Most of the unfinished basements have a concrete floor, which forms a slab between the foundation walls. This material is usually unsightly in its raw state, but a simple application floor paint can be a quick, easy, and cost-effective way of making the environment suitable for living space — especially for informal uses, such as a recreation room or an exercise room. If the concrete slab is smooth enough, a well-painted floor can be quite suitable for any number of uses, covered with good area rugs.
Here are the steps for painting a concrete basement floor:
Check For Dampness
First of all, ensuring that the surface you plan to paint is comprehensively dry and free of any residual moisture is important. As with any other surfaces around the home, even the slightest trace of moisture could undo all your hard work completely. Damp spots and water puddles are typically very easy to find, but in the concrete itself, there can also be a certain amount of residual dampness which is not quite as easy to detect. If in any doubt, you might want to think about installing a dehumidifier in your basement and letting it run for a couple of days, before starting.
Evaluate The Smoothness Of The Surface
The smoother the concrete floor surface, the easier it'll be to paint. Not only that, but any rough or irregular areas that you encounter are guaranteed to have a detrimental impact on the final outcome. Assuming the raw concrete patches you come across are relatively modest, you'll be able to use sandpaper or a power sander to get them out. If the problem is somewhat more advanced, you might need to get professional assistance. Wear protective equipment, to get rid of the residual dust as much as possible.
Clean the Surface
After that, the time has come to clean the concrete surface as meticulously as possible. Use whatever you need to hand to remove as much dirt, dust, and debris as possible before you take a scrubbing brush and clean the whole thing with some diluted household detergent. You should also use a diluted chlorine bleach solution when things are especially bad, use 6 ml of chlorine bleach for every 10 cups of warm water. In addition to using chlorine, the floor should be ground manually to improve surface adhesion. Give plenty of time to dry through the whole thing.
Apply Primer
Use a two-part epoxy consisting of a resin and a hardener (which is usually the best product that will withstand abrasion and perform better when cleaning), once everything is completely clean and dry since regular priming and painting do not apply here.
Apply Stain Blocker
Although technically considered optional, applying a layer of premium stain blocker is advisable. This will improve the effectiveness of the primer, ensuring fast and simple adherence to the paint while providing the most immaculate end result.
Apply Latex Paint
Last but not least, it's time to take a brand new roller and gradually apply a thin coat of your chosen latex paint to your basement floor. No matter how good things look after a single coat, it's a good idea to give it plenty of time to dry before applying a second coat. In fact, you can add as many latex paint coats as you like, just as long as the previous coat is completely dry before you go ahead.
Planning to paint your basement floor? It’s always best to hire a Professional Basement Floor Painter in CT.
