Good Monday, everyone. Today is typically where I share a great find from the previous week. However, gasp, I don’t have one to share! I took a few weeks off after Lucketts and life is crazy lately. I need to get myself in gear again!
Instead, I’m sharing a post from last year. I thought it fitting to repost now, when we’re all sprucing up the front of our homes for the warm summer months. Update: the steps had a really, really hard winter. Snow, ice and freezing temps. However, they held up pretty well. They do need another coat to spruce them up but that is not a big deal. I still recommend this project but my disclaimer is that they will need a touch-up coat every season.
We have a great house in a fantastic neighborhood but it is getting up there in age. With any home ownership comes the endless, “to do” lists. One project that on my list are the old concrete steps and driveway. I would love to have them paved professionally but that isn’t happening anytime soon. Being the extremely impatient person that I am, this weekend I took on the job of our front step makeover (no, I am not crazy – the driveway is not happening!)
Here is where I started…old cracked concrete…
and a bench that my neighbor was throwing out in the trash (my favorite kind) and apparently, Baxter’s tail…
and all of the “tools” needed for my DIY project.
After sweeping the concrete steps, I used Annie Sloan’s Primer Red and applied a few coats using both my brush and a small roller. Here is how it turned out. It looks much cleaner and brighter.
Sure, it isn’t real brick or repaved but it will do!
Here is the bench after a coat of Annie Sloan Old Ochre. What a difference!
With relatively few dollars and a few hours of painting…voila!
My easy makeover tip of the week!
Join the Fun! I Always Love More Subscribers!
Linking To:
It really does look brighter and cleaner!
Your entire front door vignette is lovely…black doors and railing, red porch, fall flowers, well manicured shrubs! Lovely…but I’m not surprised! 🙂
Love the overall look of your front entrance, great job! 🙂
What type of paint (and color) did you use for the stairs? and….did you clean or sand the bench before the ASCP application? I have an identical bench and it has been sitting out for a long, long time..so wondered if I needed to do that to it before painting…thanks so much!!! Just love all you do!! Diane
Amazing how much a coat of paint can change the look. The brick color was a great choice.
Painting the steps really made a big difference. Love your front entry … so pretty. I want to paint or stain my front porch, but afraid to tackle such a big job. I think I could paint it, but stain would be hard to control. I painted the back door steps which are inside the garage, with just regular house paint and they have held up really good. Thanks for the inspiration.
Audrey Z. @ Timeless Tresures
Wow ! Amazing difference ! I have to admit that I’ve never thought of using ASCP outdoors ?! Have you used it outdoors before, and how well does it ‘hold up’ with inclement weather ? (We live in CLEVELAND, OHIO ! TONS OF SNOW !)
It did hold up but it really does need another coat for this summer. It only takes about a half hour to do, so still not a bad investment! Eventually, I want to get flagstone put in but this is a great stop gap until then!
Wow! Just that little bit of paint made a huge difference! ….and I had no idea you could use chalk paint outside!