Water-based Latex Paints Rated for Exterior Use

Unfinished concrete is nothing spectacular to look at. With its drab, flat gray color, it's unappealing and dull to many people. But, the good news is, it's easy to spruce cement up a bit with a more exciting finish or pop of color. Whether you're looking to paint an indoor concrete wall, an outdoor concrete patio slab, or your favorite concrete statue, you'll want to use the best concrete paint for the job.

Concrete paint is slightly different than traditional interior or exterior wall paint. It's essential to understand what features to look for when choosing the best concrete paint to purchase. Concrete-specific paint will adhere better to the material. It will be more durable if it's designed for exterior use or busy areas. It may even come with texture if you're using it to paint concrete floors that need some "grip."

To help you determine the best concrete paint for your home improvement project, we've done the research and tested all the different kinds, saving you valuable time and effort. Instead of taking numerous trips to the hardware store, spending more and more of your hard-earned money on different products, we've put together a guide of the best concrete paints. This will help you narrow down your search before you even set foot in the paint department.

Buying paint for concrete doesn't need to be an overwhelming task. We've scoured online reviews, weighing all the pros and cons, and compiled a list of our top 10 recommended concrete paints. Below, we're going to break down the most important features of the best concrete paints available.

Related; Exterior Paint Review.

View the Best Concrete Paint, Below.

• KILZ L377711 Interior/Exterior Concrete and Garage Floor Paint
• DAICH RollerRock Self-Priming Pebblestone Exterior Concrete Paint
• Giani Brick Transformations Whitewash Paint
• DRYLOK Latex Concrete Floor Paint
• INSL-X SU031009A-01 Sure Step Acrylic Anti-Slip Coating Paint
• KILZ Interior/Exterior Basement and Masonry Waterproofing Paint
• INSL-X CST211009A-01 Acrylic Concrete Stain Paint
• KILZ L573611 Porch and Patio Latex Floor Paint
• Rust-Oleum 261845 EpoxyShield Garage Floor Coating
• KILZ Interior/Exterior Self-Priming Masonry Paint
• BEHR Premium Interior/Exterior Concrete and Garage Floor Paint

1. KILZ L377711 Interior/Exterior Concrete and Garage Floor Paint

The Best Overall Concrete Floor Paint

The KILZ L377711 Exterior Concrete Paint is suitable for any indoor and outdoor brick or concrete floor, including garage floors, basement floors, driveways, and porches. This gray paint offers a durable and attractive coating for high traffic floors and other horizontal concrete surfaces.

This is a durable, fast-drying paint that provides a tough concrete coating. The formulation is resistant to damage from chemicals, gasoline, and oils, protecting your concrete garage floor. It promises a good lifespan and doesn't require repainting or touch-ups for a long time after the initial use. One gallon covers 400 to 500 square feet with two coats of a satin finish.

This paint is the best overall option for concrete garage or brick floors. The KILZ Concrete and Garage Floor Paint provides a durable coating ideal for high traffic areas. It will protect the surface while looking clean and attractive.

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2. DAICH RollerRock Self-Priming Pebblestone Exterior Concrete Paint

The Best Texturized Concrete Paint

RollerRock is a unique concrete coating made from real stone to add a natural stone finish to patios, concrete porches, and pool decks. This high-performance formula rolls on smoothly to create a slip-resistant textured finish that hides hairline cracks.

Unlike other concrete paints, RollerRock is available in more than a dozen pre-mixed, aesthetically pleasing colors - not just basic shades of gray like the KILZ L377711. RollerRock is also resistant to water, stains, mold, mildew, chemical damage, abrasion, and impacts. It's formulated to stand up to a range of climate extremes - from sub-zero temperatures to extreme heat - and harsh UV rays.

DAICH's RollerRock is amazingly durable, holding up against extreme climate variations, as well as adverse conditions such as chemical spills, oil stains, and impacts. It's easy to apply, quick to dry, and comes in a variety of colors.

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3. Giani Brick Transformations Whitewash Paint

The Best Brick Whitewashing Paint

It's easy to makeover your traditional fireplace or exposed brick feature with the Giana Brick Transformations Whitewash Paint. The densely pigmented formulation is crafted explicitly for application over the brick so that it absorbs easily to create a durable, lasting coating.

