How to Get the Best Results with Concrete Paint

Concrete was one of the greatest building innovations ever. It allowed buildings to become bigger and stronger, it also allowed homes and garages to have amazingly strong foundations. Today, concrete comprises the majority of walls and floors in our home’s basements. It is also the primary flooring material of garages and carports. Concrete is amazingly strong especially when it is reinforced with metal as it is in most modern construction.

Why paint concrete? Concrete is a porous surface that will suck up spills and stains. It also can become discolored over time. Concrete also can look very industrial, which is a look that most of us do not want to come home to! Concrete paint gives you a washable surface that is easy to take care of and has a uniform color and finish that can brighten any room’s walls or even floors!

Proper prep of your concrete is the only way to get the best results with concrete paint!

The first rule to painting concrete is proper preparation of the surface. No matter how good or expensive your paint, without proper prep, it will not last and will not provide decent protection for your surface.

Step 1 Paint Removal: All previous paint must be removed to do a great job at getting your concrete paint to last. In areas where it is practical, a power washer is a must have. Use the power washer to remove old paint and dirt. If you do not have access to a power washer or if it is not practical to use one (like in your home!) you will need to scrape as much of the old paint off by hand.

Step 2 TSP: You will need to scrub the surface with TSP. TSP, or Tri-Sodium Phosphate, is a readily available cleaner that will remove any grease or oil from the surface. Carefully follow the instructions on the package and make sure that you let the area dry before moving on to the next step.

Step 3 Sealer: All concrete surfaces must be sealed or else moisture can seep through ruining your paint and your room. When you are choosing a sealer, make sure you look for one that is right for your location. There are sealers that are specially formulated for garage floors and sealers that are designed for use inside of your home. Also, when you are sealer shopping let them know that you plan on priming and painting the surface, there are a few sealer/primers available that will remove the next step from your project.

Step 4 Primer: Sealers are only for stopping moisture unless you use a sealer/primer. Therefore, the surface must be coated with a primer to ensure that your paint will stick to the surface. Primers create a bond between the paint and the sealer making the paint last longer and look better because it helps form a consistent surface.

Step 5 The Painting: Once you have allowed the primer to completely set, it is time to start painting. Use a roller to apply your paint, this will speed up the process and helps put a little texture into the paint which can cover up any small imperfections in the concrete itself. You will want to apply two light coats of the paint, allowing for the first coat to dry before starting the second. Two light coats are always better than one for making the paint last the longest. If you are painting a concrete floor, you may want to add some texture by adding paint texture additives to your second coat. Painted concrete floors can get very slippery, especially when they get wet!

Step 6 Let it dry!: Next to proper preparation, this is the most important step. I only say this because I have seen plenty of permanent foot prints in painted concrete floors. It may look dry, it may feel dry to the touch, but do not step on it until you are absolutely sure! It is not worth ruining all of your hard work by jumping the gun!

Related Posts:

• How to Maintain Your Garage Floor
• How to Maintain Your Carport
• Removing Oil Stains From Your Driveway and Garage

Summers Here, Time To Clean Out That Garage!

Summer is here and it’s the perfect time to clean out your garage. I know. I know. Please stop groaning. You’ll feel so much better when it’s done. For me, early summer is the best time. I’m not terribly fond of spiders and the later in the season the larger the inevitable surprise spiders will be. First haul everything out onto the driveway that can be hauled out. This is great opportunity to access what you what to keep, give away or throw out. Spray everything water proof down with the hose and let it all dry in the sun. Brush off all the dead bugs and cobwebs that have accumulated. As far the inside of the garage goes, start out by sprinkling kitty litter over any grease or oil stains. This will absorb those chemicals and can easily be swept up later. To clean shelves and flat surfaces, use a spray bottle filled with 50% white vinegar and 50% water. It a lot less chemically harmful than commercial chemical packed cleaner and it also helps to prevent mold. I like to use old rags instead for paper towels for this job as its greener and paper towels run out very quickly doing this task. After you’ve swept out the garage and knocked down all the cobwebs, oil the chain for your garage door opener if it needs it. Next, mop the floor with a vinegar/water solution. The vinegar, once again, prevents mold, and if you happen to live in an area where snow is a regular feature of winter, the vinegar with help break up all the salt and de-icer your tires dragged in over the winter. After the floor dries, haul everything you’re keeping back in. Make sure antifreeze and all other chemicals are sealed properly and stored out of reach of children. Lastly, check your fire extinguisher to see if it’s expired. If you don’t keep a fire extinguisher in your garage, go out and buy one.

