How to Paint and Stencil a Concrete Porch in 5 Easy Steps
If you need a concrete front porch makeover that is easy and won’t break the bank, this DIY paint concrete patio tutorial is for you! Come on over to my front porch!
Are you getting tired of your old concrete patio floor? Over time, the concrete begins to look dingy and sometimes even rusty. Fortunately, it’s really easy to paint your concrete floors to completely transform your outdoor space!
In this post, I’ll guide you through painting your concrete porch, and I’ll teach you how to stencil your concrete porch for a unique design that instantly transforms any space!
The following post may contain affiliate links. That means if you click and then buy something, I will make a small commission at no additional cost to you! Thank you for supporting my blog. full disclosure here.
this post is sponsored by Wagner SprayTech
DIY painted concrete patio
This is our 23rd year in our home. We had this home built, and we were able to make a lot of custom changes before the builders started.
Like the width of our front porch. Most front porches are about four feet wide. We asked our builder to increase the depth to six feet, and it really made a huge difference in the way we can enjoy this space.
One of the first things we did was to remove the railing. There really wasn’t a safety issue without the railing because the distance to the ground is only around 12″.
So we took it off! I love the openness of our front porch. The crepe myrtle shrubs act as a buffer and help to soften the hard edge of the concrete.
So let’s talk about the concrete floor on this front porch.
It’s dull. That’s really all I have to say about it. It’s boring, it’s blah, it’s tired.
Let’s fix that!
The first step for this concrete front porch makeover was to remove all of the furniture. The two largest pieces are the Adirondack chairs my hubby built a couple of years ago. I love these chairs and we spend a fair amount of time in them.
The side table made from a milk can came down from the front porch too along with all the small pieces like the rusty wagon and small child’s chair.
easy patio furniture makeover with Wagner Flexio 2000 paint sprayer
Hubby built these chairs about 8-10 years ago and they really needed to be repainted.
Wagner SprayTech was kind enough to offer their Wagner Flexio 2000 sprayer to do this project.
list of supplies:
You really don’t need a lot of tools to paint your cement front porch, but I do recommend using a paint sprayer! It will make this paint job so much faster and more consistent. Plus, you won’t have any brush strokes or marks at all.
- Porch and Floor Paint in your desired color
- Wagner Flexio paint sprayer
- Painters plastic
- Stencil of your choice
- 4″ paint roller and paint pan
It would have taken forever to paint the underside and the topside of these chairs without the Wagner sprayer! Plus, I would have had runs all over the place because there are so many edges!
This is my first time ever using a paint sprayer! And it was so easy to use.
I must admit, I sprayed the underside of the chairs first (the chairs were turned upside down) and well before I got the camera out! When I realized how easy the paint sprayer was to use, I ran into the house and got the camera set up!
Hubby snapped pics of me spraying the topside of the chairs.
The paint comes out of the sprayer so smooth and evenly so I didn’t have any problems with it. I moved the sprayer evenly across the surfaces, starting the sprayer off of the surface, continuing across the surface, and then spraying off of the surface on the other side.
I moved from left to right in one, even motion, and then I started again on the next section.
The sprayer is super lightweight, and it really only feels like you are holding a can of paint.
concrete front porch makeover: step by step
After the chairs had one coat (that’s all they needed!), I headed over to our front porch to begin painting the entire surface.
step one: clean your patio
If your concrete surface is under cover, you probably don’t need to worry about cleaning the floor too well. I cleaned the porch by sweeping and then giving it a good scrubbing using a broom and some Dawn dish soap.
Now if your patio surface is uncovered and has a lot of marks or wear, it can be helpful to use a pressure washer or a concrete cleaner first for best results. Be sure to let it dry completely before painting your concrete front porch.
step two: prepare your patio
After cleaning and emptying off your patio, it’s time to get started!
You can see I hung painter’s plastic all around the walls to cover and protect the siding. The sprayer doesn’t have a lot of overspray but the area still needed to be protected. You can also use painter’s tape to mark off smaller items that need coverage.
Did you notice the black trash bags around our posts? I didn’t think to cover them and at the last minute grabbed trash bags and covered them!
step three: spray your concrete porch
The sprayer has options to spray upright like I did for the chairs or tilted downward like I am doing for this concrete front porch floor.