In a single morning or afternoon, you can transform your space with the all-in-one kit. Clean away any dirt and remove old paint from the brick face. Then mix the appropriate paint to water ratio based on the application coverage you desire. Apply the paint, wipe off the excess with a rag, and, within a couple of hours, it's dry enough to go about your day normally.

This Brick Transformations kit contains everything you need for your project. With little prep work involved, your brick surface will take on a new, updated look - and it'll only take a few hours from start to finish.

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4. DRYLOK Latex Concrete Floor Paint

The Best Concrete Paint and Primer In-One

The Drylok concrete floor paint is a decorative, protective latex paint ideal for garage floors, outdoor patio painting, or indoor concrete basement floors. It offers a low sheen, non-slip surface and comes in a range of neutral colors that fit any environment. The average coverage is up to 500 square feet per gallon.

Instead of having to wait several days, this fast-drying concrete floor paint lets you get back to using your garage, basement, or patio quickly. It functions as both a primer and a color coat; it keys tightly to concrete surfaces without requiring a separate primer while also offering all the protective characteristics of a top coat.

This is a tough, durable, flexible latex paint; the Drylok Concrete Floor Paint makes an excellent protective layer over any concrete floor. Its quick-drying formulation means you'll be able to use your floor quicker than other brands.

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5. INSL-X SU031009A-01 Sure Step Acrylic Anti-Slip Coating Paint

The Best High-Traffic Area Concrete Paint

This Sure Step paint comes with a skid-resistant finish, ensuring an anti-slip surface that's perfect for patios, walkways, stairs, pool decks, and tennis courts. You can use it on both indoor and outdoor floors.

Available in six ready-made colors and a tintable base, Sure Step is self-priming when applied to concrete. It also seals minor cracks. It has excellent color retention even when exposed to harsh UV rays and abrasion resistance. Painting around a pond? This paint is also resistant to damage from ponding water. However, be aware that the paint needs 24 hours before it can handle light foot traffic, which is longer than other paints, including the DRYLOK.

The 100% acrylic base means the Sure Step is great for use on patios, walkways, and other surfaces that receive a lot of sun exposure. Even under the harsh rays, it keeps its color longer.

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6. KILZ Interior/Exterior Basement and Masonry Waterproofing Paint

The Best Basement Concrete Paint

Made to work on a range of masonry walls, brick, and concrete blocks, this Basement and Masonry Waterproofing Paint is an excellent choice for sealing damp, musty-smelling basement walls and floors. It uses nanotechnology to form a barrier that stops water infiltration up to 12 PSI, and the alkaline coating is mildew resistant.

The product needs more than one coat for the best possible coverage, but its thinner consistency makes it easier to apply than thicker products containing texture particles. One gallon covers up to 125 square feet, and the tinted base allows you to customize the color to match your basement decor.

The waterproofing ability of KILZ Basement and Masonry Waterproofing Paint makes it a fantastic product for coating your basement walls, keeping the space from feeling and smelling damp - all in whatever color you choose.

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7. INSL-X CST211009A-01 Acrylic Concrete Stain Paint

The Best Concrete Stain Paint

One of the more inexpensive options available, the INSL-X Acrylic Concrete Stain Paint, offers homeowners an affordable way to update and customize their concrete surfaces. Apply it as a stain in just one coat; apply two coats to achieve an opaque finish. This paint comes in white, clear gloss, and a handful of premixed, neutral color options.

It's perfect for interior and exterior surfaces, whether horizontal or vertical. This waterproofing concrete stain also applies easily with either a roller or a brush. Its water-based acrylic formulation has a low sheen to provide slip resistance on floors. One gallon covers 300 to 400 square feet of concrete.

This concrete stain paint lets you change your concrete surface's look without spending a lot. It's the only product that allows you to apply it as a stain or obtain an opaque finish.

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8. KILZ L573611 Porch and Patio Latex Floor Paint

The Best Porch Concrete Paint

If you're looking to update a space and want one single paint that you can use across many surfaces, the KILZ Porch and Patio Latex Floor Paint fits the bill! It can be applied to concrete, masonry, wood, and architectural plastic such as siding, even if it was previously primed or painted.

