I’d like to adapt this idea for a cinder block and board bookcase – does anyone know what kind of paint would be best for concrete? I think I’ve seen a painted cinder block desk recently in one of the home tours, but the paint was pretty light – probably spraypainted? So if anyone has any advice on how to get the nice, deep colors shown here, I’d appreciate it. I wonder if it’s even possible, given that cinder block has such a porous surface – in which case recommendations on something other than cinder blocks would be helpful too.
Thanks!
Jen
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It's very possible if you use a primer first. After you have primed the blocks, you can use ordinary latex, and it won't suck it up like a sponge.
Do be prepared to have the primer sucked up like a sponge though... At least it is cheaper than paint.
My desk is the one in the house tour with painted cinder blocks. I agree with Devyn. The cinder blocks do suck up paint quickly & mine are light bc i only used the left over paint from the walls. Once the blocks have sucked up one layer of paint, subsequent layers will be darker.
Did you spackle them first to mute the texture, or would that defeat the purpose?
Paint the concrete blocks with special block filler first. Your paint store will know what it is.
It might be hard to get ones of matching height , but old non-functional speakers, the kind that come in the wood case could work well for this, and they're often available at thrift stores for around $5.