Paint for exterior steps.

[grim_d]

My house has a 4 steps to the front door, 3 of them are original sandstone and the 4th is concrete (because the level of the drive is lower than originally built), they were painted with that horrible red 'front step" paint

A number of years ago sealed them up and painted them white and grey using black friar sealer/paint.

Unfortunately I need to repaint them every year because, particularly on the concrete step, and particularly the white bits, the paint flakes off

What should I use for this is a primer with more bite? I was thinking of an epoxy of some kind?

 

[Bobupndown]

A 2 pack epoxy garage floor paint. You could mix in some sand or quarry dust to make it non slip.
Or Raptor?

 

[grim_d]

A 2 pack epoxy garage floor paint. You could mix in some sand or quarry dust to make it non slip.
Or Raptor?

Im going to overcoat it with exterior floor paint which I'll buy in non slip or add pumice to for non slip.

Raptor might not be a bad shout actually...I've got some left over...keying it for topcoat might be a bit of a nightmare though.

 

[Dcal]

If you apply over flaking paint, no matter what you use, it will probably still flake off.
It will be the previous coats they will let go so you will not be much further on. You will probably still get a year out of it.
If you can, take it back to the concrete and start again.
If it's as bad as you say it should be easy and a scraper, or at worst, a hot air gun or blow torch should make short work of it.
Now is the time to do it before you waste any more paint and time.
If you get to a coat (maybe the red) that want to stay, give it a sand and paint on top of it.

Any epoxy should work well, even Jotun 90 is recommended for concrete but I would just use an epoxy floor paint.

 

[grim_d]

If you apply over flaking paint, no matter what you use, it will probably still flake off.
It will be the previous coats they will let go so you will not be much further on. You will probably still get a year out of it.
If you can, take it back to the concrete and start again.
If it's as bad as you say it should be easy and a scraper, or at worst, a hot air gun or blow torch should make short work of it.
Now is the time to do it before you waste any more paint and time.
If you get to a coat (maybe the red) that want to stay, give it a sand and paint on top of it.

Any epoxy should work well, even Jotun 90 is recommended for concrete but I would just use an epoxy floor paint.

I've no intention of going over the flaky stuff, I never do, which is why it's such a hassle to do it every year.

When i did it initially it was knocked back to sound surface (the concrete step had never been painted)

On the concrete step for some reason the paint would always blister which would let water in. Moisture in the concrete?

 

[Dcal]

I've no intention of going over the flaky stuff

So what are you painting?
I now assume the sandstone, but are you just touching up the bits that have already flaked off and are showing a different colour?

 

[brightspark]

I've no intention of going over the flaky stuff, I never do, which is why it's such a hassle to do it every year.

When i did it initially it was knocked back to sound surface (the concrete step had never been painted)

On the concrete step for some reason the paint would always blister which would let water in. Moisture in the concrete?

scrape it back to bare concrete and give it a coating of sbr bonding agent let it dry then paint it with whatever you want job done . it will stick to damp surfaces and seal against it as well

 

[gaz1]

is it on your deeds that it must be painted and kept as original or not ?

i suspect not otherwise you wouldnt be changing the colour or spec of paint or that concrete step

I know your not going to like this comment but see it as i see it

they were painted with that horrible red 'front step" paint by the berk who painted them years ago just to be different from everyone else

only as bad as the berk doing them now

 

[grim_d]

So what are you painting?
I now assume the sandstone, but are you just touching up the bits that have already flaked off and are showing a different colour?

The whole lot, stripped back. But obviously the sealer I used wasn't up to the task.

scrape it back to bare concrete and give it a coating of sbr bonding agent let it dry then paint it with whatever you want job done . it will stick to damp surfaces and seal against it as well

I'll take a look at SBR.

is it on your deeds that it must be painted and kept as original or not ?

i suspect not otherwise you wouldnt be changing the colour or spec of paint or that concrete step

I know your not going to like this comment but see it as i see it

they were painted with that horrible red 'front step" paint by the berk who painted them years ago just to be different from everyone else

only as bad as the berk doing them now

No it's not, but three of them are sandstone and one is concrete so having them bare would look odd (as it did with three red steps and one concrete) and would be undesirable to my wife and I, also my house is red sandstone so being all matchy matchy red was a bit much for us

I don't think anyone is "trying to be different". Its definitely a good idea to paint sandstone steps to stop erosion of the stone, and before you poo-poo that there is clear evidence on my property of erosion between bare and "painted" sandstone, and by painted I mean a few drops someone dropped on a window sill.

Are you really calling me a Berk because I want to re-paint my front steps to keep the front of my property neat and tidy?

 

[Dcal]

OK, so you are taking the flaky stuff off.
My point is it will all "eventually" become flaky so take it all off.
@brightspark has given a good option but it also involves taking it all off.
Epoxy is good because it can cope with some dampnes while curing.

 

[brightspark]

The whole lot, stripped back. But obviously the sealer I used wasn't up to the task.



I'll take a look at SBR.



No it's not, but three of them are sandstone and one is concrete so having them bare would look odd (as it did with three red steps and one concrete) and would be undesirable to my wife and I, also my house is red sandstone so being all matchy matchy red was a bit much for us

I don't think anyone is "trying to be different". Its definitely a good idea to paint sandstone steps to stop erosion of the stone, and before you poo-poo that there is clear evidence on my property of erosion between bare and "painted" sandstone, and by painted I mean a few drops someone dropped on a window sill.

Are you really calling me a Berk because I want to re-paint my front steps to keep the front of my property neat and tidy?

just repainted my front doorstep with red paint not bright red toned it down putting a bit of black paint in to darken it

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Limestones gonna be a pain.

BS is on the right path. I'd use a cement slurry and sbr mix. Few coats then paint.

Can't comment on epoxy paints on limestone but I can on the slurry.

 

[brightspark]

Limestones gonna be a pain.

BS is on the right path. I'd use a cement slurry and sbr mix. Few coats then paint.

Can't comment on epoxy paints on limestone but I can on the slurry.

yes you can mix the sbr with a couple of trowel fulls of cement and make a thin paste .no need for sand just paint it on

 

[grim_d]

Limestones gonna be a pain.

BS is on the right path. I'd use a cement slurry and sbr mix. Few coats then paint.

Can't comment on epoxy paints on limestone but I can on the slurry.

The sandstone hasn't been any particular issue..it's the concrete causing all the problems.

I'll give the SBR a go then.