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Designer
Secrets for Updating Your Home Décor On a Tight Budget
By Pamela Cole Harris
Painting Concrete Floors
The first time I saw a painted concrete floor, I was amazed! It
was beautiful! It is the perfect solution for an inexpensive floor
that will last and last. If you want to try this money-saving
technique in your home, here’s how (but I warn you, this is not
a one-weekend project!)
1. If your floor is inside the house, do a little checking before
you decide to paint your floor. Is the concrete damp? Are there
puddles? (If so, then you have a larger problem than an ugly
floor!) If so, contact a professional to take care of the water
seepage problem. Let the concrete dry thoroughly before painting
(this may take a l-o-n-n-n-n-n-n-g time!)
2. Thoroughly clean the concrete. If there is any grease on the
floor (what have you been DOING in this room?), you must remove it
before painting or the paint won’t stick. To remove grease, put
down cat litter to absorb the majority of oil, then scrub again
with Goof Off. Then mix up a bucket of TSP and scrub the floor,
rinsing several times, until your mop is clean (I didn’t say
this would be easy, did I?). Wait at least three days for the
floor to dry.
3. Sand off any paint (have you done this before?) or bumpy stuff
(such as glue or paint residue) with a hand sander and 80-grit
sandpaper. Vacuum well. Go over the floor with a tack cloth (a
sticky cheesecloth available at any hardware or home improvement
store).
4. Use Cement Fixall to repair any cracks and holes, then let it
dry completely.
5. Now we begin the painting process. Roll on two coats of Kilz
primer and stain blocker. Let dry between coats.
6. Use a roller or a paint compressor, if you have one, to paint
on at least two coats of a good latex flat paint. (Don’t settle
for the cheap stuff for this project!)
7. Now for the creative stuff! Use your imagination to come up
with geometric shapes, the look of faux tile, faux stone, or even
a faux yellow brick road! Let dry completely!
8. Roll on two coats of Breakthrough*** sealer with a 1/4" nap
roller. You will need a respirator mask for this (cough! cough!).
Let dry.
Now you have a beautiful concrete floor - indestructible and
colorful! I just have one more tip - lay some nice soft rugs
around, especially in the wintertime! Your floor may be
marvellous,
but it will be cold on those tender toes!
This content provided by Home
and Garden Makeover
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