Low Cost Makeover Ideas for Concrete Steps

One of the most challenging makeover projects around is dealing with the concrete steps that approach your home. If money is no object, tearing out the old concrete and replacing it with something fresh and contemporary can make a huge difference in your home’s curbside appeal.

For those of us on a budget (and who isn’t these days?) replacing the concrete is probably not an option. All is not lost. Here are four other ways to make over the concrete steps to your home at very little cost.

Resurface the concrete. If the steps are faded and chipped, resurfacing them will give the steps a fresh new look. The Quikrete Company makes a DIY concrete resurfacing product that is easy to apply and will bring back that nice “new” look. View their DIY tutorial at Quikrete.com to discover how simple it can be to refresh aged concrete.

Paint. Before the days of concrete resurfacing products, homeowners use to touch up their exterior steps with concrete paint. While battleship grey and tile red are among the common of concrete step paint colors, don’t be afraid to try other colors such as Bombay breeze, Aztec sand, or Cemented Deal, all made by Sherwin Williams.

Line with tiny potted plants. For my own house, I love the look of tiny potted plants marching up a run of steps. Since my steps are not very wide, I use half quart sized enamel pots which are filled with colorful annuals and decorative plant stakes.

Apply a mosaic to the rise. Craft stores have all the supplies you’ll need to design one-of-a-kind mosaics to decorate the vertical surface (called the “rise”) of exterior steps. The sky is the limit when it comes to choosing a color or pattern that will complement your home or even the garden. Browse through the virtual Mosaic idea book at Houzz.com to get in touch with your inner artist.

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