Painting your patio is a major undertaking that is highly necessary if you want to ensure an aesthetically pleasing patio and one that is properly protected and able to provide a safe walking surface for any visitors to your home.
There are countless patio paints available on the market, so it is important to choose one that suits your individual needs. Overall, when choosing a paint, you should opt for one that is weather-resistant, fade-resistant, anti-skid, and able to sufficiently cover any surface defects.
Before choosing a patio paint, you will need to understand your own needs in terms of what you are hoping the paint will achieve.
How your patio is used, how much foot traffic it is forced to endure, and how much exposure it has to inclement weather conditions will determine which paint will be best for your application. Whether you need a highly slip-resistant patio paint, or you are looking for one that comes in a range of colors, there are many options available to you.
Choosing The Best Patio Paint
When choosing a patio paint, one must consider the demands placed on the specific patio in question. Concrete patios require a paint product that can hold up to the elements while enduring tough usage from the people who reside in the space.
Concrete paints primarily use elastomeric technology to allow for expansion, contraction, and the harsh conditions this material is forced to endure.
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There are also challenges with coverage that must be considered because some concrete surfaces are highly porous while others are prone to extremely heavy foot traffic.
Therefore, concrete patio paints are specifically designed to withstand heavy foot traffic and ensure that they do not become slippery when wet. Normal paints tend to become worn more quickly than patio paints while being prone to peeling and becoming slippery when wet.
Concrete paints also have to withstand harsh chemicals used in cleaning outdoor surfaces while simultaneously having to endure hard surface scrubbing.
Color is a major consideration for some when it comes to patio paints, and certain paint products are only available in a few colors.
This means that careful consideration will have to be made when choosing paint with specific color requirements. For instance, you may have to weigh up the options between durability and aesthetic appeal.
One of the biggest considerations is how much abuse your painted patio surface will be forced to endure throughout its lifetime.
Further Considerations In Choosing Patio Paint
Suppose the patio does not experience heavy foot traffic for most of the year. In that case, you may be able to get away with a slightly less durable paint than if you had a large family and multiple guests constantly walking over the surface.
Exposure to nature is another thing to consider, as some patios may be more exposed to the sun, wind, snow, and rain than others. This will be a major determining factor in deciding which paint will be best for the application.
Waterproofing is another factor that enters into the choice of patio paint and how much water the patio in question can expect to be exposed to at any given time. Shedding of water and waterproofing are important considerations that must be carefully considered when choosing a patio paint.
Price is always a factor in any maintenance project, and you must be able to find the best-priced product for your needs without compromising on quality at any point. Quality paint will ensure the longevity of the project.
Overall, when choosing a paint, you should opt for one that is weather-resistant, fade-resistant, anti-skid, and able to sufficiently cover any surface defects.
Alternatives To Patio Paint
Numerous options exist when it comes to coatings for your patio. Even within the paint ranges, there are several types of paints, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.
It’s important to understand how each of these types of paints functions according to their manufacturing properties and the best way in which to make use of them in your own project.
Epoxy coatings tend to give a stronger finish that is able to last longer than most other paints. They can also, however, create a far more polished and glossy look which makes it highly recommended to mix in some sort of anti-slip additive that ensures the sleek finish does not create a slippery surface.
Polyurea is a coating option that tends to be more expensive than epoxy and others, requiring a professional to perform the application of the paint. It is extremely flexible and tends to be abrasion-resistant, while it can also create quite a smooth surface, often requiring the addition of an anti-slip compound.
Concrete staining products allow you to change the color of your concrete patio through a chemical reaction that penetrates into the concrete itself. This can permanently change the appearance of the concrete without creating an additional layer of product over the surface.
Concrete sealer is another coating option that works similarly to the wax used on a car. These products protect the concrete surface from becoming damaged by water, drastic temperature changes, and staining – all this without changing the appearance or color of the surface or adding any thickness whatsoever.
How To Paint a Concrete Patio
In order to paint your concrete patio properly, you will need a few more implements than only the paint itself. While the paint is naturally the most important, you will also need primer, patio cleaners, paintbrushes, and paint rollers, and you may also need some type of filler.
Step #1: Prepare the area
The first step in your patio-painting project is the preparation work. After removing any objects from the floor, such as furniture, pots, etc., and covering up any items that cannot be moved or removed, you will need to scrub the surface thoroughly.
This thorough scrubbing will ensure that any grease and grime are removed completely from the surface.
This is an important step because any grease or grime that is left on the concrete surface may bleed through any new paint that is applied, preventing it from lasting as long as it ordinarily would while simultaneously causing discoloration.
Remove any plant growth found in cracks in the concrete, and make use of a pressure-cleaner to rid the surface of any particularly stubborn stains. The same can be achieved through the use of a detergent and scrubbing brush.
