Create a Faux Finish for a Concrete Floor

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Faux finish for a concrete floor can be a great alternative to mold and mite infested carpet or chintzy vinyl. Its inexpensive and stands the test of time. Concrete can be so much more than the dull grey of a sidewalk. It can be treated with a vast array of colors or stamped with patterns to create the look of brick, stone, wood, cobblestone or terra cotta tile.

If you already have a concrete surface, it’s not too late to create the stamping texture. You will need to purchase enough cement plank (the stuff that goes under ceramic tile) to cover the desired surface area. Screw to the floor so no shifting occurs. Mix bags of concrete powder as directed on package. Pour onto floor and level out with a trowel. Allow concrete to dry until an indention remains when poked with your finger. Press the stamp repeatedly until the whole surface is covered. Stamps usually come in a section of 2’x 4’ in a variety of designs and are made out of a flexible material. If you desire color, you can add it as a liquid while mixing the concrete or you can apply it later as a chemical stain. The chemical stain creates a chemical reaction with the concrete, etching the surface and depositing the color. Before creating a faux finish for a concrete floor with chemical stain, you may want to experiment some. You can create all sorts of interesting designs and textures with mop heads, brushes, leaves or rags. You can purchase most of these supplies at a large home improvement store like Lowe’s or Home Depot. Concrete stamps are more specialized. I’ve had the best luck finding them on ebay.

Depending on the stamp you use, you may have lines that can be grouted later to give a more realistic look of ceramic tile.

Another option is to create a faux finish for a concrete floor by scoring it with a saw and a concrete blade about an eighth of an inch deep. Then go on to paint it as described below.

If you’re in need of a quick fix, just paint the faux finish for a concrete floor. Clean the concrete with a solution like Behr’s cleaner and degreaser. Sand off any bumps or glue residue. Repair cracks and holes with Custom Building Products Pre-Mixed Concrete Patch. Next prime it with a product like KILZ-2 for interior use. Then apply Behr’s concrete etcher. Next apply a good quality flat latex paint in the faux paint finish of your choice. To add visual interest, break up the space by blocking off squares or shapes with painters tape. When you peel the tape up, those spaces will look like grout lines and give the look of authentic tile. You can also section off areas and create faux rugs by painting designs only inside of the areas sectioned off and then paint tassles along the edges to look like a real rug. Find a picture of a rug you really like or copy from one you already have. To get professional results purchase a Modello pattern that sticks to the concrete. You can paint over it for an easy stencil-type design and then remove it leaving detailed results that would be impossible with a paint brush. Coat the floor with Behr’s wet-look sealer for a nice shiny finish or a product called Breakthrough by Vanex. It is the best for heavy traffic areas because it dries as hard as baked enamel.

No matter where or what kind of house you live in you can always find a way to incorporate a faux finish for a concrete floor into your interior or exterior home decorating design.