Again, slow and even motion across the surface. This sprayer speeds up the process of painting.
And it covered the surface so well that I only had a couple of touch-ups to do the next day.
TIP: Watch the weather forecast
Choose a couple of days with a warm, sunny forecast to make this DIY project go easier.
step four: allow the paint to fully dry
To stencil, you will need to crawl around your patio. It’s really important that the paint is completely dry before you move onto the next step.
Look at the difference the paint made on this concrete floor! I seriously don’t know why I haven’t done this before. Even if I didn’t do anything else, the painted floor makes a huge difference!
But of course….. I’m not going to stop here!
step five: apply your stencil design
One of our daughters stenciled her front stoop at their home and I fell in love! It’s such an easy and inexpensive way to add texture to a concrete floor.
The stencil was only about $20, and the quart of light-colored porch and floor paint was under $20. I already had the foam roller, so I was in business!
The great thing is that the stencil makes it look like you have a giant outdoor rug, so they instantly make any space feel cozy and welcoming.
Let your paint dry completely before adding your furniture or decorating your space.
how to stencil concrete patio
Here are a couple of tips when stenciling a concrete porch floor:
- start in the corner that is the most noticeable and place the stencil to make sure it will fit
- envision where the other placements will be to make sure it will look nice.
- use a small tray and pour a small amount of paint into it
- roll the foam roller in the paint, getting very little paint on the roller
- use a stack of folded paper towels to offload some of the paint – the roller needs to be dryish
- roll over the stencil and keep it steady with your hand – if you need to, you can use repositionable spray adhesive on the backside of the stencil
- don’t press down on the foam roller – you want to avoid the paint from bleeding under the stencil
- avoid the opaque look with the paint – it will look nice if you don’t aim for complete coverage 🙂
- carefully lift the stencil, let it dry for a minute or so and reposition the stencil in the next area lining up the registration marks
If you look closely, you will see that I didn’t line up the registration marks correctly! I didn’t notice until I was completely finished stenciling the ENTIRE concrete floor!!😊
It’s a good thing I like the handmade look! I’m not worried one bit about that area. Instead, I will relish the fact that I did this project and that I enjoyed doing this project! 😊
how to clean a large stencil
The paint can build up on the stencil pretty quickly. I found that it was best to clean the stencil every 3-4 rows of stenciling.
We have a kiddy pool for our dog, Barkly, and it seemed like the best way for the large stencil to lie flat and stay covered in water. I added a bit of ammonia to the water.
Once it sat for a couple of minutes, I used a putty knife to scrape off the majority of the paint and then finished cleaning it with a Scotch Brite pad. Wear gloves and protect your eyes if you clean them with ammonia!
painted concrete porch makeover
And here is the finished concrete front porch makeover!
Don’t the chairs look so good with a fresh coat of paint? I plan on painting the milk can side table soon. I will let you know when I get that done!
In fact, tell me your thoughts – should I whitewash the wood top or leave it natural with a protective clear coat? What about the milk can base – a dark charcoal color or milky white?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
ranch house front porch decor
You know I am a vintage lovin’ kinda girl. And my front porch decor really shows it!
A rusty wagon holds a potted hosta.
A chippy paint child’s chair holds another potted plant.
A galvanized tub is a great place for freshly picked zinnias.
Another piece that would look amazing on our front porch would be a repurposed seed spreader made into a container garden.
BTW, we had to replace the sink in our laundry room this summer and the tub you see with the zinnias is the old ‘sink.’ I have plans for that tub!
You can see my laundry room makeover by clicking the button below.
We also have a fence picket sign with our address painted on it. You can see another fence picket project by clicking the button below. I think you’re going to like it!
front porch without railing
What do you think of the front porch without the railing? I love it!
Especially now that the concrete floor is stenciled and so pretty! You can really see the pattern on the floor!
The chairs turned out so fresh-looking. Painting them while they were off of the front porch helped to make this job easier. I added a torn and tattered vintage quilt for those chilly mornings when I sit out and have my coffee.