If there is any paint on the surface from a previous paint job, remove this using a paint remover and some sort of scraper. If this isn’t done properly, you will end up with an uneven surface that will not be particularly aesthetically pleasing.
Step #2: Repair any defects
Next, you will need to repair any major defects present on the patio’s surface. In order to do this, clean out any cracks, and patch them up using a concrete patch product or masonry crack filler. After filling the cracks and allowing sufficient time to dry, sand down the surface to ensure that the end result is completely smooth.
Step #3: Clean the surface
Now that the surface is smooth and level, you can apply a TSP product to ensure the surface is completely clean before applying paint. Ensure that the concrete is completely dry before applying the paint.
Now that you know how to do a great job on your patio, here are some suggestions on which patio paints would be best depending on your needs…
Best Patio Paint for Hiding Imperfections…
Drylok Bamboo Berge Latex Concrete Floor Paint (Check it out on Amazon here)
This paint from DryLok is great when you’re in need of a product that can cover up imperfections on any surface. It is also highly resistant to fading, peeling, cracking, and scuffing, and the product has excellent coverage.
Drylock’s product makes use of a self-priming formula which means you won’t have to waste valuable time on applying multiple coats of paint in order to achieve your desired finish. This product is able to level itself evenly, ultimately creating a smooth surface upon drying.
The end result is smooth without a high luster and is also UV-resistant.
Check the current price on Amazon.
Best Patio Paint for a Textured Coating…
Daich RollerRock Concrete Coating (Available here).
The Daich RollerRock Concrete Coating makes use of stone particles which create a textured finish that is an excellent option for an uneven surface. It can be applied to any concrete surface without a primer and is able to cover up any small cracks in the surface of the concrete.
This product tends not to have the best coverage, with some reviewers claiming that it is able only to cover around half of what the packaging specifies. It also requires at least two coats in order to create sufficient coverage, as well as an additional two coats of sealer for best results.
Once sufficient coats have been applied and the sealer has been added sufficiently, you will end up with a highly durable surface that adds substantial thickness and texture to your concrete surface.
Best Color Options for Patio Paint…
Behr Premium Low-lustre Enamel Porch & Patio Floor Paint (available here.)
Behr Premium Porch & Patio Paint is an enamel paint that features a brilliant enamel coating with a low sheen. This helps make it an excellent choice for areas that experience high volumes of traffic at any given time.
There is also a high gloss enamel version of this product that is not highly recommended in areas with consistently high levels of foot traffic. This paint boasts the highly decorative elements that are associated with normal paint products, with the added benefit of being a hard-wearing outdoor floor paint.
The major benefit of this paint, in terms of aesthetic value, is that it can be tinted to any color imaginable. With sophisticated computerized color-matching technology, you can have this paint in the color of your choice, opening up a host of possibilities for customization for your porch floor.
Another benefit of this paint is the fact that it is extremely easy to maintain, and upon application, it is extremely quick to dry, often requiring no more than one hour between coats. Resistance to mildew is another factor that makes this an excellent choice for your patio floor.
Best Value For Money Patio Paint…
Sure Step Acrylic Anti Slip Coating Paint (Available from Amazon here).
This product is exceptionally well-priced while retaining excellent quality throughout. The surface that it creates is highly durable and has excellent skid-resistant qualities. The finish incorporates a fine aggregate with a very subtle sheen, ensuring that the surface is pleasing to look at while remaining highly functional and slip-resistant.
This paint product is extremely versatile in that it is able to be used on a wide variety of materials, ensuring that it will never go to waste with having the potential to be used on many other home-repair projects.
The fact that this paint is made of acrylic latex also means that it is able to retain its color when exposed to UV rays.
Check current price on Amazon.
Best Anti-slip Patio Paint…
Rustoleum Porch & Floor Coating With Anti-Skid (Available on Amazon here).
This product results in an aesthetically pleasing finish while remaining easy to use. The anti-skid aspect comes as part of the texture of the finished product, creating a textured surface that will never become slippery despite how much moisture is found on the surface.
Resistant to scuffs and scraping, this paint is also an excellent choice in areas where there is a high volume of foot traffic. The Rust-oleum Floor Paint is an acrylic paint that is fortified using urethane, and it can also be used on other surfaces, including wood, making it a great all-round product.
Check the current price on Amazon.
Conclusion
Once you have established your needs for your patio paint, and you understand which paint will best serve you in terms of what you hope to achieve with your patio, you should be able to make an informed decision regarding the best paint for your purposes.
Whether your priorities lie in aesthetics and customizable color options or in ensuring that your patio floor remains skid-resistant throughout its lifetime, you will be able to find the right paint for your needs.
By eliminating options that do not suit your needs, you will be able to establish a shortlist of potential options, where you can then start to eliminate those that do not, for example, offer the best value for money.