How to Easily Facelift Concrete Steps

Concrete might be a durable and useful material, but when used for things such as patios and steps it tends to look rather plain and becomes dirty over time. If you have a set of steps up to your front door that are looking grimy or have stains that won't come off, you can give them a facelift with a little color from a concrete stain.


Scrub the concrete steps with a long-handled brush and water. Let the surface dry for several hours before staining or leave it slightly damp for a more intense color effect.


Wear gloves, long sleeves, shoes, mask and eye protection, as concrete stain has an acid in it that can harm the skin.


Mix up a sprayer with concrete stain and water according to the directions. For a more natural stone look, use two colors in two separate sprayers.


Spray the concrete steps. For one solid color, spray in a continuous slow sweeping motion, back and forth, making sure to get all corners and edges.


Spray with a finer mist in large circular motions using the darker color first, if mixing two colors together. Cover the steps almost completely, but a few bare spots here and there are okay. To bleed the colors together, spray the second color immediately after the first. To see more distinction between the two colors, let the first dry for 10 minutes before applying the second color. Spray the second color even more lightly than the first so that it is more of a sprinkling of color. Let the stain dry according to package directions.


Apply a sealant on top of the stain to keep it looking like new for years to come. Let the sealant dry according to package directions.