How can I sand and repaint an outdoor concrete counter?
by Monica
+3
It’s bubbling and pealing ,what’s the best process to sand and repaint
My vote is to stain and not paint. Stain just fades over time and easier to refresh when necessary.
Rent a power washer to remove the existing paint. If that doesn't work 100%, then you might need to look into chemical removal. Be extremely cautious if you have children or pets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WusRZoBWF-o
Power wash then scrape and use Kleen Strip to get the rest off. I would use exterior spray paint.
Prep is key. Power wash and scrub with a metal brush. When the paint and loose debris are off, clean with TSP. When dry, prime with a masonry primer (2 coats, can be tinted). Then finish with 2 coats of a high quality masonry paint.
if you decide to stain, prep the same way. After cleaning with TSP acid wash to etch the surface then apply stain (spray, brush or roll). Then seal.
Such is the reason why I always tell people to think FIFTEEN times before painting concrete! Especially outdoors, paint is always destined to fail on concrete, no matter what prep you do.
My "vote" is to power wash, clean with TSP and see if you're down to actual concrete at that point. Stripping the paint is not an easy task but down the line, it's worth it! If you know if the paint is all latex or all oil, you can get a stripper specific to that. Otherwise, choose all surface stripper like CitriStrip. Apply it really generously and choose a time when the surface is in the sun (preferably already warmed up). Cover it with plastic and leave overnight.
Wear long sleeved plastic gloves and use a softish bristled scrub brush to scrub the stripper across the entire counter. Strip the gunk into a lined garbage can, power wash and see what you have now. It's likely you'll need to repeat 2-3 times.
https://bestdiy.tips/how-to-easily-remove-paint-from-concrete/
The hands-down easiest thing to do is sandblast it. You could call around to see if anyone has a glass sandblaster for rent. This needs Special sodium bi-carbonate to not damage the underlying concrete.
Once stripped, I personally really like the look of polished and poly'ed concrete. Beautiful, will withstand the elements fairly well, easily kept up. 😎