Do it Yourself: Indoor Designer Concrete Coatings

Add a few drops of dish washing detergent to a bucket of warm water. Clean the floor’s surface well with the sudsy water and a mop. Pay special attention to any areas where grease accumulates. If necessary, spray a household degreaser onto the stain to remove it. Rinse the floor well with clean water. Allow the floor time to dry completely before continuing.

Repair any cracks in the floor with concrete patch material. Mix it according to the package directions. Work the patch material into the cracks with a putty knife. Smooth the top of the patch level with the surrounding concrete. Let the patch dry.

Apply a base or primer coat to the floor with a long-handled paint roller. This coat hides any imperfections in the floor and gives it a smooth surface. Allow the base coat time to dry.

Create grout lines with 1/2-inch masking tape if you are creating a tile design. Keep the lines straight and similarly sized if you are replicating square-shaped tiles. Use curved shapes to replicate flagstones.

Make a stencil for the design you plan to install on the floor with paint chips if desired. Cut the stencil pattern out of a large piece of cardboard.

Mix the colored epoxy or urethane coating according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Apply this layer with the long-handled paint roller. Add color flakes to the coating before it dries completely. Scatter the flakes randomly by hand or use the stencil to create a pattern. Allow this coat time to dry.

Remove the tape if you are replicating a tiled floor. Scrape the surface of the floor lightly with a floor scraper to remove any paint chips that are above the surface. Sweep away any chip debris from the surface with a broom.

Apply two coats of concrete sealer to the floor with the long-handled paint roller. Allow the first coat to dry completely before adding the second one. If you want a slip-resistant floor, scatter aggregate on the surface after applying the second coat of sealer.