Concrete Paint Colors (Ideas For Indoor & Outdoor Surfaces)

Give concrete floors a new lease of life with a fresh coat of concrete floor paint colors.

From outdoor patios, floors, and porches to indoor basement floors, and cinder blocks, there’s a paint that will work wonders for your DIY job.

We’ve listed some of the best concrete floor paint colors on the market based on their performance, durability, and positive user reviews.

This concrete floor color guide will also help first-time users to complete the job as professionally as possible.

Even though you’ll need to buy concrete floor paint colors with fresh coats, you can still choose from a wide variety of colors with a good choice.

Before you decide on the paint color, think about what space it will be used for. Here are some of our suggestions that might help you in your good choice.

  • Natural Tones
    Colors like beige, ivory, and gray are great options for making a space feel larger and brighter with a fresh coat. The light reflects onto them and warms the area up.
  • Organic & Earthy Tones
    Have the concrete warm and inviting with a little bit of color. Green or Brown shades will still feel natural without being too bright.
  • Multi-color Designs
    Add a mix of colors, or create a pattern to interior and exterior concrete with a range of bright and colorful shades. This works really well on concrete flooring with natural colors on the walls.

3 DIY Painted Concrete Floor Design Ideas 

1. Lighter Walls with Darker Concrete Flooring

Keep a room calm and neutral by adding a glossy pearl gray to your floor as it is a good choice, while the walls remain bright or white with a fresh coat.

This will help in spaces that are small or dark as the glossy gray will reflect natural and ceiling light well, and will help illuminate the rest of the room

Dark Painted Concrete Flooring

2. Add a Colorful Design

For a patio or terrace floor, why not get creative and try a fun design to brighten and enlarge the space.

It will also make for an inviting, funky space to spend your time outdoors.

For an indoor space, you can try a design like the one below to make a faux rug in a living room or playroom.

Colorful Designed Concrete Wall

3. Faux Marble Effect on Concrete

There’s something quite luxurious about marble flooring.

Instead of paying thousands on actual marble tiles, you can create your own faux marble effect with the help of epoxy paint. 

This faux marble design in the image below takes a few extra steps but looks great on concrete floors.

Concrete Floor with Faux Marble Effect

How To Choose The Best concrete floor paint colors (Buyer’s Guide)

Paint Color Matching and Preferences

If you're hoping to touch up pre-existing painted concrete floors, then perform a color match before you buy a ton of new paint. Many paint suppliers will have sample pots to purchase so you can bring it home, let it dry, and see if you’ve got the closest shade as possible.

Fixed furniture and fixtures

Choose a concrete paint color to match any fixed furniture and fixtures that are connected to your concrete floors or walls. By doing this, you won’t need to paint or revamp these decorative pieces, and it will leave you with a well-thought-out final look.

Interior or Exterior Concrete

Choose a range of paint that’s suitable for interior or exterior concrete floors. You might think they’re all the same; however, when it comes to interior vs exterior paints, many brands have protective elements to combat the change in temperatures for exterior concrete floors.

Room orientation and light source

If you’re painting an area inside your home with limited or no natural light, then picking a neutral, glossy color can help the space feel brighter as the ceiling lights will reflect well onto the surface.

The room's orientation is important to factor in if you hope to create shapes or lines on concrete walls or concrete floors to manipulate the shape of the area.

Value For Money

You can save some cash by measuring the concrete floors you wish to paint and buying a quart, gallon, or 5-gallon tin of paint.

Remember, you’ll probably need a second coat if you choose a paint instead of a stain, so double your square ft. coverage by two. By buying in bulk, you’ll get the best value for money.


6 Best Concrete Paint Colors For Homes

1. KILZ L377611

KILZ 1-Part Epoxy Acrylic Concrete and Garage...
  • FLOOR PAINT: KILZ 1-Part Epoxy Concrete &...
  • ADVANCED FORMULA: This single component,...
  • MULTIPLE USES: Use on interior and exterior...
  • SUPERIOR COVERAGE: This 1 Gallon can of KILZ...

