Quick and Easy Painted Patio Upgrade

Is your patio looking a little bland? Give a dull concrete slab a great faux tiled look with stencils for a striking and inviting patio space.

You will want to prep your concrete first by pressure washing it, and possibly even sanding it down, removing any old paint or gunk that you don’t want on your new surface.

Buy your concrete paint in two contrasting colors. There are all kinds of specialty paints you can find to maintain the tread while keeping a satin appearance. One idea is to use concrete stain instead of concrete paint, and then mixing it with whatever color you are looking for. That way it sinks into the concrete instead of laying on top and will prevent a slippery situation. Usually it is recommended to put down a concrete primer and let it cure for 8 hours and then use a paint specifically designed for porches and patios, but you do have lots of options and there are tons of YouTube tutorials if you’re stuck on this step.

Choose a thick bristle brush or a small paint roller. This is a personal choice and, if you haven't used a stencil before, you may want to test them out on a separate surface to see which one you prefer. The typical recommendation is to dry brush it -which means use the smallest amount of paint on your stencil as possible so that it actually feels quite dry. This keeps the uniformity that you’re looking for and prevents any globs of paint ruining the uniformity of your design.

Grab some painter’s tape to hold the stencil down. The final material you will need is a stencil you like with a repeated pattern. You can find these on Etsy or at any craft shop.

Step 1- Paint the bottom layer of your paint on the floor. You will likely need two to three coats. Let each coat dry before you start the next one

Step 2- Tape down your stencil and carefully dry-brush over it. Lift it and move it in a repeating pattern. Every so often, you may want to clean off your stencil before laying it back down in a new section.

Step 3- Repeat Step 2 until you get to one edge of your patio. You will probably want to position the stencil so it continues the pattern all the way to the edge even though it will not use the complete shape. An alternative idea is to use a separate edge design all the way around.your design is you don't want to take it all the way to the edge.

The stenciling is quick and easy- Yet another project you can get the kids involved in if you want. And you will be left with a charming design that feels like a big upgrade! If you're ever looking to make bigger home improvements or need help with financing,