Patio Transformation: Staining Concrete

And.....I'm back.

I know it has been a while since my last post, but keeping up with this blog has been more of a challenge than I had anticipated.  With my work schedule and everything that has been going on socially, I have not found a lot of time or energy to put into this, but I want that to change.  So...Round 2!

I had a pretty productive weekend, what about you?

My neighborhood HOA (Home Owner's Association) was kind enough to hire people to come pressure wash our back patios over the past couple weeks.  In the 4 years that I have lived there I have only pressure-washed the patio once before and dang what a difference it makes.  I mean night and day!!  Some people in the neighborhood were not happy about the idea of someone coming in their back gate and washing their patio....I was all for it considering I'm paying $90 a month in association fees, so I want to get my money's worth.

When I found out they were coming to my house early last week I decided this would be a perfect time to spruce up the area.  Granted, it is a work in progress, but first things first.....stain and seal the concrete.

The hardest part of the entire project was picking out the color stain I wanted.  Because of the rules and by-laws in the neighborhood, I figured I better not get too crazy with my color selection, so I went with New England Slate, which from the picture below you can see is quite a bit darker than what I started with.

(Not sure why the upper right corner of this picture looks dirty, but it doesn't look like that in person..hmm)

As you can see the concrete lacks a lot to be desired.  It is pale and bland!

 Now look at the after...isn't that so much better.  Can you see the potential for this space?  I can.

It adds a little bit of life to the space and only took me about 4 hours all together to put 2 coats of stain and 2 coats of clear sealant, which I spread out over a 2 day period as you want the stain to completely dry.

Now, I need to find a way to hide that huge GIGANTIC air conditioner without restricting the air flow.

Do you have any ideas?  

The two chairs were a housewarming gift from my mother when I bought the place in March of 2007.  Thank goodness I didn't take any close-up pictures because they are looking pretty rough these days.  I have never treated or protected them from the elements...Sorry Mom!  They will probably end up getting a coat of white paint and shellac, along with recovering the cushions (which are tucked away in the outside storage because they are ugly hideous).

Enjoy,

Candice