Our top pick for the best concrete floors paint is the Kilz Concrete and Garage Floor Paint. This part epoxy, part acrylic paint is perfect for inside or outside your home.

It's resistant to staining and is extremely durable. Whether you’re painting your floor in the garage or you're applying it on high-traffic surfaces in your yard, it won't scuff, fade, crack or blister.

This part-compound, water-based paint can be used on coated or uncoated concrete floors, as well as masonry, stone, and brick. This means you can have great cohesion on a range of surfaces.

With a 1-gallon tin of paint, you can cover 400-500 square feet. The drying time is a fast 2 hours, and it’s safe to reapply in 4 hours.

There are only 2 colors to choose from with this KILZ paint range. If you’re looking for a slate gray or a silver/gray, then you’re in for a treat.

The silver/gray color option is perfect for reflecting light in dull or dark spaces. Overall, this product has a beautiful satin finish and leaves concrete looking radiant.


2. KILZ L378601

KILZ Decorative Concrete Coating,...
  • CONCRETE COATING: KILZ Decorative Concrete...
  • ADVANCED FORMULA: This easy to apply concrete...
  • MULTIPLE USES: Ideal for garages, driveways,...
  • SUPERIOR COVERAGE: This 1 Gallon can of KILZ...

The KILZ Decorative Concrete Coating is the best concrete floor paint for patios. It is easy to apply, has a textured matte finish, and it’s one of the fastest drying times.

With a dry-to-touch time of 60 minutes, and you can then recoat your patio in 3-4 hours. You’ll be sitting on your patio with a book in 72 hours. It cuts off days of painting and curing time from your DIY project.

No need to worry about stains or slipping with this paint range. It’s slip and stain-resistant to keep your project looking great for longer. Choose between a gray or tan color, and cover about 50 square feet of concrete per tin.

One of the best features of this paint is how well it fills hairline cracks. This paint penetrates up to 3mm and stands up well against hot and cold temperatures. Dirt and grease will be no match against your newly painted patio as this paint stops it from entering the porous concrete.


3. INSL-X SU092209A-01 Sure Step

INSL-X SU092209A-01 Sure Step Acrylic...
  • Durable, skid resistant finish anti slip...
  • High traffic slip resistant paint for...
  • Fast drying, durable, easy application that...
  • 80 - 120 square foot coverage per gallon.

Looking for the best concrete floor paint for the outdoors? Well, Sure Step has released a range of paint colors that will hold up well for years to come.

There are 5 ready mixed colors and 1 white option available. There is also a clear coat to be used as a stand-alone clear finish. Any one of the 7 options will leave you with excellent color retention and is water and abrasion-resistant.

Whether you’re painting tennis courts, patios, walkways, steps, or pool decks, this anti-slip, water-based formula will work in your favor. It’s dry to touch in 4 hours, and you can recoat your project in 8 hours.

Sure Step has noted on their product that users should wait at least 4 days for areas that will see heavier or continuous foot traffic.

This concrete floor paint has a flat/matte finish, and it’s available in a 1-gallon or 5-gallon tin. You can cover from 80 to 120 square feet per gallon, so purchase as much as you need per project.

Many users have noted how easy it is to apply thanks to its thick consistency. We’re sure you’ll love its application, too. 


4. Rust Bullet DuraGrade 850154005723

Rust Bullet - DuraGrade Concrete...
  • QUALITY: Premium concrete paint perfect for...
  • EASY TO USE: Skip the tedious acid etching...
  • DURABLE: Our garage floor paint goes the...
  • VERSATILE: Suitable for interior and exterior...

Finding the right paint for a porch can be difficult. As it’s the face of your home and the area where people like to entertain and relax, the paint color needs to correspond well to these elements.

