Q&A for How to Paint Concrete Statues

Spray paint is always an option, as well as any kind of enamel paint. Graffiti artists and mural artists use a lot of spray paint on concrete, but using outdoor enamel paint works, too.

As long as you prep your surface properly, yes! A coat of paint can make a concrete object look more interesting, cover up stains, and help protect the surface from wear and tear.

If you clean and prime the surface properly and use an appropriate type of paint, it can last for many years. The paint will probably start to deteriorate more quickly on outdoor surfaces, since they’re more exposed to the elements.

Clean the area and apply your primer and base coat to the eyes and any other areas you wish to paint. Use a fine brush to color the white part of the eye with white or off-white paint. For extra realism, add a faint touch of pink to the inner and outer corners of each eye. Make a circle in the center in the color of your choice to make the iris, then add a black dot in the middle for the pupil. You can add a dot of lighter paint to the iris to create a realistic sparkle if you wish. Define the lines of the eyelids with black or dark brown paint to create the appearance of eyelashes.

Use Portland cement (Gray cement) sold at either Lowe's or Home Depot, etc. Mix with water to the consistency of pancake batter. Make a small amount at a time & apply with fingers while wearing rubber or latex gloves. If the mixture needs to be thicker, simply add more cement.

Use a latex exterior paint with a flat finish, but first clean with water using a stiff bristle brush. Just use a garden hose, as pressure washing is usually not necessary. Don't use TSP to clean, as it will leave a residue & then the primer/sealer and/or paint won't bond to the concrete. After cleaning, apply a water based concrete primer/sealer like Zinsser Bull's Eye 1.2.3 Primer for all surfaces. Typically only one coat is needed. By doing this step you'll apply far less acrylic/latex exterior paint as the concrete won't be as porous or sponge like. Let the concrete dry for 24-72 hours to release the moisture. You can use a fan to speed up the process.

An unpainted cement statue can be dry-brushed with paint to give a weathered look. First find a spare piece of cardboard. Dip your brush in paint, wipe off excess paint on the rim of the can, then swipe the brush on the cardboard to remove more paint. Then, lightly brush the paint across the surface of the statue. Remember that with this technique, less is often more. You can also paint the entire statue with base coat, then use the same dry-brush technique with a lighter color.

Yes. For inside, use Interior Latex Paint marked for sealing concrete. For outside, use Exterior Latex Paint marked for concrete. Clean concrete with water only and scrub with a hard bristle brush. It must be dry for 24-48 hours before painting.

All concrete statutes I paint are all done the same way. If you are not artistic you should paint the dog one color. Clean with water, paint statue with a stiff brush statue, and rinse with water only. Then let it dry for 24-36 hours. Use a sealer paint like "Exterior Paint for Concrete" and apply 2 coats if needed. Concrete is porous and must be covered completely to keep the moisture out. Don't forget the bottom of the statue. For painting the color of the dog, I use an Acrylic water-based paint. You may want to paint the dog one color or if you want to try your hand at detailing go for it. I always put on two light coats. When completely dry I cover the Acrylic paint (water-based) with MinWax water-based "Polycrylic sealer".

Finishing concrete can be tricky, but I imagine something called "concrete sealer" can be used to seal concrete. For my statues. I use an Exterior Concrete Sealer Paint as a first coat. Then I use an acrylic water-based paint to color the statue. And finally I use MinWax water-based Polycrylic clear Satin to seal the statue. Following all directions on the cans or containers of paint or sealer is important.

Apply a base coat to the entire statue, using either a brush or a sprayer. Use either a latex exterior paint or a paint formulated especially for painting concrete, in a color that is appropriate for the top coat color you will be using.

