Our concrete steps outside our house were just calling for a refresh, and I was finally able to do it this week! I am really interested to see how long this refresh lasts. Even if it's only a few years, it beats the $1,200 I was quoted in just materials to brick the porch!
After Before
I started by cleaning the steps with a power washer, letting it completely dry, and then blowing any debris off the steps. Then I primed the steps with a special concrete bonding primer that seeps into the concrete and allows the paint to stick well! This primer goes on matte and dries completely clear and is applied with a roller.
Once that was completely dry (4 hours dry time) I was able to paint the steps. I used a special concrete paint called Granite Grip and man was this stuff cool! It has little black, grey, and white speckles in it that really make it look like concrete. I was a little worried that the paint would be slippery when wet, but we just had some rain this morning and the steps were not slippery at all. I am interested to see how this paint will hold up over the winter months as well. It was so easy to apply (you have to use a special roller that is linked below!) that I wouldn't even mind if I just had to do a touch up coat of paint every spring.
Next, I used porcelain tiles for the risers! I thought it would be a cute way to add some detail without having to stencil paint all the risers. Plus, this will be way more durable and last much longer due to the wear and tear these steps will encounter. I cut the tiles to fit the risers, and they turned out looking a little like marijuana plants (haha!) but I really love the detail it added!
I cut all the tiles with my wet tile saw and used mortar to apply them to the risers. I let that dry for 24 hours, and then I grouted the tops on the tiles and in between each one, and then I caulked the bottom edge to just make it more waterproof for any water or snow that may pool on the steps.
I love that my house now has a great representation of my funky personality right when you walk up and so many of my neighbors have already complimented how great it looks. Check the links below if you want to try this project!
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Below are the links to all the products I used to create this space.
Concrete Paint Roller (MUST be used with the Granite Grip Paint)
Grout (In color Avalanche)
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