How To Paint A Concrete Floor

This post came to me after many years of my carpets taking a beating. If you have pets, kids, or any other kind of mess maker then this project is probably perfect for you. Depending on how large the size of the room is, it shouldn’t take very long if you move quickly. If you’re feeling like tearing up that old carpet that’s got mystery stains – we highly recommend trying this out.

Learn How To Paint A Concrete Floor

You can use any stencil pattern and floor coating you desire, however, lighter colors tend to work the best because the concrete is a dark grey. I used an off white color here for this tutorial. I hope you enjoy!

You Will Need: 

• 1 bag (or 2 depending on the size of your room) of Quikrete
• 1 Paint Brush
• 3 Floor Stencil (any stencil is fine)
• Clear Primer
• White Latex Paint (base color)
• Polyurethane
• Dark Grey Latex Paint (or whatever color you like)

 Tear out carpet (left) and fill in the holes with some quikcrete and sand off any glue residue from the carpet pad. If you don’t have carpet down then you can skip this step!

Step 1-2.

Pour the quikcrete over the floor and smooth evenly. If you don’t have experience pouring concrete, check out this YouTube video that will give you further instructions.

Step 3.

Your floor should look gray once your concrete is poured.

Step 4.

Let your quikrete dry thoroughly. It doesn’t take long! Sit back, relax, and wait!

For the base color, I just used an off-white latex paint.

Step 5.

Now you’re ready to start stenciling.

Step 6.

Use a “chalk paint” for stenciling.  You can find this at Home Depot or you can order it from any craft store online. You can make your own using this quick recipe:

• 1 cup latex paint
• 2 tablespoons unsanded grout
• 1 cup warm water

Step 7.

Choose your stencils carefully. You want to make sure it is a large enough stencil! Remember you are covering a floor. You can find floor stencils from your local craft store or order them online here: StencilsOnline.com

Steps 8-9.

Pour your chalk paint into a tray and get to it! Lay your stencils side by side and gently brush over the top of them creating an imprint on your floor. The chalk paint should feel like jelly. The thicker your paint is the better. Chalk paint generally dries very fast – so work quickly! 

Steps 10-11.

Repeat the process until your floor is covered. Work in rows. I find that it is the most effective way to keep the pattern from distorting. Work from corner to corner and make sure not to paint your wall on accident. The paint should come off with warm water if this should happen. It’s a good idea to keep some handy.

Steps 12-13.

Continue to work  in rows from side to side. The pattern should look like this:

TIP: You can use multiple patterns to create a lace look if you’re using a floral pattern. That’s what I did for this project and it came out great!

Step 14.

Be careful working around the corners of your room. You do not want to paint the stencil too close to the wall. I found that it was fairly easy to get the pattern where I wanted it. The overlapping flowers are great because you don’t have to be good at lining up the edges! Have fun!

We hope you enjoyed our tutorial on how to paint a concrete floor! For more fun projects with concrete, be sure to check out our post on Creative Crafts Using Concrete and 10 DIY Pendant Lighting Projects. Thanks!