# Painted concrete steps



## HomerJ (Jan 23, 2009)

I have a concrete front porch with 2 steps.

The previous owner of my home painted ONLY the risers of the steps with bright white paint for some reason. 

I've tried muriatic acid, and pressure washing to remove the paint from the concrete, but it won't take it all off, and it now looks worse.

The entire porch is in good shape. Is there a product I can use to skim coat over the entire surface to give it a fresh finish?

If so, what would you suggest?

Short of that, I'll probably need to tile the entire thing.


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

It doesn't matter what you do, the paint has to come off (unless you repaint).


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## HomerJ (Jan 23, 2009)

Tscarborough said:


> It doesn't matter what you do, the paint has to come off (unless you repaint).


The pressure washer did the most damage, but I spent about 3 hours on one riser with a 0 tip and it still isn't paint free.

I hate to paint the entire porch, but if I go that route, is there a concrete paint that doesn't look so ghetto? 

Most of the concrete steps I see look pretty crappy.


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## genecarp (Mar 16, 2008)

You need a chemical remover, try this stuff

http://www.graffitiremovalinc.com/buy-products?gclid=CKGS7JvZ46ECFV195Qod51BVJQ

GMOD


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## 6stringmason (May 20, 2005)

Someone told me battery acid lifts any stains out of concrete and makes it like new. I imagine it would work to take the paint off.

The source who told me this owns a service garage and they clean their floors with it, and he swears it takes the stains right out.


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## Diamond D. (Nov 12, 2009)

if you are going to skim coat over the whole thing anyway, which you can do, if you get the paint off, i forget the name of the stuff right now, (ask at supply house ), it works good, why don't you just use a wire wheel or a grinding disc, you will want to rough it up for the re-surfacer anyway.


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## masonlifer (Jun 10, 2007)

Maybe try using a fine diamond cup grinding wheel on a 4"- 5" grinder.


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## bernie (Aug 1, 2005)

talk to someone who does sodablasting. This forum, under sandblasting there are
guys that do this. You should be able to find someone local.

I do abrasive sandblasting and that is to harsh for concrete.

Bernie


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## rustyjames (Aug 28, 2008)

I would try a nice thick application of some high test paint remover and then hitting it with a pressure washer.


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## Sam60 (Apr 29, 2006)

If you don’t have much to do.
I also had one and tried a few different Chemical strippers, pressure washing, wire wheel on grinder.
Finally the very best I found was a course grit sanding flap disc on my angle grinder. Concrete did eat up disk, but I got about 2 to 3 steps out of each one. Worked way better than any of the other methods
If job to small for you to call in soda blasting.


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## HomerJ (Jan 23, 2009)

Thanks to all.

I'm gonna try the wire wheel, and sanding discs. It's only 2 steps. If that doesn't work, I'll cave and let the wife go pick out some slate.


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## Sam60 (Apr 29, 2006)

HomerJ said:


> Thanks to all.
> 
> I'm gonna try the wire wheel, and sanding discs. It's only 2 steps. If that doesn't work, I'll cave and let the wife go pick out some slate.


With the layers of paint on mine, the wire wheel only removed at most 10% compared to the sanding flap type disc.

so forget about the wire wheel.


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