Porch Project: Prep Work

The first step of our project was to get off as much of the gray paint as possible from the concrete and prep the concrete for new paint.

1.  I used a pressure washer (thanks, Mr. T!) to get a lot of the paint off the steps with the high-powered stream.

2.  I applied a paint solvent (Jasco Premium Paint & Epoxy Remover) and let it sit for 20 minutes, then scraped off the loose paint. 

At this point, we realized the tedium ahead to get off all the paint.  We were racing the calendar to get the paint on before the fall temperatures dropped too much (and let's face it, we're impatient), so we decided just to concentrate on the well-worn area in front of the door and the steps and leave the rest of the paint alone.

3.  Next up, we wanted to patch up the huge holes and fix the concrete area around the railing.  I mixed Sta-Dri Link (a bonding agent) with H&C Quick Patch & Repair cement mix and patched up the area as best I could. 

 

4.  The final step was to clean the whole area with a TSP substitute to remove any remaining dirt and grease.  Sass cat was concerned.

Next up, we get ready to paint!