With the Rust Bullet DuraGrade Concrete Floor Paint, you won’t be left with limited or dull color options. It even has excellent resistance to peeling and lifting caused by hot and cold temperatures.

18 colors are ranging from vibrant reds to a muted tan and gray in concrete floor paint. The white and jet black colors are highly rated by users, too, and leave your concrete patio crisp and clean. You can apply this paint directly to concrete with no primer, basecoat, or topcoat needed.

Purchase a gallon, 5-gallon, or quart tin for the size of your painting project. Each gallon will cover approximately 300 square feet.

Two-coats will be required if you want to get the most protection from this concrete floors paint. It may be a little higher priced than its competitors, but it's thick, durable, and high in quality.


5. INSL-X CST211009A-01

On Sale Today
INSL-X CST211009A-01 TuffCrete Waterborne...
  • Acrylic concrete, stucco, and brick paint...
  • Can be applied in one coat, as a stain; or...
  • Non fading, fast drying concrete stains with...
  • 300 - 400 square foot coverage per gallon.

The INSL-X TuffCrete Concrete Stain is appropriate for interiors and exteriors, and we believe it’s the best waterproofing concrete stain paint on the market.

It resists holding and soaking up the toughest liquids like detergents, oils, and grease. Simply add one coat for a nice stained effect to concrete, or add a second coat for a more opaque finish.

The available colors are white, sand, gray pearl, light gray, and clear. Lighter or clear colors typically cover 400 square feet, whereas the gray tones will cover 300 square feet. If you’re painting outdoors, don’t apply the paint in direct sunlight or on concrete that’s above 90 °F.

The TuffCrete paint is water-based. Its consistency is quite sheer, yet it still has a thickness to it. This means that you can apply it to horizontal and vertical concrete surfaces. When painting columns, work from the top to the bottom to catch any drips.


6. Drylok UGL 21613 Bamboo

The UGL Drylok Concrete Paint has a latex base, and we found it to be the best concrete paint for driveways. It’s specially formulated to protect and decorate masonry floors indoors and outdoors.

There are 5 ready mixed concrete paint colors in white/light, gull, Dover gray, Persian red, and of course, our favorite, Bamboo Beige.

One of the reasons why we love concrete paint for driveways is that it resists hot-tire pick-up, and you don't need to apply a primer beforehand.

A gallon of paint can cover 500-600 square feet, and the company has loaded their site with invaluable information for appropriate application tools and techniques.

This concrete floors paint complies with all current VOC requirements, so it’s a lot safer to use without being less durable. The drying time is quick as it’s dry to touch in as little as 30 minutes.

You can then recoat in 4 hours. Just be sure to apply this paint when both air and surface temperatures are 50°F or higher and, for best results, wait for a dry (rain-free) period.


Importance Of Painting Your Concrete Surfaces

It’s easier to keep clean

Get rid of dust and maintain a pristine environment by painting on bare concrete. Each time you walk, drive, or sweep untouched concrete floors, it will slowly break down into microscopic dust particles.

This dust will then sit on all of your belongings in its vicinity. With a coat of paint on the concrete floors or garage floors, dust will be prevented.

Diminish the chance of cracking

With the right concrete paint for your surface, cracking won’t appear, and it will completely change the look of a space. It also gives an extra layer of protection to the outdoor concrete floors or garage floors and will help fight damage from the sun or negative temperatures.

Makes the concrete surface spill-proof

Good-quality concrete paints will be resistant to oil stains, chemicals, water, mold, and mildew. Simply use water and a drop of detergent to remove oil, lacquers, and grease. In comparison, bare concrete is incredibly porous and will soak up these stains in seconds.

Increase the value of your home

By painting the concrete floors in your basement or garage, and you’ll have an extra room that can be used for more than just storage, or you can paint the exterior of your home with a fun and unique color.

These simple concrete paint ideas for concrete floors can improve their appearance and functionality, increasing the price and appearance of your home.


