Curb appeal

Well, I wasn't digging the color of our cement front porch. So, as I was thinking of ways to make it look better, I remembered a posting for a while ago on This Young House. I also had a friend, Susie, that did this in her laundry area.

I thought it could work for our front porch. So, I dove in.
Before
Here's what I did:
1.I bought the supplies at Lowes - I picked a pretty shade of dark brown stain. The helpful worker explained the process and recommended a concrete cleaner.


2. Swept the concrete to remove all loose debris.
3. Rinsed everything with a hose. Cleaned the porch with the concrete cleaner. I poured it on a small area and rubbed it vigorously with a wire brush. It bubbles on contact with the concrete.



4. Rinsed off the patio with a hose and let it dry overnight.
5. The next day, I started staining. I used a brush and a roller and put a coat of stain over the entire porch.


This is the result.

I am going to put another coat of stain on, I think. It's a little uneven in places. But, it's been hard with the weather. For now, I think it blends better than before.