As an artistic person, seeing a dirty, blank, bland concrete block wall either inside or outside your home must inspire your creativity. There is literally a blank canvas in front of you, but how do you start? Is there a way to transform a practical wall into a brilliant piece of art? With these tips and steps below, let your creative side take over and transform your room or exterior space into the perfect getaway by painting a mural.
Instructions
1. Prepare the wall by thoroughly washing it down with warm, soapy water. This will not completely clean your wall, but it will remove the surface dirt and grime. Do this for both interior and exterior walls. Loose paint might also come up if the wall has been previously painted. Apply acidic masonry to the wall; this will remove efflorescence, a finely grained white powder that can form on concrete blocks. Remove stubborn grease spots with a scrub brush and use the pressure cleaner for a deep exterior clean-up.
2. Peel interior paint off with a paint scraper. You will get more paint off if you do this right after you clean the wall with the warm water. Scrub the area with a wire brush to remove the remaining surface bits. Pay close attention on exterior jobs to any cracks or damage in the wall. These will have to be repaired before you can move on.
3. Apply a base coat of primer to any interior or exterior concrete wall that hasn't previously been painted. This is a good idea even if the wall has been painted before. Applying acrylic block fill primer is the best to use for this project as it fills in the little pores in the walls, creating a nice, even surface for you to paint on. Use elastomeric paint or 100 percent acrylic paint for exterior projects, as the quality is good and will last several years.
4. Sketch your mural onto the block wall with a pencil. Or visit online stores that sell stencils for extra inspiration. Lay down protective tarp over your floor before you begin painting. Experiment with sponges and different brush sizes to create shading and images for your mural. If you do not consider yourself to be very artistic, simple mural accents (like a vine hanging in a corner) can still add a warm touch to your room.