If your sculptures are painted, use a stiff nylon brush with hot, soapy water. Use an old tooth brush to get in the small areas. Try using Dawn dish washing liquid as the cleaning agent. Rinse and repeat. If your sculptures are concrete and sealed try using a Lomax (found at hardware stores), Bleach and water mixture. Use 2 gallons of water, 3 cups of Lomax and 1 cup of bleach. Mix in a 2 gallon sprayer. Wet the sculpture with water. Spray the mixture on, leave for 5 minutes, and rinse with clean water. Repeat. This will clean the dirt and algae off. Cover any plants that may be in the area as this mixture may harm your plants or flowers.

Use turpentine to take out most of the paint, then finish cleaning with Lava soap.

Is it oil based or chipping off? If yes, then you'll need to use a solvent to remove. If not, then clean with water and a stiff-bristled brush. Let dry for 24-72 hours to release moisture, then apply a primer/sealer. Wait an hour, then paint with an exterior latex paint with a flat finish, or apply exterior acrylic paints sold at crafts stores.

Use a sharp blade to distress the surfaces with scratches and apply a powdery paint to give an aged look.

Acrylic latex water based paint doesn't chip as much as oil-based paint does. Also, try using a weather-proofing sealer on the top coat of paint.

Yes, this will work very well.

I use Behr concrete transparent siliconized stain. It comes in gallon size, but Home Depot offers a quart size. The stain is available in 4 colors, and I use Loden for the base coat. Then I use the transparent black that I believe is called Charcoal for a light top coat. I brush off the excess to let the base color shine through. I clear coat it with Krylon Satin interior/exterior spray paint. I have been staining concrete statuary for over 12 years.

Yes. Clean the horse with a water hose, let dry 24 hours and prime.

Yes, that should work fine.

If it's in rough shape, I would. I am currently refinishing a concrete statue of St. Mary for our church and the paint layers were peeling away. I first used a powerful paint solvent (wear nitrile gloves!) and scraped and power washed as much paint as possible off her. I then let it dry completely. I am now using a Dremel multi-max with a diamond sanding pad to gently remove more paint. I will then use my detail sander that I use for jewelry to sculpt out the details of the statue, then proceed to use exterior latex primer, let it dry, then proceed to add details.

That depends on whether you want to use a different color than it was painted previously. Cougars are usually or beige. I don't know if you want to use another color or not.

You can use it, but it's not ideal. Oil-based paint tends to dry and chip like a shell over time. Water-based paint is a better kind to use, because concrete absorbs water and takes the color of the paint better.

You would apply the base coat, let it dry, and then apply the top coat. Use acrylic latex paint for the best results.

You could first start with a dark base coat of acrylic latex paint. Let that dry, and then apply an acrylic latex paint as the top coat. Use different colors for different parts of the gnomes.

Acrylic medium is the best kind for plaster. Don't use water, because the plaster will break down the material.

I airbrush sculptures often. I use the Createx line of paints called Wicked Colors, as they are a quality, durable, water-based choice for most any surface or primer compatible with acrylics. Obviously, paint any elements or details according to the color scheme. Sometimes, for drama, it's good to accentuate, ever so subtly, the natural shadows which the contours of the piece create. Use either a very transparent neutral smoke/grey or a slightly darker version of the color you're painting on. Place this "implied shading" according to where shadows will naturally fall upon placement of the finished statue. That is, in harmony with the direction of the eventual source of illumination.

I'd double coat it and then spray clear acrylic gloss on it. When I apply base coat, I make the piece wet first and then paint the base coat on. That'll help some of the paint absorb into the concrete, which in turn will help the top coat last a lot longer.

Use marine epoxy putty. Sometimes you can only find this at boating supply shops but occasionally it can be found at hardware stores. Mash the two components between your fingers until thoroughly blended, then apply. Scrape away any excess, wait until set (about 48 hours) and then sand and paint. I have created noses and much more with marine epoxy putty for concrete statues and you can’t see the difference once it’s painted.

Yes. I have even painted faux concrete bricks to look like random rocks, using artists' colors. I am thinking I will seal them, though. It has been 5 years. They are outside, but not exposed to rain. I diluted the paints with water, used some strong, some lighter.