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What is Cement Paint?

Sonia Nair
Cement paint is mainly used to cover porous surfaces, like concrete and bricks. Here is a brief overview about this paint.
Otherwise known as concrete paint, cement paint is durable and water resistant. The main ingredients of the paint are white Portland cement, lime, and some pigments. Apart from that, this paint contains water repellents, fungicides, fillers, and accelerators. It comes in the form of a white powder that is mixed with water, before application.

Features

It is mainly used to decorate exterior surfaces, but can also be used for interior decor. Apart from enhancing the looks, this paint is also useful for covering up stains.
Cement or concrete paint is used extensively for patios, garages, driveways, sidewalks, and concrete furniture. Even the exterior surfaces of huge industrial buildings are found to be coated with this paint.
Cement paint is mostly used to cover those surfaces, that are subjected to frequent weather changes and heavy use. This shows the popularity of this product, which comes in different types.
While epoxy concrete paint is preferred for surfaces, like garage floors; another type named silacote is recommended for newly constructed surfaces that are not painted. Epoxy cement paints are useful in preventing oil and grease stains, whereas silacote is claimed to form a special bond with concrete. However, silacote is not usually used for floors.
In case of concrete basement flooring, another type of cement paint, named deckote is mostly preferred. This is because, deckote is found to be resistant to abrasion, and is ideal as a concrete floor paint.
Cement paint is available in different colors. As far as the colors are concerned, it has been observed that shades of dark colors, like gray and brown, are commonly used.

How to Apply Cement Paint

  • Before starting with the task, you must clean the surfaces thoroughly. Make sure to fix the cracks and crevices.
  • Once the surfaces get completely dry, you can apply a primer. The primer has to be dry, before applying the first coat of cement paint.
  • If the concrete has sealers, you must use stripping chemicals to remove them.
  • Avoid painting concrete surfaces that are newly constructed. You have to wait for at least a month before applying cement paint on such surfaces.
  • You have to mix the paint, as per the manufacturer's instructions, apply the first coat, and let it dry for at least eight to ten hours.
  • Even the second coat must be allowed to dry for the same time period, before the application of a third coat. You may also go for a sealer, so as to enhance the durability of the paint.
You may use organic or chemical-based cement paint remover for stripping this paint from the surfaces. You may also resort to mechanical means of concrete paint removal. Make sure to go through the manufacturer's instructions beforehand.