Using cement mixers is one of the best ways to fast track any construction project and get those walls up in no time. The best part about building a home or a wall is the finishing touches, this includes a proper paint job. This guide will give you all you need to know about adding a coat of colour to concrete that you’ve mixed with cement mixers, as well as some tips on getting your own!
Seven Steps to Painting Success
There are seven steps that any aspiring DIY master will need to follow in order to receive satisfying results, no matter what type of concrete they are painting on. Although some may not seem important, such as waiting for the proper drying time, any deviations can result in patchy final work that is a daily eyesore. Improper first-time installation will often lead to a costly and time-wasting second time repair.
1.Spray and scrub
Do anything you’ll need to get rid of any foreign contaminants that can protrude from your final paint job. Sweep away any leaves or debris if you are painting a concrete floor. Once swept or if you are painting a wall, use a power washer or a scrubber to get rid of any other gunk that may still be clinging to the surface, it needs to be as clean and smooth as possible.
2.Use patching compound to fill any holes, scratches, or gouges in the concrete surface.
Unfortunately you can’t get straight into the splashing and rolling of painting until you’ve spent some time with concrete filler. Not only will this fill holes that will become unsightly later on, it also acts as a primer for the next coat of paint. Once you’ve given it enough time to dry, give it all a rubdown with sandpaper until the entire surface is smooth.
3.Clean the concrete surface with some TSP!
TSP (trisodium phosphate) is a white and granular substance that can be dissolved in water and is extremely useful. On different ratios it can be used as a degreaser, cleaning agent, lubricant or stain remover. Our reason for using it on concrete is to remove all the oils that would discolour the paint later on and thus make all your hard work for nothing.
A brush with a metal bristle is recommended to really work the TSP into the concrete surface. Always read the package instructions to find the correct TSP to water ratio, but a good rule of thumb is about a quarter of a cup of TSP to just under 4 litres of warm water. Remember, TSP can be harmful so always wear full protective gear, that means gloves and goggles!
After you’ve scrubbed the TSP in everywhere, you need to let it sit for about 20 minutes. During this time you’ll likely start to notice some bubbling as the TSP reacts with the concrete, this is completely normal so don’t be alarmed and think your ratios might be off. After the 20 minutes have passed you’ll need to hose everything down doing your best to completely wash away the TSP.
4.Let everything dry
This next part is hard and takes some patience, but you’ll need to do absolutely nothing and let the surface dry for 2 days now. During this time maybe pick out the perfect paint colour, plan out the next project or just take some time to relax, but do not touch that surface. After 2 days you can run your hand along the surface and it should feel like not too rough sandpaper, about 100 grit.
If you are painting a surface that is outside this may actually take some careful planning on your part. If the area you are building in is prone to wet weather you may have to watch the forecasts closely and wait for the perfect few days. In more erratic climates a temporary cover may need to be erected to ensure everything has enough time to dry and avoid water damage.
5.Brush some paint onto the perimeter of the concrete surface
Wipe down your surface with a broom or a cloth to get rid of any dust that may have collected during the drying time. An easy way to get started is to get paving paint and use a medium-sized brush to draw neat lines along the exterior of the surface you wish to paint. Try to get the outer line to be as neat as possible, or to make things easy, put down a line of masking tape right at the edge and just paint along it.
It is essential that you make sure you are using the correct type of paint for the as this is a very specialised canvas. Concrete expands and contracts as temperatures change, therefore ordinary paint would very quickly start to crack and peel off. Paving or masonry paint can expand and contract with the concrete and will last much longer.
6.Roll on more paint to cover the interior
Once your outer box is completed, get a paint roller and start filling in the interior of the box with the rest of the paving paint. If you’re painting a floor, remember to start at the side that’s opposite to the door and try not to box yourself in. Now you’ll need to bring that patience back and let this first coat sit for at least 16 hours.
7.Find, scrape and sand
With a putty knife, find any imperfections or bumps that are sticking out of your new paint job and scrape them off and sand away the patch. Likewise, if you find any patches where the paint has failed to adhere properly, sand it away. After all this scraping and sanding don’t forget to give your work area another wipe-down.
8.Apply a second coat
Apply the second coat of paint using the same method as the first. This time however, press down firmly when using the roller to ensure the paint reached the holes in the concrete that the first coat missed. Before you can say you’re finished, give the second coat about 5 days to dry for best and longer-lasting results, also allowing for any last imperfection checks.
Cement mixers FAQ:
Before you can dive into the nitty and gritty of painting, it wouldn’t be possible without the perfect canvas, and for that you need the help of cement mixers. Cement mixers are ultimately the starting point of most building projects and are useful from the very beginning all the way to the final day. But then the question is, where do you start in obtaining your cement mixer?
How and When to Buy a Cement Mixer
A cement mixer can seem like the ultimate necessity on any construction site, but sometimes waiting for the right opportunity to make the purchase can pay off in the long run. Mixing by hand with shovel and renting can seem like throwing money down the drain, but a cheap cement mixer purchased in the spur of the moment could have failures that lead to work down-time, costly repairs and projects becoming overdue. With Black Friday coming up, now is the perfect time to learn the importance of proper shopping.
The first thing you need to do is look at yourself, how often you will be using a cement mixer and what size loads you will be making. If you’re doing some heavy home improvement but it will have no future use, maybe renting would be the better option. If you are starting a construction company or have been in operation for a short time, maybe purchasing a smaller-load mixer that can easily be transported between different sites would work better than a larger, heavier model.
Obviously for larger and more frequent construction projects, the biggest machine will be needed. In any case once you’ve decided on the size of the machine that you need, it’s time to decide on where you will get it from. Many stores have websites but sometimes actually going into a store can help build a relationship that can lead to getting information on future specials.
Getting information from as many sources as possible is crucial; newsletters, websites, email lists and store catalogues will be your friends for a bit. With Black Friday coming up, the amount of advertisements can seem overwhelming, but you just need to keep your eyes open so you don’t miss something. Printing them out and filing them can seem tedious, but is actually a great way to keep track of all the different stores and models.
Once again the key to everything here is patience. Although the deal on a 300L model may be tempting, if you wait a couple of days you’ll find that discount on the 250L model you’ve been looking for. Rather get what for what you need than caving in to the most appealing looking deal. Another important trait to work on here is self-restraint. Just because you think you might need that shiny plate compactor one day later on and it would look so good next to your new cement mixer, don’t go and buy the whole store. And especially don’t compromise on the value of what you’re already looking for to accommodate another spur-of-the-moment purchase.
Once you’ve got your perfect cement mixer model in your sights at a great price, make sure everything is in order to make your purchase. I know it can sound tedious, but make sure everything is up to date with the bank, have transport of the machine sorted beforehand and have all your credit card details at the ready if this is happening online. You’d hate to have an extra fee come up at the last second or miss the special because your credit card is expired.
Although this already seems like a lot there are some more things to keep in mind during this whole process. One thing is to always make sure that you are buying from a reputable dealer with a good reputation of service delivery and maintenance. Next is to make sure that all costs and fees are upfront and you aren’t caught by a delivery, administration or warrantee fee right at the end.
One thing that can never be taken seriously when making an online purchase security. No matter how much you trust the store you are purchasing from, you are still putting your details out there onto the internet so it’s always best to have a few safeguards and backup plans. Simple ones being having a daily spend limit on cards and receiving notifications for all transactions.
And there you have it, you’ve got everything you need to buy your first cement mixer at the best price and use it to create smooth, long-lasting masterpieces. It will take hard work, many hours and lots of patience but the results that can be gained from a quality machine and expert knowledge can never be taken for granted. The rest is up to you and your own creativity.