A Concrete Floor Make-over

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A Concrete Floor Make-over: When going "Green" isn't so Great

Preparing our Northern Idaho home for sale is a daunting task. Naturally, we want to get as much for it as we can.
Tackling an ugly basement floor was the order of business this past weekend.
Friend husband thought he was doing me a favor by painting it brilliant green. NOT! Who wouldn't look at that floor and think it resembled a football field!

After a 6 hour drive from Seattle, I arrived armed with everything I would need to give it a new look.
After 3 days on my hands and knees, I succeeded in faux finishing the entire space (over 1,000 square feet!) to look like slab flagstone.

I used dark brown, rust and light brown paints with a sea sponge and blended large, irregular shapes of paint over the entire floor. I applied the rust and dark brown colors next to one another then blotted light brown over the top, blending the darkest colors first then working the light brown color randomly through out.

When I first began to blend the light brown, I left it more visible at first and decided I didn't like it. It seemed too stark. So I blended it until it nearly disappeared which created a much more pleasing and realistic look over the surface.

Once finished, I applied epoxy floor sealer which gave it a protective finish that will now last for years.

What a huge difference! This is the first concrete floor I have completed and I must say, it was much easier than I had anticipated. I had hoped to add a medallion and border stencil designs to the floor but I ran out of time.

A large bathroom on that level will be my next concrete floor project which will come in November. Then the entire basement space will flow with the same finish applied to all of what was once bare concrete.

Now all I need to do is to add new window treatments and the space will become something any future owner would love to have.

If I can do this, so can you!
Feel free to contact me with any questions (as you ponder tackling your own ugly concrete floor!).

Comments

[Paula Jones]

Amazing make-over! So easy on the eyes and inviting. It should work with almost any decor. Job well done.

Response: Thanks so much Paula! I really love it when something I try makes such an enormous difference and makes my home look great.

[Elaine]

Wow that looks great! Would it work to do outside, using exterior paints on my patio?

Hi Elaine, though I've never done it on an exterior surface, I'm seeing photos all the time from the pros who have. So what I would do is contact your local Home Depot or Lowe's paint dept and ask them the suggested brand for exterior and also (most importantly) the sealer you would need to use for an exterior painted concrete surface.

But in my opinion, heck, if you can paint the outside of a house, why not the concrete! Right? My brother is now considering doing his 2500 square foot patio....

Thanks for your comment.

Victoria