DIY Network

Rubber Stamping Cement Patios From "DIY Crafts" episode DIC-146

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Transform your patio by rubber-stamping the concrete. Figure A Figure B Figure C Figure D Figure E Figure F

Do you look outside and see a plain concrete patio slab? With concrete-resist instructions from stamp expert Mary O'Neil, founder of Hot Potatoes Rubber Stamps, you can transform that patio from dull to delightful.

Materials:

Newspaper
L M Scofield ChemstainB.
L M Scofield Concrete SealerB.
Heavy-duty rubber gloves
Bristle brush
Large rubber stamp
Masking tape
Newspaper
Buckets for each color of stain
Foam brushes

1. Plan your design, keeping in mind that simple is best for a project of this size.

2. Cover anything that you don't want to be stained (e.g., the side of your house or a basement wall) with newspaper.

3. Apply a coat of concrete stain to the entire slab with a foam brush. It's usually best to select a light shade for the background color. Allow the stain to dry. Apply a second coat, if desired. There isn't much of a color selection in concrete-stain products (figure A).
   

4. Select a rubber stamp with a large image design. Apply a coat of sealer (resist) to the rubber stamp with a foam brush. The sealer prevents any additional stains applied to the concrete from penetrating, thus "resisting" the color (figure B).
   

5. Stamp the resist on the concrete directly on top of the dried stain (figure C). Let dry for about an hour (figure D).
   

6. When the sealer is dry, stain the entire slab with a darker stain. Because the stamped impressions will resist the second coat of stain, the stamped images will remain the color of the first stain (figure E).
   

For a geometric design, use masking tape to tape off squares, diamonds, checkerboards, etc., after applying the first stain or on bare concrete. Apply a second color stain, let dry, and remove masking tape (figure F).