Refresh Outdoor Areas With Paving Paint
One maintenance task I do every 4 to 5 years is to refresh my outdoor area with paving paint, an easy project that is done in a day during winter.
17/06/2024
One project I look forward to every 4 to 5 years or so is refreshing my outdoor area in the back garden. I have a paved and concrete area around the swimming pool and outside the back door and I refresh the paint on these areas to remove any stains left by pot plants and such. I love the look of the area once it has been re-painted as it goes from dull to bright in a single day. I have been painting this area for the past 20 years and have yet to have a problem with either the paint peeling or wearing off due to regular traffic over the surfaces.
HELPFUL TIPS FOR PAINTING PAVING
1. Fix before you paint
If the paving or concrete needs some work done, make sure to do this in advance so that it has plenty of time to be ready for painting. Use fine sand to fill any gaps between the bricks and ensure time for this to settle before painting. The same applies to concrete fixes.
Applying a single coat of paving paint will cover areas where plant pots or items have been sitting for a long time.
2. Clean 2 days prior
The area being painted should be cleaned and washed down before painting and needs time to dry. For grease stains, use a degreaser to remove these as they will affect the painted finish.
3. Check the weather
I prefer to paint my outdoor area during winter when the weather is cooler and the heat won't affect the drying time. You don't want the paint to dry too fast and winter is the best time to stand outdoors and stay cool.
4. Have all the tools and supplies on hand
You don't need much to paint paving or concrete, just a decent paint roller and paint tray, wide paintbrush and extension rod and, of course, good quality paving paint. Builders have everything you need but you might want to check beforehand that they have stock of the brand and paint colour for the outdoor area.
Even though the paint finish on the paving and concrete still looks good after 4 to 5 years, it has dulled under constant sunshine.
5. Pick the right starting point
There are few things more hilarious than painting yourself into a corner, so do the sensible thing and select a spot that will allow you to work backwards and not block yourself into a tight and sticky corner.
Use the paintbrush to go around edges and between paving bricks and then go over this with the paint roller to smooth the paint and remove any excess. If the paint is too thick it could peel off later on.
6. Keep the kids and pets indoors
Paving paint does not take long to dry but you will want to keep the kids and pets out of the way until it does. If you start in the morning, the paint will be dry by the afternoon, depending on the size of the area. If you need to paint a large area, perhaps only do it in sections to limit the time the area will be out of action.
If you take the time to do the job properly and not try to cut corners, you will have the satisfaction of a successfully completed project that will last for up to 5 years.