How to Paint a Concrete Patio

Have a boring concrete patio that could use a little sprucing up? I just finished giving mine an entirely new look with nothing but some paint – here’s how I did it.

I am so excited to be sharing this project with you today. I’ve wanted to paint our back patio for years now, but it felt really overwhelming so I kept avoiding it. But, we had the opportunity come up for a really fun change back here (more on that soon!) and it felt like the perfect time to knock it out.

It’s honestly hard to believe how much of a difference I was able to make with just about $200 and a little elbow grease. I won’t lie – it’s a big undertaking. But, this is one of those projects that is so rewarding and so worth it! I’m in love with how it turned out and I’m just so dang proud to be able to say I did it!

So, Here’s How to Paint a Concrete Patio

Tools + Materials

• Pressure Washer
• Concrete etching solution
• Floor Scrub Brush
• Concrete + Masonry Bonding Primer
• Painter’s Tape
• Scrap Plywood (or just grab a tile in the size you want!)
• Porch & Patio Paint (I used Weathered White and Greige by Behr)
• Concrete Sealer
• Paint Rollers + Extension Pole

Step One: Clean Patio

The absolute most important part of this project is cleaning the patio. Hear me when I say this: if you don’t take this portion of the project seriously, the rest will fall apart. Promise. Don’t skimp here!

I started off by removing everything from my patio and then thoroughly pressure washing it. I also used a concrete cleaner during this step, but if you use the Clean + Etch product I linked above, you can do it all at once! Basically, your goal here is to remove all of the dirt and debris from your patio so it looks clean to the eye. Then, you can move onto step two (and you don’t even need to let it dry first!).

Step Two: Etch Concrete

Now, you need to etch the concrete. This is done by adding a chemical solution to the concrete that does a really deep clean and degreasing so your concrete patio is ready for paint. This is a really important step and, thankfully, it’s really easy to do.

You can just pour the solution onto the concrete patio in small batches, then use your floor scrubber to scrub it in. You might notice some smoking and sizzling – this is totally normal, as well as a good reminder not to let this stuff touch your skin!

This can also be applied with a pump sprayer if you have one. It makes it easier, but it’s not fully necessary. Just make sure to pour carefully if you’re pouring directly onto the floor!

Once it’s done, you need to allow it to dry. I would suggest giving it an absolute minimum of 24 hours.

Step Three: Prime Concrete

Once the concrete is fully dry, you’re ready to prime it! I used this product and it worked great. It goes on clear and just takes a minute to apply. Why do you need to prime? Concrete can be tricky to paint, especially for a high-traffic area like a patio. It can peel and chip over time. A bonding primer helps prep the concrete and make it less porous so that it’s sealed and ready for paint. It will make it less likely that you deal with chips in your paint, and it’s a step you don’t want to skip.

You can apply this with your paint roller, or with a pump sprayer. I just used a paint roller for my patio. It took about 10 minutes to do the entire thing, it’s a breeze!

Be sure to follow the directions for dry time for the product you use before you get started with the paint!

Step Four: Paint Your Base Coat

Once the primer has dried, you can paint your first coat of paint! I started with Weathered White by Behr, and I painted the entire top of the patio with two coats. Make sure to let it dry fully in-between coats.

This step is also really quick and easy – just use your paint roller, pour the paint directly onto the patio, and then spread it around. It genuinely only takes about 15 minutes per coat! I skipped painting the sides of the patio in this step, since I knew I’d be painting them in the gray color. Let it dry and then….

Step Five: Tape Off Your Design

Now comes the fun (and, I’ll be honest, back-breaking) part. Taping off your design! I’m going to assume you’re working with a diamond pattern like I did, but you can, of course, do anything you want.

First, decide how big you want your squares to be. I went with 18″. If you want to make sure that there is an exact number of squares in your space (with no partial squares), you may need to do some math. But, I personally prefer to just start with the size I want and go from there! You can grab a tile in the size you want, or cut down a piece of plywood or cardboard to use as a template.

I also decided to add a 4″ border around the patio that’s in the same color as the gray squares. That way, I didn’t have to try to take my pattern down the edges! So, I started by taping the 4″ border all the way around, then moved onto the diamonds.

You’ll want to place your middle diamond first. Just measure and find the exact middle of your patio, then center your template on that mid-point. Make sure it’s aligned the way you want before taping. You can do that by measuring the distance from the corners to the edge of the patio and making sure they’re even. This first diamond will be the one that guides all the rest, so you want it to be squared off correctly!

Once you’ve got it all aligned, tape around that first square. Then, line up the next one off of it and tape! Continue working all the way around the patio. You’ll notice that there will be areas you’ll need to cut the tape away to make a perfect diamond – don’t over-think that. For now, just tape off the diamonds, then move on to the next step to take care of that.

Step Five: Cut Out Excess Tape

Now, you’ll want to go through each diamond, as well as the border, and use a utility knife to cut out the excess tape. For example, where two corners meet, or where a diamond meets your border.

I didn’t snap a good photo of this but I happen to have one from when I did a similar floor treatment in our playhouse camper, so here’s what I’m talking about. On the left is the before, on the right is what it’ll look like after!

I also recommend taking a second to add a small piece of tape in each diamond that doesn’t need to be painted. It’s not a fully necessary step but it helps you from losing track of what you’re doing once you start painting!

Step Six: Paint the Second Color

We’re getting there! At this point, your back is probably killing you, and you’re regretting all of the life choices that have led you here. But, you’ve come this far. It’s worth it to keep going – I promise.

Now, it’s time to paint your second color (I went with Greige by Behr). You can paint with a roller if you like, but I just did it by hand with a regular paintbrush. It was relatively quick and simple. Just paint all of the squares that you didn’t add a little scrap piece to and try not to cry from the pain radiating down your spine. You can do this.

Step Seven: Seal the Patio!

We’re almost there, my friends. This is the final step. Once your paint has fully dried (check the directions on your paint can, but about 4 hours should do it), you need to seal the patio. It might be tempting to skip this step because you’re exhausted and over the project. But, don’t you want it to last?! The answer is yes, you do. Don’t skip sealing it.

Plus, after all you’ve been through, this part of the process is a total breeze. Just use a roller to brush it on, then stay off of it for about 24 hours while it dries.

And then? You’re done!

I am so happy I decided to finally knock this project out, and I truly love the finished product. Next up? Creating a cozy dining area and an outdoor kitchen – stay tuned!!

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