I live in a bright purple cement rendered home and want to paint it dark grey, but am unsure what paint to use or if I have to do any preparation to it before painting itPlease helpBrands available in Australia will helpThanks
First, try using a power washer in the 2000 PSI range to take off the old paint. If it comes off (or most of it, anyway), let the cement dry for a couple days and then use a concrete primer before applying a color coat specifically made for concrete. The primer is especially acidic, so it really soaks into the cement (and it doesn't go very far, because so much soaks into the concrete). The concrete color coat is then designed to hold onto the primer and provide a solid moisture barrier. If the old color won't come off, don't worry. Just clean it up as best you can before applying the primer and paint. And, use top name brand paints (like Dunn-Edwards or Sherman Williams). The more expensive products will cover better and may actually be cheaper in the long run (less coats and time to paint).
