How to Paint a Cinder Block Garage

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Things You'll Need

  • Pressure washer

  • Professional painter's tape

  • Heavy-duty fabric drop cloths

  • Latex primer

  • Acrylic latex primer

  • Roller frame

  • Nap roller cover

  • Roller extension pole

  • 3- to 4-inch latex paintbrush

  • Satin or semi-gloss latex paint

  • Acrylic latex paint

  • Ladder

Never paint a bare cinder block garage.

You can transform the appearance of your plain cinder block garage by coating it with the appropriate type of paint. Before you begin, you should consider a few points. Unlike drywall, cinder block is poorly suited for adhesion and will reject new paint unless it is properly treated. You must apply a particular type of base primer, depending on whether you are painting the interior or exterior of the garage. In addition, you must choose a paint that is appropriate for interior or exterior cinder block surfaces.

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Step 1

Remove all items from the garage if you plan to paint the interior. Skip this step if you will be painting the exterior.

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Step 2

Clean the cinder block garage with a pressure washer equipped with a low-pressure tip. Wait two to four hours for the cinder block to dry.

Step 3

Use painter's tape to cover portions of the garage you do not want painted. Cover the areas beneath the cinder block with heavy-duty fabric drop cloths.

Step 4

Apply primer to the cinder block garage using a roller stocked with a nap cover. Use a latex primer for the interior of the garage. Use an acrylic latex primer if you are painting exterior cinder block. Affix the roller to an extension pole if necessary. Use a paintbrush manufactured for use with water-based coatings to apply primer to areas of the garage that are inaccessible to the roller. Wait two hours for the primed cinder block to dry.

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Step 5

Wash your painting tools with water.

Step 6

Apply paint to the cinder block garage just as you did the primer. Use a satin or semi-gloss latex paint on interior cinder block. Use an acrylic latex paint if you are painting exterior cinder block. Wait two hours for the painted cinder block to dry. Add another coat if the primer is showing through.

Warning

If you require a ladder to access higher portions of the cinder block garage, read the safety instructions on the side of the ladder before you climb it.

Never paint a bare cinder block garage or the paint will peel.

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