Painting concrete

[amfisted]

My bungalow is surrounded by a concrete hard standing which is in reasonably sound condition, but looks awful due to pitting and discolouration. If possible, I'd like to rejuvenate this existing surface rather than going to the trouble and expense of breaking up, digging out and laying new concrete or slabs.

I know there are specialist paints which can be applied to interior concrete surfaces such as floor tiles and garage floors, but would any such products be suitable for painting concrete which is constantly exposed to the weather?

Thanks in advance.

 

[blightymam]

Am sure others will correct me if am wrong, but I doubt there is any paint that will withstand the sort of abuse an exterior hard standing for long. Any masonry paint would do the job but how long it will last... You could cover it with gravel to tart it up maybe?

 

[Nige F]

Resin bonded gravel ?

 

[amfisted]

Resin bonded gravel sounds interesting. How does that work?

Not too keen on loose gravel to be honest, and I appreciate that masonry paint has limitations when applied on a horizontal surface where there is going to be foot traffic.

 

[geraldthehamster]

You could use doorstep paint, e.g.:

http://www.ronseal.co.uk/home/floors/diamond-hard-doorstep-paint/

but you might be limited for colours.

 

[amfisted]

Thanks again; stuff to think about there.

I suppose my ideal solution would be a cement based product which could be applied as a skim to the upper surface of the concrete to make it look like new, but I don't think any such thing exists; at least not in a form which would be viable in British weather.

 

[Chri5]

Epoxy paint like they use on warehouse floors would do the job. Available in pretty well much any colour, my concern would be lack of traction for foot or car when wet, ice or snowy.

 

[misterhelpful]

Promain sell some high quality driveway paint products - most of which are suitable for painting exterior concrete flooring BUT the biggest issue with getting any paint to adhere and stay adhered to exterior floors is moisture. The concrete needs to be dry and free from algae, dirt, etc, which usually means the need to clean and wash down the area first. The problem is, once this is done, you need a good spell of dry weather to allow the moisture to dry out (it's surprising how long even an inch thickness of concrete takes to dry thoroughly). We all know that the UK weather isn't usually reliable enough for that, especially at this time of year, but if you get lucky it may be worth giving one a try. Have a look at the link below to see if you find anything suitable.

A tip is to either apply a diluted coat of the paint you are using (follow the manufacturer's instructions) to seal bare and porous surfaces and to NEVER apply a floor paint over a PVA sealed surface.


https://www.promain.co.uk/category/driveway-paint-id710

 

[amfisted]

If they do a suitable product in grey, the Promain does look like the best suggestion yet for my purposes.

In any case I won't be doing the job until the Spring so that the upper surface of the concrete has a fighting chance of fully drying out, and I'll certainly bear in mind any considerations about preparation, compatibility and drying times.

Thanks again all.