Like other KILZ products, it's mildew resistant, and the thinner consistency means it can be rolled on, brushed on, or applied with a sprayer. Once cured, the coating is resistant to scuffing, fading, cracking, and peeling. A gallon of paint covers 300 to 400 square feet if the surface is smooth. It can be used indoors and out.

As the KILZ Porch and Patio Latex Floor Paint is suitable for a range of surface types, you can paint multiple surfaces in one area using one single type or color of paint.

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9. Rust-Oleum 261845 EpoxyShield Garage Floor Coating

The Best Epoxy Garage Floor Paint

This high-quality, two-part epoxy kit comes with everything you need to coat your concrete floors, leaving a durable, professional-looking finish. EpoxyShield's finish is also more resilient and longer-lasting; it's resistant to hot tire pick-up, gasoline, motor oil, and road salt without the need to apply a top coat. The semi-gloss paint has a slight sheen; the decorative color chips add texture to the finished coating.

The Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield Garage Floor kit will cover the concrete floor in a 2.5 car garage - approximately 500 square feet in total. You can walk on it 24-hours after application and drive on it in seventy-two.

Packaged as an all-in-one DIY kit, the Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield delivers professional-looking results at a fraction of the price. When finished, your garage floor will be protected against damage and stains.

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10. KILZ Interior/Exterior Self-Priming Masonry Paint

The Best Budget-friendly Concrete Paint

KILZ paint is known for its great adhesion properties and ability to not only cover stains but repel water and prevent moisture from leaking through. This flat finish masonry paint follows true to that. It's suitable for covering various vertical wall surfaces: smooth, rough, and textured masonry, drywall, stucco, and brick.

A gallon of this water-based paint covers between 250 and 400 square feet depending upon the texture of the material you're painting. It can be applied using a roller, brush, or sprayer. Clean up is easy and only requires soap and water.

This masonry paint has great adhesion on textured walls yet works well on smooth surfaces too. It helps to repel water at an affordable price, making it great for finishing or updating basements.

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11. BEHR Premium Interior/Exterior Concrete and Garage Floor Paint

The Best Custom-Color Concrete Paint

BEHR Premium Concrete and Garage Floor Paint gives you the smooth surface look of an epoxy floor without the headache and labor. This one-part epoxy system is ready to go right out of the can; there's no need to mix the activator and base before application.

The durable epoxy coating offers garage floors UV protection from the sun, and the satin finish is resistant to stains, chemical damage, and harsh weather exposure. A gallon covers up to 500 square feet. It can be tinted to any of BEHR's paint colors or custom blended to the color of your choice.

With BEHR technology, this concrete floor coating is tintable to a wide range of popular colors. The epoxy coating can also be custom matched to your color swatch.

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What to Look For When Buying a Concrete Paint

Just like when it comes to painting the walls inside your home or your kitchen cabinets, there are different concrete paints available to buy, some much more suited to the project than others. The material you're coating, whether it's exposed to the outdoor elements, and what color the paint comes in, are just some of the features you need to consider.

The best paint for your home improvement project will depend on which features you need. Here are some of the most important features to consider when buying concrete paint.

Type of Paint

There are two types of concrete paint available on the market: latex acrylic paint and acrylic epoxy paint. You can't say one is the best paint for concrete. Each type has its pros and cons, specifically concerning durability, ease of use, and cost.

Acrylic latex paints are water-based and formulated for easy application on masonry surfaces, both horizontal and vertical. Their application doesn't require any special tools or paintbrushes, and they are suitable for coating any concrete or block surface, including walls, concrete floors, or steps.

Epoxies are typically used for concrete floors. They aren't suitable as a paint for concrete walls. Epoxy paints contain epoxy resin, a robust and sturdy substance that helps make the final coating more resistant to damage, chemicals, mildew, and moisture. It also strongly bonds the paint to the concrete.

This type of paint takes longer to dry and is more challenging to apply than latex, but it offers more durability and a longer lifespan. Keep in mind, too, that a one-part epoxy is ready to go right out of the container; 2-part epoxies need to be mixed before they can be applied to your concrete floors.

