Can I paint walk way flagstones?
Question:I want to buy some flagstones for a pattio/walkway in my garden. I'm going to put some irish moss inbetween the stones after I lay them out. But they dont really come in any colors Iike. Is there any type of paint I could use to paint flagstones? Perhaps if I put a clear coat finish over it after I was done?
Answers:
Without knowing where you are, Flagstone, field stone, shale, slate do in fact have color variations,,, some being Pinks and Pale Red.
With all due respect to the paint consultant think of what it is you're painting, and what the stones will endure. Obviously exterior paint works, or we'd all live in bare wood homes, or field stone homes Unpainted. The difference is that beyond environmental forces that attack a house, we don't walk on our siding, nor is it suject to harsh scuffing abrasions by soild, etc. What will happen is,,,unlike the natural stone, the then painted stone will need maintenance.
I suggest staining, if you have to alter the qualities of the natural stone. There are various shades/tints available, and the stone is porous enough to accept them.
Steven Wolf
Hi,
If your flagstones are bare and have never been painted before you may paint them with an exterior grade LATEX FLOOR paint.This will not need a clear coat,however may need re-painting ever few years.
P.S. ,I have beed doing this (paint consulting) for 25 years.
If I were you I would just dig out areas in the pathway about 2" deep in the shape of a "flagstone" and use a bagged concrete mixture with fiber in it. this will
1. Be less than half the cost
2. Allow you to make shapes you want
3. Allow you to make them the color you want
IF you want the "stone" texture after you smooth out the concrete use a piece of plastic trash bag and place it on the concrete rub your hand over it so it is all in contact with the surface (but don't press) then starting in one corner gently pull up the plastic. This will give you a "slate" finish.
You can even go get some powdered color from HD or LWs and sprinkle it on (like dusting a cake with powdered sugar) before you but the plastic then as you rub your hand over it the color will take different in areas of the "stone" then you will not have to worry about painting them.
DO NOT use paint, use a concrete stain
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