Summer is the perfect time for home improvement projects, and a great place to start is your concrete surfaces. Without proper care, these surfaces can become worn, stained, and unattractive. Whether it’s your driveway, pathway, workshop floor, or entertaining area, refreshing these surfaces can boost your home’s curb appeal and functionality. With the Haymes Concrete & Paving Protection range, achieving a durable and attractive finish is easy. 

Invest in Quality for Long-Lasting Results

Using high-quality products is essential for painting and sealing concrete. Haymes Paint, with over 80 years of experience, produces superior paints and sealers designed for the challenges of the Australian environment. Choosing Haymes Paint ensures your driveways and pathways look great and remain protected for years, saving you time and money on repairs. Explore Haymes Paint’s Concrete and Paving products for a durable, long-lasting finish.

How to Prepare a Concrete Floor for Painting

To prepare your concrete floor for painting you’ll need to have the following items:

• Pressure washer
• Hydrochloric acid
• Strong rubber gloves and safety goggles
• Masking tape
• Plastic bucket and watering can
• Scrubbing brush

Start by removing any dust, dirt, oil stains, grease or contaminants that are on the floor. These can be treated with a heavy-duty concrete degreaser and removed using the pressure washer.

The next step on how to prepare concrete for painting is to check if the concrete surface is rough or smooth. If it doesn’t feel as rough as 180-grit sandpaper or rougher, you’ll need to use acid to etch the concrete floor. This process ensures the concrete paint adheres to the surface. It’s very important during this process to wear safety equipment and to allow the mixture to stay on the floor for 15 minutes as you work it in with a stiff broom. During this process you’ll notice bubbles forming.

After 15 minutes wash away with clean water and a high-pressure cleaner. Once the area is completely dry, mask up areas of the wall you want to protect.

Thoroughly stir the concrete paint before pouring into a roller tray. Use a paintbrush to cut in around the edges before using a roller on an extension pole to paint the rest of the concrete floor.

How to Prepare a Concrete Garage Floor for Painting

To learn how to prepare concrete garage floor for painting follow the steps above before following the additional steps below. Unlike other concrete floors, your garage concrete floor will need to have a protective epoxy coating applied to resist oil and grease stains and make it easier to clean.

Haymes Paint Ultimate Epoxy Coatings have been specifically formulated for concrete garage floors, high traffic areas and factory floors. Available in a wide range of colours, this multi-functional coating system is designed to protect and enhance your concrete garage floor.

Step-by-Step Guide to Painting and Sealing Concrete Surfaces

Achieving a professional, durable finish on your concrete driveways and pathways requires proper preparation and the right products. Follow these steps to ensure success:

1. Surface Preparation

Start by thoroughly cleaning the concrete to remove dirt, grease, or stains. Use a pressure washer or a stiff-bristle brush with a degreaser for stubborn spots. For mould or mildew, use a fungicidal wash. After cleaning, inspect the surface for cracks or holes. Fill these with a suitable concrete filler and allow it to cure. If the concrete is smooth or has been previously sealed, etch the surface using Haymes Paint Concrete Etch. This citric-based acid helps create a texture that allows the paint to adhere properly.

2. Priming the Surface

Priming is crucial for proper paint adhesion and longevity. Use Haymes Paint Same Day Sealer, which can be applied to freshly poured concrete. This breathable primer helps preserve colour, reduces preparation, and minimises efflorescence. For older concrete, make sure the surface is clean before priming, and allow the primer to dry completely.

3. Choosing the Right Paint

Selecting the right paint ensures a durable and appealing finish. Haymes Paint QuickPave® is a water-based paving paint ideal for both bare and previously painted surfaces. It offers a satin finish that resists oil and can be walked on two hours after application. QuickPave® is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. For garage floors or high-traffic areas, Haymes Paint QuickPave® Garage Floor is a solvent-based gloss finish that resists grease, oil, and hot tyre pick-up, making it perfect for garages and workshops. 

