How to paint a concrete statue

Concrete is fun to paint! What you will need: acrylic exterior paint, water, brushes and paper towels and a statue or stone from Grand Valley Statues. Paint with something under your statue to catch any drips or paint runs. 

Step 1: Allow the statue to cure after it has come out of the mold 2-3 weeks
Step 2: Soak the statue in water
Step 3: Using a 50% exterior acrylic paint and 50% water mixture apply a coat of paint to the statue. This will be the base coat which will give your statue depth. Allow to dry for 2 days. You are not looking for detail painting in the step.
Step 4: Using exterior acrylic paints add as many coats as your would like to achieve your desired coverage. There are several different techniques that can be used in this step (Dry brush, Layering, Full Coverage and more)
Step 5: Allow the statue to fully dry at least 2 days
Step 6: If desired apply a clear enamel spray to the painted portion of your statue. It's best to leave the bottom untreated so the statue will allow moisture to escape.
Step 7: Enjoy your statue for years
Step 8: Repaint or Touchup the paint as needed. If you don't like the way it turned out - Start over with a new base coat. Enjoy!

 

Concrete is a porous material that needs to be able to breath so leave the bottom unpainted and unfinished. If you seal or fully paint your statue then it is more likely to crack when there are sudden temperature changes or in freezing conditions.