Last year, I featured a tour of our yard. It looks very different now as opposed to when we moved in over a decade ago. We cleared a lot of shrubs and brush, added a pool, fence and patio.
We painstakingly chose each element, as we wanted the landscape to look as if it could have been original. Keep in mind, the house was built in the 1920's.
I like simple and simple is usually cheap.
Our patio was no exception.
We needed something that would compliment the basic bricks we chose for our pool area, but I did not want modern pavers. I wanted an old world look, a cottage garden look, an imperfect and aged look. So we opted for a poured concrete patio, with wooden dividers.
The concrete was colored a lovely shade of brown and it was perfect ~ for about ten years.
The color slowly faded away and our charming cocoa garden nook, looked like a parking lot.
Ick!
Thankfully, hubby is super handy and this past weekend, he stained it.
Now it looks fabulous again and it was a really easy process.
Well, so he says, I don't think that I would be up to that kind of challenge!
First he power washed the patio, using water only.
Next, he sprayed it down with Simple Green and scrubbed it with a broom.
He washed all the cleaner away with the hose and let the patio dry. We were told that using an acid wash was not necessary and we went with that advice, as we did not want chemicals near the garden, pool or pond. Granted, our patio already has a rough sanded texture and it was clear of any large stains.
The next day, he used the blower and got rid of all the dust, leaves and debris that were on the surface.
He opened the concrete stain and using a brush, he cut in the edges of the entire patio. When he was done, he simply rolled the stain onto the surface, one section at a time. We used Behr Semi Transparent Concrete Stain tinted in Saltillo Tile from Home Depot. It comes in a variety of other colors, as well.
Now, the instructions on the can said to use a sprayer to apply the product and we are firm believers in following the rules. However, my husband did not want to tape off the house, the pool bricks, the deck and the pond with plastic, so he opted for the roller instead.
It worked just fine.
He only applied one coat and it looks fabulous.
I actually didn't realize how dramatic a change it was, until I peeked back at the before picture.
It made a very big difference.
If you're curious about my wrinkly roof, I explain it all here!
A few tips:
Check the weather, you don't want any rain in the forecast for a few days after you apply the stain so it cures properly.Let the surface dry completely before you walk or drive on it. We blocked the area off for about 48 hours.
Make sure you use a product that is specifically made for concrete and outdoors.
It's still early in the season here, so my plants are not up and frankly, we need a new patio set (we made it over!), but I already think it looks much better this year than last. It certainly looks more polished, even the divots and imperfection have more character.
Thank you, thank you handy hubby.
Have you ever stained concrete?
Interested in more projects for the home?
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It looks so good, Kim! Glad to know the same results can be achieved by using a roller.
ReplyDeleteThanks Brandi! I love those sprayers, but the prep often takes longer than the actual painting! :) Thanks for popping by! Kim
DeleteIt looks beautiful. Your husband did a very nice job. I am curious about what you have on your roof.
ReplyDeleteHi Lorri. They are solar panels to heat our pool. Some water from the pool is diverted up through the panels, gets warmed from the sun and then flows back into the pool! We get full sun on the pool, but it still really doesn't get that warm unless it's 90 degrees for a few days. We didn't want the expense and hassle of a gas heater, so we went with this option. It was also a DIY~ like everything else around here! It works really well! Thanks for asking!
DeleteWe have been waiting for four years to get a cement patio poured (long frustrating story that I will no doubt blog about when the time is right:) SUPPOSEDLY, we are going to get it done this summer, I have to see it to believe it. ANYWAY, the young man who is going to do it told us not to stain, stamp or anything because the maintenance is high. So we opted for cement, simple like our home. I hope it looks half as nice as yours! What a nice area to unwind with the family!
ReplyDeleteWaiting is terrible, I know! I am an "I want it done yesterday" type of gal, so I get it! When we had it done around 2000, they dyed the concrete before they poured it. The color was blended into the mix, so the color was all the way through. I have to say, it held up very well and took over ten years in full sun, southern exposure to fade. I am not sure how long we will get out of the concrete stain, but even if we need to reapply every few years, it was a quick enough- and frankly cheap enough- project to be worth it! I'll keep you posted! :)
DeleteHi Kim, wow your husband did a great job! What a lot of work went into making it look so nice. It must be so nice having a husband who is so handy around the house! Lol! Have a wonderful Mother's Day!
