car into the street or somewhere else and remember the driveway needs to cure for seven days after the paint job. If your neighbor has some extra space and is kind enough to offer a temporary “residence” for your car, do not give it a second thought.
Things to do before you start
The first step you need to take is to give your driveway a thorough cleaning. Use your regular household hose to wash it superficially and then take a bucket of water for a more systematic approach. Now here is a step you cannot skip as an experienced painter – add some etch primer into the bucket and use a stiff broom to give your concrete driveway a thorough scrub. Let this solution sit on the surface of the driv0eway for ten minutes tops and then wash it off with your trusty hose. Overall, this should not take you more than thirty minutes.
Protection for the immediate surrounding
Use the duct take to mask up the edges of walls and fence if you want to avoid getting paint on them. It is smart to cover a small patch of lawn right next to the driveway with cellophane or thicker transparent plastic wrapping. Protection means a lot for the rest of the job. This way you increase a chance to get an impeccably looking driveway and you will not have to be tense while you paint, while you constantly think whether you’ll mess up.
Choosing premium products
Driveway coatings are sealers are not your regular run-of-the-mill concoctions splattered over walls. They are thick, heavy-duty product invented to withstand constant pressure and friction of car tires. Only by choosing a premium floor coating solution will you be able to transform your concrete floor at the highest possible standard. What’s best, quality products also make cleaning and maintenance remarkably easy.
Time to get your hands dirty
If you are thinking about what is the best possible approach to painting your concrete driveway, working your way in from the edges is a sound strategy that never fails. This method is known as “cutting in”. Use the brushes to create a frame and then turn to a paint roller to cover the rest of the concrete in the most time efficient manner.
There is one way you can do this to avoid painting yourself into the corner (or into the middle). Start working from the side that is the closest to the garage door and work your way backward, towards the exit point that connects your driveway with the street. After the job is done, wait for a whole day and give it another go with a second coat of undiluted paint. After this portion of the job is done, it takes seven days before you can use your spanking clean driveway.
When observed as an isolated piece of work, every do-it-yourself task can seem menial and redundant. However, each of these tasks is a singular piece of a grand puzzle that comes together to create a comfortable and inviting home. Therefore, painting a concrete driveway might not seem as a big contribution to the general appearance of your home, but with some essentials under your belt, it can be an impeccably done work that blends in with the rest of your home exterior.