How To Paint Concrete: Tips From A Professional Painter

The first step to painting your concrete floors is preparation. The surface must be free of contaminants and existing coatings, sealers, or curing compounds.

Otherwise, the paint won’t be able to bond fully to the concrete floors. Make sure to remove any of these compounds, then wash and vacuum the concrete to eliminate any dust and debris.

Your next step is to remove any moisture from the concrete floors. We recommend leaving a fan or a dehumidifier in the room overnight, so there’s no trapped moisture. Now it’s time to prime.

Cover any fixtures, switches, and floorboards with painter’s tape and begin to prime around the edges of the concrete floors. If you’ve purchased an all-in-one concrete paint, this step can be skipped as it will have a primer in the paint mix.

Finally, add your concrete paint with a brush around the edges, and then use a roller within the main body of the concrete floors. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations before applying a second coat.


Other Ways of Coloring Concrete: Create Artistic Decorative Designs

Shake-on Colors

If you’re working on freshly placed concrete, then shake-on concrete floors paint colors are a great alternative to painting.

This process consists of finely-ground pigments and dry cement that work into the concrete during the bull-floating stage. Shake-on colors rely on the water from freshly placed concrete, so it needs to be done at the right stage to work.

Acid Stains

Acid stains are a mix of metallic salts, water, and acid. The chemical reaction with the minerals in the concrete floors creates a unique, mottled color effect.

It leaves a great stain on concrete floors and is incredibly durable. If you choose this process, you’ll need to neutralize and rinse the acid stain once it’s dry to remove any remaining acid from the concrete floors.

Acetone dyes

If you’re working on concrete floors in an unoccupied space, then acetone dyes could be good choice for you.

These solvent-based dyes can impart vivid colors on concrete floors, but many DIYers overlook them as acetone has the strongest odor and toxicity. You also need to apply the color after the floor has been polished with a 400-grit resin.

Water-based dyes

These stains and dyes are odorless, safe, easy to apply, and dry incredibly fast. You can buy these pre-mixed, or you can mix and match colors to get your preferred shade.

However, water-based dyes are not UV-stable, so you'll need to apply a protective coating to lock in the color and stop it from fading.

Color hardener/densifiers

The pigments in color hardeners/densifiers are very similar to shake-on colors, making them a great choice for exterior applications as they are UV resistant.

The fine pigments lift within the water and are blended by the applicator with a lithium-silicate hardener/densifier. You must apply these color hardeners/densifiers to concrete floors no finer than with a 200-grit resin pad for the best result.


Concrete Paint Color FAQs

Is it better to paint or stain concrete?

Concrete stain is better than paint as it is the superior solution. Concrete paint obscures concrete's natural texture and isn't suitable for concrete that takes a beating, such as a concrete floor.


Do you need to prime concrete before painting?

Yes, it's essential to prime concrete before painting as it gives the paint a surface to adhere to and an even color to paint over. Also, it allows your paint to last longer, look better and become chip resistant.


How do you remove paint from concrete?

These are the following steps to remove paint from concrete:

  • Give the concrete surface a deep cleaning and allow it to dry
  • Apply a paint stripper
  • Give the paint stripper some time to set
  • Scrub the surface
  • Follow up the scrubbing with a power wash
  • Repeat the process as necessary until all the paint is removed
  • Clean the area to get rid of all paint stripper

How long will concrete paint last?

Concrete paint can last 5-10 years if it is of good quality.
But, if the paint is of poorer quality, it must be touched up in as little as 2 years.


Where can I buy the best concrete paint colors?

Amazon is the best place to purchase concrete floor colors. There is a range of sellers with competing prices in one place, and you can check out other users' reviews before you buy.


Conclusion

There is no denying that painting or concrete floor colors can completely change the look of a space.

Make the finished project something you can be proud of by following our concrete floor paint colors guide and choosing one of our best concrete floor colors listed above.

Our top pick, the KILZ L377611 won’t let you down, and it will give your concrete a truly professional finish.