Do you have a concrete or limestone paving that that had a glorious appeal back in the day, but has lost all its charm now? And all you can think of is getting it replaced? Wait up! You can give it a restoration and explore your painting talent, both at the same time. We have some DIY painting tricks to get you started. All you need is a day off from work and some painting supplies; soon your clean limestone paving would turn into a thing of art!
What to paint would be solely your own decision but we will guide you on how to do it correctly. You will need Turpentine oil, a cleaning broom, a broad-tipped brush and some cans of acrylic patio paint according to the area of stone you are going to cover.
Preparations
Before jumping onto the painting process, it’ll be necessary that you clean up the pavers nicely first. Any residual dirt or chips on them would hinder your painting delight later on. Use the cleaning broom thoroughly between the empty spaces of the paver units and make sure there is no debris left over there. This might stick onto the paint and mess up the texture of your paint later.
Check Painting Conditions
Paver painting needs the favourability of weather conditions as well. A cool temperature is not advisable for the job as the paint would not stick onto the paving’s surface appropriately. A warm day with the temperature significantly over 50° F would be ideal. In addition to that, pre-check the weather forecast for the day as if it rains that day, whole of your hardwork would be lost. You can also make a pencil outline of your artwork pre-hand on the paver before using the paint for that extra cleanliness.
Usage of Turpentine Oil
Turpentine oil acts as a solvent for the thick acrylic patio paint. Using it will really help you work with the paint in a much easier and cleaner way. Add the oil to 1/4th part of the paint’s quantity and make sure you mix both the things in a separate container.
Use of Turpentine oil is a little dangerous for you as it is a flammable material; therefore extra caution has to be used in the form of gloves and a breathing mask while handling it.
Number of Coats
You will need multiple coats of the paint for the desired finish. Usually, two coats are enough but sometimes even three may be required. Each coat will take about 6-8 hours of time to dry completely and once you are sure that it has dried up nicely then only go ahead with the next coat. Turpentine oil is to be used in the first coat only; all other coats can be painted as it is.
Once done you will have a beautiful and clean limestone paving that’ll last for several years to come.