ReplyDeleteJulie
He is very handy Julie! Although, sometimes too handy....that means I need to wait until he has the time to tackle these projects! ;)
DeleteI love the new look, and of course, DIY is the way to go! The kids can't wait to use the pool, but I won't go near the water until it's almost sauna-like!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, Dee! The kids could swim with ice cubes...I want it hot tub hot! ;)
DeleteThere are many concrete stains out there, can you tell us what brand, etc you used. I'd want to roll mine on also as I have a small patio
ReplyDeleteIt is Home Depot Behr Semi Transparent Concrete Stain in Saltillo Tile...good luck! We are really happy with it! :)
DeleteI thought it was odd that the color and brand of paint wasn't mentioned.
ReplyDeleteI went back and edited the post and added the details, Denise, thanks!
DeleteThe new color looks amazing! Are you not the lucky one, with such a handy husband?! Can't wait to see it when you have it all pulled back together and the flowers are up. Please, post pics!
ReplyDeleteThanks Nancy, it is helpful to have a handy hubby! Today is actually the first really warm day here since last year and the perennials are already beginning to fill in! Hopefully we will have warm enough weather to put flowers in the pots next weekend! When it's complete, I will post! :)
DeleteOoh, what a change! It's beautiful! So clean and refreshing! xoxo Jen
ReplyDeleteThanks Jen...can't wait until it's warm enough to really get the backyard set up!
DeleteLooks great, Kim, love the colour you got just with one coat! Kudos!
ReplyDeletePoppy
Thanks Poppy! I will pass your kudos on to the handy hubby...this project was all him! :)
DeleteI love how it turned out.
ReplyDeleteThanks Vanessa! I really have to give all of the credit to my husband. I was just the, "It looks great, honey" girl on this DIY! ;) Thanks for stopping by to take a peek!
DeleteIt looks fabulous. Thanks tons for linking to Inspire Me.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Marty!
DeleteHi Kim! I had to check out your blog and found this post you did on staining concrete. Your patio looks wonderful! Do you know if you can stain the concrete floor of a garage and park on it after without problems. Mine needs some TLC, like filling in cracks and then staining to cover mishaps from the cars and other things.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
LuAnn
Hi LuAnn! Yes!! You can stain the concrete and park/ drive on it! I would get the specifics from the hardware store or Home Depot, but the directions are included on the can for driving applications! I know that people use it to stain their indoor floors, too! Hope that helps and thanks for stopping by! :)
DeleteIt looks wonderful! What a great space for summer!
ReplyDeleteSherry
Thanks Sherry! Now, if it would just warm up here! ;)
DeleteLooks great. It is amazing what a paint/stain project can do! The wow factor is always worth the price of the product. Enjoy your patio this summer! Thanks for sharing. Blessings, D@TheShadyPorch
ReplyDeleteThe power of paint never ceases to amaze me, D! Thank you for your kind words! :)
DeleteKim, it looks great! My spouse stained our driveway and walkway gray, and it was a big improvement, because the concrete was old.
ReplyDeleteI love that stain!! Ours was dyed when it poured, but over the years it faded to a point that I had forgotten how pretty it had originally been. The stain really brought it back to life. We are lucky girls to have such handy, and willing, hubbies!! :)
DeleteGreat tips! We're getting concrete sidewalk/patio estimates right now. Never thought about stain:) Pinned
ReplyDeleteIt was great the first time around (lasted about a decade) and so far we are super happy with round two! :) Good luck!
DeleteI loved the tips and its really some great stuff about stain.
ReplyDeleteCheck out site http://www.shopnsavemart.com/servlet/the-Diamond-Polishing-Pads-cln-Concrete-Polishing-Pads/Categories
Wet concrete polishing (Used with water as coolant) and dry concrete polishing are two polishing methods forconcrete or stone, andit uses wet or dry concrete polishing pads discs respectively
Thanks for the tip...I will pass it on to the DIY guy! ;)
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