Did you notice the ‘cushion’ for the seat? Those are actually thick terry cloth bathroom rugs! They provide cushioning and also curve around the shape of the Adirondack chair. And they are so easy to wash!
The rugs started out as a deep black. Over the couple of years I have had them, they have faded to the perfect charcoal gray that you see here.
Remember the wool plaid wreath we made a couple of weeks ago? It looks perfect on the front door that I painted in tomato red.
If you missed that super easy, super cheap wreath tutorial, here is a link for you – just click the button!
Most of my decor is old and many of the pieces I have used over and over in different ways. I love to repurpose and reuse decor around our home. Nothing stays the same and I love to change things around. Just ask my hubby!!
open porch
I also don’t go all out with decor. Simple is best for us and the way we live. Just a couple of small pumpkins that my hubby grew in his garden and the plants that we have enjoyed all summer are enough for us.
We will continue to spend many hours on our front porch, watching the cars (well maybe only one car!) go by, watching the rainfall in our yard, and eating dinner right here in this very spot.
more concrete front porch decor ideas
If you loved learning how to paint your front porch concrete, you’ll love these other creative cement porch ideas.
- Paint your garage floors for a completely new look
- Make a checkerboard pattern for a vintage feel
- Use painter’s tape to add vertical lines for extra dimension
- Paint a bold pinwheel pattern for a designer look
- Mark off just one section to paint to use like an outdoor rug
FAQs
What is the best concrete paint for painting porches?
The great thing about this sort of project is that you can use any type of concrete floor paint! This type of paint is formulated to attach to concrete porches really well for a durable, long-lasting finish. The best part is that you can tint your patio floor paint with any paint color! Most people tend to use shades of grey, black, tan, and white, though, as they have a neutral look that goes with a variety of styles.
How many coats of paint do you need to paint your concrete patio?
If you use a paint sprayer, you may only need one thorough coat of paint like I did. If you’re using a paint brush or roller, you will likely need 2-3 thin coats of paint. Let the first coat dry completely before adding the second coat.
Do I need to add concrete sealer before painting my porch?
If you’re using concrete paint, you don’t need to use concrete primer or sealer unless you’d like to. These paints are made to adhere to concrete and last a long time. Priming can help extend the longevity of the paint, but I’ve been impressed to see how long my painted cement patio has lasted using just the concrete patio paint.
How long do painted concrete porches last?
If you use the right paint, your painted concrete patio can last up to 3-5 years! High traffic areas will fade faster, as will porches that receive direct exposure to the elements. Since our porch is under an awning, it’s lasted really well, even years later. Like any paint job, you’ll need to refresh your paint a few years down the line.
How to Stencil a Concrete Porch
Equipment
- Flexio 3500 Electric Handheld HVLP Paint Sprayer
- Icarus Tile Stencil – Reusable Mediterranean Tile Stencils for Painting Custom Floors, Walls, Fur…
Materials
- Porch and Floor Paint in your desired color
- Wagner Flexio paint sprayer
- Painters plastic
- Stencil of your choice
- 4 ″ paint roller and paint pan
Instructions
- Prep, clean, and paint the entire surface in a solid color of porch and floor paint in the desired color. Use a paint sprayer.
- Envision the stencil pattern on your painted porch floor and plan the layout.
- Place the first stencil design in the most prominent corner on your porch.
- Use a small paint pan to hold a small amount of paint.
- Roll the foam paint roller in the paint getting very little paint on the roller. Then roll off excess on paper towels. This is a dry-ish roller technique.
- Roll the paint roller over the stencil with a light hand to avoid paint going under the stencil.
- Apply a thin layer of paint for an opaque look and don't aim for complete coverage.
- Carefully lift the stencil, allow the stenciled area to dry for a couple of minutes, and then reposition the stencil lining up the registration marks.
- Continue across the entire surface of the concrete porch until all of the surface is stenciled.
Video
Notes
painting cement front porch
I hope you enjoyed this concrete front porch makeover! And I hope that you will see that making a few small changes to your home doesn’t have to break the bank or take much time. In just a few hours, you can have a space that feels fresh and new!