A Great Bathroom Freshing Idea

For eco-friendly bathroom freshening, just place a few drop of your favorite essential oil inside you toilet paper rolls. With every spin, it will sweeten the air of your bathroom; lavender essential oil works great and has a fresh clean scent. If that isn’t enough, just pour some of the essential oil into a small dish and put it somewhere out of the way. It will freshen as it evaporates.

A Great Homemade Carpet Deodorizer

No matter how often you vacuum, your carpet will retain all of the smells that it has been saturated with. I have often resorted to carpet powders and deodorizers to make our home smell better. However, they always just seem to mask the smells with a stronger one. Because of my dissatisfaction with store-bought deodorizers, I have created my own homemade carpet deodorizer. It's cheaper in volume and can be custom scented!

To make your own homemade carpet deodorizer using natural ingredients, combine equal parts of corn starch and baking soda in a medium sized bowl. To give it a wonderful scent and to add a sanitizing agent, add about a dozen drops of lavender oil. You can add other essential oils as well to customize the scent. Mix well and place into a shaker container.  I use one of my left over containters from the store bought variety.  You can use any old shaker container or make your own by punching holes into a coffee can. If you use a coffee can make sure to keep the plastic cover to seal in the freshness. Once you have completed making your deodorizer and you are happy with the scent, sprinkle liberally on your carpets. Let it sit for about an hour. Have your entire family walk around in it to grind it in and then vacuum thoroughly. To add a level of pest control, add a cup of Borox to the mix!

When vacuuming, follow these tips to get the best results from your homemade carpet deodorizer.  First, throughly sweep the area before you sprinkle the deodorizer.  If you are using a bagged vacuum, be sure to use a fresh bag before sweeping up the mixture.  For a bagless vacuum, be sure to clean the filter.  You need to ensure that your vacuum has the most suction posible to remove all of the powder.  To help remove all of the deodorizer you can also be sure to go over the entire carpet twice, once in each direction.

A Great General Disinfectant

Tea Tree Oil is an essential oil that has long been used as a great fungicide and antiseptic. It can be diluted and used to heal wounds, cure fungal infections (including athlete's foot), scare away bugs, and it makes a great green cleaner. Tea Tree Oil is available at most health food stores. To make a great general cleaner and disinfectant, add about 15 drops to quart of water. Mix well and place in a spray bottle. This cleaner is great on countertops or for general cleaning. Tea Tree Oil is not cheap, but a little bit goes a very long way.

Homemade Wood Furniture Cleaner

I have found that wood furniture cleaners are very expensive. To create your own wood cleaner simply combine 1 teaspoon of light olive oil and 1/2 cup of white vinegar. Mix well in a plastic spray bottle. Spray on your wood furniture and work in with a microfiber cloth. This works as well or better than any commercial product that I have tested. When done, use our homemade polish to bring out the shine.

Beware Of Your Furniture Polish!

Furniture polish is a common cleaner in most homes. Because it is just a polish and not a heavy cleaning agent, you wouldn't expect it to be all that dangerous. However, furniture polish contains both petroleum distillates and nitrobenzene. Petroleum distillates are highly flammable. They can also cause skin and lung cancer. Nitrobenzene is also extremely toxic and is easily absorbed through the skin. Not exactly something that you would want coating your furniture, especially around children. To make your own furniture polish, combine 1/2 cup malt vinegar, 1/2 cup linseed oil, and either 1 1/2 teaspoons lavender or lemon oil. Mix well and put in a spray bottle. Spray furniture and polish with a clean, dry microfiber towel.

Keep Your Wooden Cutting Board!

