How to Paint a Concrete Foundation

^{*Each gallon covers around 400 square feet with one coat, but coverage may vary}

We all know foundations are important, but we don’t always treat them like they are. Watch as painting expert Mauro Henrique helps a homeowner revitalize and protect their foundation with a few coats of masonry paint.

How To Paint a Concrete Foundation

1. Start by removing any obstructions blocking the foundation. This often includes gutter downspouts which can easily be removed with a drill and reattached after the project is over.
2. Use the shovel to pull the mulch back from the foundation. Dig down about two inches to allow the roller to cover the entire foundation without touching the dirt.
3. Scrape the foundation with the paint scraper or painter’s tool. Place a drop cloth underneath to collect any chips, flakes, or dust so they don’t land in the dirt. Keep scraping until all the remaining paint feels solid. Once that’s done, give the surface a light scrubbing with the long-handled brush, and then remove the drop cloths to clean them off.
4. Stir the masonry paint well and pour some into the paint tray. Replace the drop cloths against the foundation.
5. Use the paintbrush to cut in along the top, sides, and bottom of the foundation. Be careful not to touch the soil with the paintbrush but be sure to clean it off if you do.
6. Load the paint roller in the paint tray and apply the foundation paint to the foundation in W-shaped patterns. Make sure to maintain a wet edge to prevent lap marks.
7. Allow the foundation to dry for at least 4 hours before repeating the process for a second coat. Give the second coat 4 hours to dry before pushing the mulch back into place.

Resources

Mauro helps a homeowner add to their home’s curb appeal by repainting a cracked and
chipping paint foundation.

Mauro removes the old chipping paint by scraping it with a 5-in-1 painter’s tool, moving parallel up against the peeling paint edges. To remove any remaining dust or debris, Mauro scrubs the foundation with medium to stiff nylon scrub brushes. To paint the foundation, Mauro uses a medium grey primer and masonry paint and applies 2 coats. To cut in the edges Mauro uses 4” stiff nylon cutting brushes. To apply the rest of the paint, Mauro uses 3/8” to 1” thick paint rollers—because the foundation has a rougher textured finish, 1” rollers will work perfectly to get full coverage over the uneven surface. This masonry paint requires 4 hours of drying time between coats.

Materials

• Medium gray primer
• Foundation paint

Tools