Preparing and painting new concrete General decorating topics, questions and answers. find help, tips and advice on completing your decorating projects

[McBurnie]

I've got a brand new concrete lintel and concrete struts holding up my back patio roof. I want to paint them dark brown gloss to look like wood.
Could some kind person advise me how to prepare new concrete and also what primer? Could I use dilute PVA followed by a primer before using gloss?
Thanks

[rigga]

McBurnie, If the finished paint is going to be oil based paint then you will need to prime first using an alkali resisting primer to stop the finished paint being attacked by the alkaline nature of the cement then use either acrylic primer under coat and the oil based top coat or alternatively use a water based masonry paint straight on the lintel in the finished colour after stopping all the air holes with something like a lightweight filler (one stop).

[McBurnie]

Thank you Rigga for answering my question. What do you think of PVA as a primer?

[rosebery]

I agree with Rigga. Anti-alkaline primer. That's not PVA!

[McBurnie]

Roseberry, Thanks very much for your input. It was also very helpful#

[rigga]

Polly vinyl acetate (pva) is not a primer it’s a sealer/adhesive, the fact that it is quite often used as an adhesive to water based materials does not change this. In my opinion as a decorator by trade, its one of the best materials on the market. I use it as a size for bare plaster (thinned of course) add it to emulsion paint, plaster, mortar, and filler and also mix it with wallpaper paste. I also make my own glazes and stumble's for marbling and graining with it. Make my tea and coffee with it (Only joking).

[rosebery]

"I use it as a size for bare plaster (thinned of course)"

Just so long as you ain't planning to tile the wall afterwards!! Agree it makes an excellent plasticiser in mortar and rendering but I've never tried it in wallpaper paste. Interesting - might give it a go.

"Make my tea and coffee with it (Only joking)."

You may well laugh - spilt some in my tea the other day without realising it when prepping a wall - tasted really quite revolting. LoL

Cheers