Did you know interior painting was among the top home service projects last year?
Whether painting the interior of your home by yourself or hiring interior painters, it’s a worthwhile investment that will not only make you enjoy your home more but likely increase its value.
Painting Cement Walls In Basement: a Good Idea or No?
Yes, you can paint cement walls in your home and many homeowners do this to make the tired old concrete look fresh and new. It may or may not be a good idea depending on the condition of the cement you are trying to paint. Many older homes will get water intrusion from outside coming into basement walls which can cause problems with painted concrete.
5 Tips for Painting Cement Walls in Basement
- Inspect the cement for current or previous water intrusion from outside. If you see deterioration, stains or other signs that the concrete may be allowing moisture in you may want to decide if it is worth painting or not.
- Clean the surface very well and remove any loose cement prior to painting.
- Make sure the surface is completely dry and warm enough to paint. Cement can get very cold in the winter months and may not allow the paint to dry.
- Do any minor repairs with a masonry patch that you can get at any paint or hardware store.
- Apply a good masonry primer before painting any cement if it was not painted previously. If the walls were previously painted they don’t need to be primed if the existing paint is adhering well.
Is Cement Paint Necessary?
It is really not necessary to paint cement walls but it can make the room look better and provide some layer of water resistance and insulation to the walls. You can use any type of paint on these walls if they are primed first or you can buy paint that is meant to go directly on concrete.
Our Favorite Paint for Basement Walls
We use a lot of Sherwin Williams Super Paint on interior walls which is a basic interior house paint but it works great on cement walls if they are primed first. If they were painted previously you can go over the existing paint without priming again. If your walls get touched a lot you can use Benjamin Moore Scuff X paint and it will hold up better in the long run.
Key Considerations When Using Concrete Wall Paint
Make sure you follow all cleaning instructions above and prime if needed with the correct primer. The prep work is 90% of the work when painting cement surfaces.
Interior Painting in the Portland, OR Area
Absolute Painting has been painting homes for nearly three decades now and we take great pride in our work and exceeding our customer’s expectations. If you’re in the Portland metro area, call (503)330-4928 or fill out the form below for a free estimate. We look forward to working with you!