Thanks so much for stopping by! You show your support for the free tutorials we offer by reading, subscribing, commenting, and sharing our posts! We appreciate that so much!
Pin the images below to your home decor and room makeover boards! Just click the pin button at the top left corner!
Thanks for joining our journey!
Thanks so much for joining us for this post! Join our journey so you don’t miss any fun projects, tutorials, and inspiration we share with you each week! You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. We share even more inspiration on Pinterest!
Until next time…
What a great job you did on this front porch! I’m sure the sprayer was a time saver. Stenciling the porch sure gives the area a fresh look. You have created a wonderful place outdoors to enjoy.
I seriously don’t know what took me so long to paint it! It was such an easy makeover! Thanks for stopping by Kim!
Such a huge difference, Cindy, this looks amazing! We stenciled the master bedroom several years ago and while it was a ton of work it was totally worth the effort. We’re still enjoying it to this day. Love this porch makeover – it looks fantastic! Hugs, CoCo
Thanks Coco! I can’t believe it took me so long to do it! Are your bedroom floors wood? I bet it looks amazing!
I am always amazed and how much you can change a space with paint! This really turned out incredible Cindy!
Isn’t paint so amazing?? And this makeover was super fast!
That turned out beautifully! What a difference!
Isn’t is amazing the difference paint can make?? So glad you enjoyed the makeover Dara!
I love the stencil! I was looking for that look for the front porch and have that planned for repainting the deck this fall. Love the tutorial. We may even spray the deck this time…who knows?!
The sprayer was soooo easy to use – and this was my first time! Stenciling your deck would look amazing Leslie!
Your front porch looks so good! I hope you and your husband enjoy many fall evenings relaxing on it.
I’m sure we will Paula! It’s one of our favorite places! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Wow, Cindy!! That is a crazy good makeover. I am so impressed with the after. Enjoy your lovely space!!
Can you believe it took me over 20 years to finally get to the makeover?? If I had known it was so easy, I would have done this years ago! Thanks for stopping by Kim!
Cindy!!! I love how this turned out. It looks so good. Thank you for sharing!
And thank you for stopping by Stacey! By the way, your pumpkin bread is so good! I made the recipe for a family dinner and everyone loved it!
Wow Cindy this is a beautiful makeover. Love the stencil too and great tutorial. All the years I used stencils it never dawned on me to get a kiddy pool to clean them. Pinned!
The kiddy pool did the trick for cleaning. Somehow the idea to use it just popped in my mind! Thanks for stopping by Cindy!
We have a back porch that is in desperate need of makeover! Pinned to save your tips. We really want a paint sprayer too! Thanks for all of the helpful tips.
The sprayer made all the difference Marie! It was so easy to use – and this was my first time using it! You will love yours!
Cindy, your front porch is stunning! The contrast between the stencil and concrete color really sets it off-great job! The stencil itself is also very pretty. It reminds me of a Pfaltzgraff pattern that you’ve collected over the years: Village or Folk Art (sorry I can’t exactly remember the pattern). Stunning! I also love the idea of how you cleaned the stencil!
Thanks Patti! I would have done this project years ago if I knew it was this easy! 🥰
This is exactly what will help my front porch makeover project come together! I’ve been in the search of a Porch & Floor paint color exactly like what you used, may I ask what the brand and color name used was?
Hi Karina! I’m so glad this post provided the solution you need for your concrete porch! I used Sherwin Williams concrete and floor paint. Our local Sherwin Williams recommended one that would hold up to traffic well and I can say that it is holding up so well! I can’t remember the color off hand – I will check my supplies and see if I have any leftovers. Is it ok if I email you the color names if I can find them?
I would like to know the paint color as well.
Hi Ashley, unfortunately, I didn’t save the name of the paint colors in my post! So sorry for that. This is how I chose our colors: bring home a few paint color cards that I thought would match our siding; then I compared them to my actual siding and selected the one that matched precisely; from there I chose a shade that was darker (paint color cards have shades of the same color on them so this part is easy); from there, I chose a light color in that same family of colors. This ensures the colors will look good against our home. I hope this helps! If you have any more questions, feel free to ask 🙂 I’m going to add this information to the post in hopes of helping others. Thanks so much for asking!