Paint Concrete Statues
Concrete statues are commonly found as yard ornaments or objects of interior décor. Because concrete is porous, it is important to use a specific process when painting it. Follow these instructions for how to paint concrete statues.
Contents
Steps
- Prepare the statue for painting. Before painting concrete, you must take certain steps to ensure the paint will stick to it:
- Allow the concrete statue to air dry.
- Wash the statue with water, using a garden hose or shower sprayer. Do not use soap.
- Blow any remaining dust or concrete flakes off the statue using a high pressure air hose.
- Apply a base coat to the entire statue, using either a brush or a sprayer.
- Use either a latex exterior paint or a paint formulated especially for painting concrete, in a color that is appropriate to the top coat color you will be using.
- Coat the bottom of the concrete statue with a base coat first. Allow it to dry, then stand the statue up for painting.
- Allow the base coat to dry, then inspect the statue for full coverage. Concrete is very absorbent, so you may need to apply more than 1 base coat. If you notice that an area seems dull or washed out in comparison to other areas, it is a good idea to apply another base coat.
- Choose a painting method for the top coat. You may opt to use a paint brush or paint sprayer to coat the statue, or you can choose from other creative paint finish options:
- Dry-brushing involves using base and top coats that are contrasting in nature, and swiping a partially-coated paintbrush over the concrete statue to create a weathered, striation effect. For example, you can use a black base coat for your statue, then dip your paintbrush in white paint, wipe most of the white paint off the brush and swipe the barely-damp paintbrush across your statue for a feathery look.
- For an antiquing method, use a light or white base coat for concrete statues, then apply the colored top coat, let the paint sit for 10 minutes and wipe away the excess paint using a dampened rag. Apply and wipe away paint as necessary to get the desired effect.
- Airbrushing is a technique that requires a paint airbrush. It is a learned skill that can create realistic effects for animal statues, and can work with either a dark or light base coat, depending on the subject.
- Detailing involves using small brushes to create details in the top coat by hand. Concrete statues that are going to be detailed generally work best with white base coats.
- Paint the top coat. You can either paint concrete statues a solid color, or use a variety of colors for details. Use any type or variety of exterior latex paint and/or concrete paint products found in home improvement and craft stores. Allow the top coat to dry for 24 hours before moving on to the next step in painting concrete.
- Seal the statue. Use a non-yellowing exterior concrete sealer. This will protect paint colors from fading and keep out harmful moisture. Place the concrete statue on a ventilated surface (gravel or rock will do), and allow the sealer to dry for 24 hours.
Tips
- If you are painting in the hot sun, you may need to thin your paints with water to allow the paint to soak into the concrete before it dries.
- If you cast concrete statues yourself, then you should wait at least 3 days after a statue is released from its mold to paint it.
- Always make sure the area where you will be painting concrete is well-ventilated.
- Reseal painted concrete statues every 1 to 3 years to protect the paint job.
- For easy accessibility, place the concrete statue on a turntable or other turning surface.
Warnings
- Do not seal the bottom of concrete statues, as it is important to let them breathe.
