Acrylic Paint Decorating on Concrete Floors

Stencils

• Stencils make decorating a concrete floor with acrylic paint easy even if your artistic skills aren't particularly strong. You can find stencils in a variety of shapes and patterns at your local craft store, so you can create a custom design for your floor. Cover the concrete with a base coat of acrylic paint and decide what type of pattern you would like to create with the stencils. You can cover the entire surface with stenciled shapes, or use the stencils to create a border around the edge of the floor. You may also use several larger stencils to create a bold pattern for the center of the floor. Fill the stencils in with acrylic paint colors that contrast with the base coat to ensure that the pattern stands out on the floor.

Checkerboard

• Another way to decorate a concrete floor with acrylic paint is to create a checkerboard design. Choose two contrasting paint colors, and use one to serve as the floor's base coat. Measure the floor to determine how many squares you can fit across the surface. Mark the floor, so you know where to place the painter's tape to create the grid. Once the tape is in place, paint all of the squares in your second acrylic paint color. When the paint is dry and you pull off the tape, you'll have a fun checkerboard pattern for your concrete floor. Black and white is a classic color combination for the design, but you can go with shades in the same family for a subtle, understated look.

Faux Rug

• If you want to add a more detailed decoration to your concrete floor, use acrylic paint to create a faux rug that you never have to worry about vacuuming. You can freehand the design, or use a pattern to replicate a traditional oriental or other style rug for your concrete floor. The faux rug can be small and only cover the center portion of the floor or can span most of the surface. You can choose several acrylic paint colors for your faux rug, but try to keep it to three or four to avoid creating too busy a look.

Faux Finish

• For an elegant look, choose a faux finish with acrylic paint for your concrete floor. Faux finish techniques allow you to capture the look of marble, brick, stone or tile with nothing more than paint. You usually have to apply several layers of acrylic paint and glaze in varying colors with a rag or sponge, depending on your desired effect. If you are mimicking the look of mortar work, you can tape areas to create grout lines.