DIY Concrete Patio Makeover

A cheap and easy DIY patio makeover to get your house ready for summer entertaining.

I transformed our ugly old concrete patio with some cleaning and an easy-to-apply tinted sealer!

Here’s how to do it yourself…

Concrete Patio Makeover: Cleaning

When we moved into our new house the back concrete patio was in rough shape.

It had been stained over the years from leaf debris and dirt ground into concrete that I suspect was never sealed.

I started out by using a Driveway & Concrete Cleaner.

I diluted it according to the instructions and applied it with a stiff brush.

Well after I used the cleaner the concrete still looked super dark and stained.

So I decided to try another approach to restoring the concrete.

DIY Patio Makeover Sealer

I found this concrete sealer at my local Lowes. There were two options – semi-transparent and solid.

Since I wanted to cover the old stains, I decided on this solid color and went with the concrete gray base color.

You could also have it tinted about a dozen different colors.

First I thoroughly cleaned the concrete with our leaf blower and a broom. You don’t want any dust or dirt on the concrete. If you haven’t cleaned it with a pressure washer, I also suggest doing that at this point.

I then applied the concrete sealer with a high nap roller that was recommended for concrete applications.

The sealer is SUPER watery so it was easy to apply. I ended up needing two full cans when I thought one would do.

So plan on the coverage area being less than described on the can.

I recommend taping along any surfaces you don’t want the stain to get on.

This picture shows the change in the concrete – it really was night and day!

I was pleased with the sealer’s coverage – you really can’t see any of the old dark marks through the sealer.

It took me a few hours to paint the entire patio with the sealer. 

DIY Concrete Patio Makeover Conclusion