Basements and garage floors made from concrete but not painted often have a cold feel. True, these rooms are not for dining or entertaining but nevertheless they are part of our homes and we should treat them with a little more love. Basements in particular would be more attractive for kids to play in if the concrete floor was painted.

Sometimes a little color makes the room that much more appealing and before you know it a couch and carpet will be on the agenda.

If you think painting is the way to go, here are a few steps on how to do it. Its an inexpensive job but because of the need for a good clean floor prior to painting and the number of coats of primer, paint, and sealer, it will take time.

Some necessary items: Brushes, rollers, putty knife, primer/sealer, concrete compatible paint, a mop, cleaners, a bucket, rubber gloves, and scrubbers.

IMPORTANT: keep the area well ventilated when priming, painting, or sealing.

STEPS:
1.Do a thorough cleaning of the surface and know this could take several days.

2.Remove any stains, oil or grease. This could be especially important if youre painting a garage floor where a car may have leaked fluids.

3.Fix cracks or holes that may need attention.

4.Affix painters tape around baseboards, stairs or anywhere you want to protect from primer and paint.

5.Make sure the floor is completely dry. There can be no moisture. If moisture exists you will need a sealer found at your local hardware store.

6.After the sealer has been applied and its dry, apply a primer.

7.After the primer is dry you are ready to paint. Use the brush for tight areas and the roller for the rest. NOTE: paint towards the door or else youll be waiting all night for the floor to dry before you can leave.

8.You may want two, three, or four coats to get it just right. Allow floor to dry in between each coat (24 – 48 hours).

9.After the paint is dry its best to add a urethane sealer. Apply two or three coats of urethane to get it just right.