4. Applying the Paint

Once the surface is prepared and primed, it’s time to paint. Stir the paint thoroughly for an even consistency. Use a high-quality roller or brush for smooth coverage, or an airless sprayer for larger areas. Apply thin, even coats of paint, allowing each coat to dry before applying the next. Haymes Paint QuickPave® dries to the touch in 20 minutes and can be recoated in two hours. For best results, apply at least two coats.

5. Sealing the Concrete

Sealing the concrete after painting adds protection and extends the lifespan of the finish. Haymes Paint PaveShield® is a quick-drying sealer that provides a tough, durable layer. It is UV-resistant and easy to clean, making it ideal for high-traffic areas such as driveways and garages. For added safety in wet conditions, mix in Haymes Paint Non-Slip Additive to your sealer. This additive provides a certified P4 slip rating, ensuring surfaces remain safe to walk on.

Benefits of Haymes Paint Products

Haymes Paint offers concrete paints and sealers that are designed to handle the harsh Australian climate and heavy use. Key benefits of choosing Haymes Paint include:

• Durability: Long-lasting protection that reduces the need for frequent maintenance.
• UV Resistance: Protects against fading, keeping surfaces vibrant.
• Easy Application: Fast drying times and simple application.
• Oil and Stain Resistance: Haymes Paint QuickPave® and QuickPave® Garage Floor resist oil and grease, making them perfect for areas prone to spills.
• Low Maintenance: Haymes Paint sealers like PaveShield® require minimal upkeep, keeping your surfaces in top condition with little effort.

What You’ll Need For Driveway Resurfacing

Below are the items you’ll need for your driveway resurfacing project along with instructions for painting a driveway

• Eye protection
• Mask 
• Rubber gloves 
• Broom
• Watering can
• Measuring jug
• Pressure washer
• Masking tape
• Scrubbing brush 
• Paint stirrer 
• Metal bucket
• Roller frame 
• Extension pole
• Paint roller and bucket 
• Can opener
• Paint mixer
• Paintbrush

Best Paint For Concrete Floor

For the best paint for concrete floors, here are the concrete floor paints available in our range:

Haymes QuickPave

Haymes QuickPave is a high-quality water-based concrete floor paint. It is a quick-drying, self-priming paint with superb coverage for painting interior or exterior concrete paving.

Haymes QuickPave has superior long-lasting exterior durability and is easy to apply. It is also resistant to oil & hot tyres and dries to a semi-gloss finish.

Key features include:

• Superior durability
• Fade-resistant
• Quick-drying
• Effortless application
• Water-based

Haymes QuickPave Garage Floor

Haymes QuickPave Garage Floor is a hard-wearing, solvent-based, gloss enamel paint for coating interior and exterior concrete. It is a tough, durable, long-lasting gloss finish that resists grease, oil and hot tyres and is suitable for surfaces such as floors, paths, driveways and commercial areas. This product is not suitable for use in food preparation areas.

Key features include:

• Superior toughness
• Long-lasting, hard-wearing finish
• Resistant to oil and grease
• Interior/exterior use
• High gloss finish
• Excellent adhering 
• Self-priming 

We also have a range of concrete floor sealers and non-slip additives that make your concrete floors safer and easier to walk on.

How To Paint A Concrete Floor

The most important step when it comes to how to paint a concrete floor is preparing the surface (watch the video above on how to prepare concrete for painting).

If your concrete floor has a smooth surface you will need to etch the surface with hydrochloric acid and water (three parts water, one part acid) to roughen it so the paint adheres to the surface.

For the first coat of paint, thin the paint with 20% of water. This ensures adequate penetration so the paint adheres properly to the surface.

When painting, cut in the edges and hard to reach spots with a brush then paint the remaining surface with a roller. Once the first coat is completely dry, re-coat within 2 hours. 

Achieve a Professional Finish

Painting and sealing your concrete driveways and pathways adds value to your home and enhances its overall appearance. By choosing Haymes Paint’s specialised products, you can achieve a professional-grade finish that will last for years. Visit a Haymes Paint Shop or local stockist to find the right products for your project and use our Colour Consultation Service to bring your vision to life.