How to Stain Concrete Paving Stones

Plan out your project before you begin. Measure the area to be covered in paving stones so you know how many pavers you'll need; as a general rule, concrete pavers are 12 inches by 12 inches.

Lay down a tarp or drop cloth and place the concrete pavers on top of it.

Clean the paving stones with a concrete cleaning solution. Then rinse the pavers with a hose or power wash them.

Apply a coat of wet-look concrete sealer. Use a paint roller to apply two coats of the sealer, waiting 10 minutes in between coats to allow the sealant to dry.

Select a water-based concrete stain. While you can buy a pre-made stain in stores, creating your own stain will give you more color options. To make your own stain, mix equal parts water, sealer and a water-based tinted flat exterior house paint in a bucket. Pour the mixture into a paint tray.

Test a small area on the underside of one paving stone to see what the stain will look like. Once you have determined that it is acceptable, apply the stain with a paint sprayer, roller or sponge to the rest of the paving stones. After the stain is applied, wait approximately 30 minutes for it to dry before adding a second coat if desired. Let it dry thoroughly.

Apply another coat of the wet-look concrete sealer with a paint roller.