I have always preferred wooden cutting boards as opposed to plastic. Something about them just seemed so homey. I had heard that plastic board were safe because they’re dishwasher safe. But, still, I stuck with my wooden board and was just extra careful in my cleaning and use of it. Now, it’s come to light that wooden boards may be superior to plastic in the anti-bacteria department. Wood, if properly maintained, can be self healing. Smaller scratches can close up on their own. So, now I get to feel clever for standing by my wooden board. Wooden cutting boards should never be left soaking in water, and you should avoid full immersion into water if at all possible. Only use mild detergent and allow it to dry before putting it away. In addition to washing it, I like to disinfect it using undiluted white vinegar. I keep a spray bottle of it in the kitchen for lots of reasons. The acetic acid in the vinegar will kill salmonella, E coli and staph. If your cutting board starts to get a little smelling from chopping garlic or onions, just slice a lemon in half and drag it across the surface. Wooden cutting surfaces also need to be oiled once in a while to keep them from drying out or cracking. Only use food grade mineral oil. Do not use olive or vegetable oil. They will turn your board rancid. Rub a generous quantity of oil over the board and let it sit for an hour or so. Wipe any excess oil off with a clean cloth and wash it as usual. I oil my board every couple of months or whenever it’s looking dry. You can also oil wooden spoons in the same manner to prolong their life.

Save Yourself from Poison Ivy!

Whenever weeding your garden, even when wearing gloves, you can easily get poison ivy. My wife and I recently cleared out our small garden and I got a few poison ivy blisters. Poison ivy affects the skin because of the oil that it leaves on your body and your clothing. Always thoroughly wash your hands and any exposed skin after weeding or doing any gardening. A good laundry soap works best. Also, wash all clothing to remove the oil. I forgot to wash my gloves and that's what got me!

Using Essential Oils in the Bath

Just as scents in your home can have calming effects, added them to your bath can help you relax before bed or fire you up for that big meeting or for a night on the town. Use lavendar and vanilla to calm or relax, use citrus oils to invigorate and get the energy going. I have found a simple mixture to add your favorite essential oils to your bath with that also softens your skin! Combine 1 cup of olive oil and 1 cup liquid castile soap, which is soap made from vegetable oil. Pour into a sealed container that you can keep by your bath. Next decide if it is going to be your calming or invigorating bath and add 1/2 teaspoon of your choice of essential oil. Mix well and when you need it add about 2 tablespoons to each bath. I have actually made both a calming with lavendar and a separate lime/valencia mixture to get me going in the morning.

Removing Small Scratches from Wood Furniture

To remove small scratches from your furniture, make a solution out of equal parts of lemon juice and olive oil. Cover a clean, lint-free cloth with the mixture and rub the cloth firmly into the scratch. Always rub in the direction of the scratch. With a little elbow grease, the scratch will disappear. We will cover deeper scratches in a later post.

Removing Oil Stains From Your Driveway or Garage

Like many of us, I own an older vehicle. It is a wonderful little car that still gets great mileage but has over 200,000 miles on it. On occasion it leaks a little oil. I have been all over the engine, and I cannot find the source of the leak! There's no oil around the heads, the oil pan, or anywhere else. But, after I let the car sit for a while, there's an oil stain on my concrete!

How to Remove Oil Stains With Cat Litter

The absolute best product for removing oil from concrete is cat litter. Using non-clumping litter, completely cover the spill and work in with a stiff-bristled broom. Let sit for a few minutes and then sweep it up. The cat litter dust pulls the oil from the porous concrete, leaving a clean surface. Even really old oil stains can be removed with cat litter, they just may require a second application. I have seen commercial cleaners available at different home supply stores and most of them look and smell like cat litter, but they cost about ten times as much! There are also some nasty chemicals that you can buy to remove oil stains. These cleaners boast health hazards and claim that they may damage the surface! Stick with something safe and effective, cat litter!

My father always kept a glass Ball jar full of cat litter in the garage just for quick cleanups and spills. Just make sure that you store the cat litter in an air-tight container to keep it fresh! Moisture will cause the litter to lose its ability to absorb liquids.