Drying Time

When looking to buy paint for concrete, make sure to check the drying time on the label and match it to your project needs. The thickness of concrete paint and its base material affect how long it takes the finished product to dry and cure. Thicker products take longer to dry, meaning you need to keep away from the area for a longer time. For high traffic areas, this can be problematic.

Application Method

You can apply typical latex wall paints using a brush, roller, or sprayer, but painting concrete is different. There may be restrictions on how you apply the product because the paints are formulated differently – you must make sure you're applying your acrylic latex paint or epoxy correctly to your concrete garage floor or walls.

Textured concrete paints must be rolled or brushed on, and they often need a special roller or brush for application. Epoxies should not be sprayed on because of health and safety issues.

Surface Orientation

When working with concrete paint, it's critical to consider the surface you're painting and match the paint type to the orientation. Vertical planes such as walls require a wall-specific paint that has a thinner consistency. Horizontal surfaces exposed to heavy-duty foot or vehicle traffic require thicker epoxy or floor paint, specifically formulated to be harder and more durable.

Wall paint can be used for floors, but floor paints shouldn't be used on walls. While epoxies or floor-specific types work well for horizontal surfaces such as patios, stairs, and floors, they are heavy and run down a wall while they're drying. This results in walls that look streaky and uneven.

Texture

Concrete paints come in a variety of textures, depending upon their intended use. Floor paints contain a small amount of sand or other stone to make the walkway slip-resistance after application. Wall paints tend to have a smoother finish with less texture.

Washability

Washability measures how easy the paint is to clean up and how well it holds up to washing once it's cured. You can remove acrylic and latex paints from brushes, rollers, and unintentionally painted surfaces using only soap and water. This is one of the benefits of using them. However, once fully dry, they don't stand up to frequent washings well, and the paint surface will break down over time.

Epoxies require harsher chemicals to clean up the mess during the application process, which is a disadvantage. However, once thoroughly dried, the coating is incredibly durable and can withstand regular cleanings without damage to the epoxy itself.

Durability

The durability of the paint you pick depends on whether you're using it as interior or exterior paint. Outdoor concrete is subjected to different conditions than indoor.

Keep in mind that interior paints don't need to hold up against UV exposure and extreme temperature conditions like outdoor paints do. However, they need to be scuff and impact-resistant, especially if they're used for garage floors or see a lot of foot traffic. It's also helpful if they're mildew resistant, especially if you're applying them in a basement.

Exterior paints need to resist color fading (due to UV radiation) and cracking (due to extreme temperature fluctuations). Frigid temperatures, as well as scorching heat, take a toll on a painted concrete surface. Paints rated the best for exterior use are more durable and will hold up better, requiring fewer touch-ups between coats.

Surface Preparation

Different types of paints require different surface prep before application. When buying paint for use on concrete, carefully read the label and familiarize yourself with the prep you need to do. The surface needs to be free of dust, dirt, old paint, and oil-based grime to achieve the best adhesion. Some paints require you to wash the surface using a concrete cleaner containing acid.

There's also the matter of priming. Some paints require you to coat the surface with a separate primer before paint application; others are paint and primer in one, so there's no need to prime beforehand.

Color Options

Does the paint come in different pre-mixed colors? Can it be tinted to any color you want? Or are you sticking with the manufacturer's offerings of grey or a lighter grey?

While these may seem like silly questions, they're essential depending upon your project. Homeowners in the desert Southwest may want a tan shade to match their xeriscaped backyard when painting their patio or pool deck. A midwestern farmhouse owner might want a beautiful brick red to add a pop of color to their concrete porch and steps.

You must consider numerous features when choosing the best paint. Think about the type, how long it takes to dry, what kind of surface you're working with, if you need texture, and how durable the end coating needs to be. It's easy to get overwhelmed.

The hardest part of changing your concrete surface's look shouldn't be deciding which type of paint is the best for your project. We've taken the hard work out of your decision, giving you a list of the best concrete paints for a range of different applications.

After perusing the reviews and buying guide, you should feel well-equipped to walk into the store – or pull up your favorite web browser – and buy the best concrete paint for your DIY makeover. Then the last tough decision you'll need to make is what color best fits your style.

Water-based Latex Paints Rated for Exterior Use

Source: https://bestofmachinery.com/best-concrete-paint/

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