Concrete floors are ubiquitous around most homes. You will find them in garages, basements, and even the ground floor level of many houses. For years, most people thought the only way to deal with a concrete floor was to leave it a dull gray or to apply asphalt tiles. This is no longer the case as there are many more options now available. One of the best looking choices is to apply a concrete paint product which will seal the floor, add color, and can also increase safety by the application of an anti-slip medium.
If you are contemplating using a concrete paint then there are several things you need to know. The first is that there is a difference between interior and exterior paints. For example, one of the best indoor paints is epoxy based. It seals the floor and also adds a very nice coating which accepts the anti-slip material readily. The problem is, epoxy can not be used out of doors because it tends to degrade when exposed to the UV rays of the sun. This is even true if the rays are just shining through the window. This is something to be aware of because you really do not want to spend all that time and effort applying a floor paint which will just peel up in a few months or years.
If you are looking for a long lasting exterior paint then you should check out an acrylic. These take a little more effort than the epoxy type but they do not have a problem with sun light. Both types of paint require the same prep work in that the floor must be absolutely clean of any dirt, grime, and other contamination. This includes oil stains which are often times found in the garage or driveway. If you do not get these stains completely removed from the surface, no paint is going to stick very well.
Where more work comes in with an acrylic is the fact that a primer must be used. With an epoxy this is not the case, you just mix up the resin and hardener and then roll it on like any other paint. The acrylic, though, requires a good primer in order to get an adhesive bond with the concrete surface.
Another option, if you are painting an area with low traffic levels indoors, such as a basement, is a water based latex. These are extremely easy to work with, are easy to clean up, and are the least expensive. The problem is they do not hold up well to heavy foot traffic or even light vehicular traffic.
If you have an ugly, gray concrete floor then a floor paint may be just what you need. Use the information above to choose the correct one for the job so you will be happy with the results for years to come.