Stripping peeling paint off concrete steps and walkways in Medicine Hat

Painted concrete steps look good for a year or two. Then the paint starts lifting at the edges of the treads, flakes off where people walk, and becomes slippery when wet. Painting over it again only buys a season.

Why paint lets go on concrete

Most concrete coating failures are adhesion failures. Smooth, sealed or contaminated concrete gives paint nothing to key into, and moisture coming up through the slab pushes it off from behind. Each new coat over a failing one is bonded to something that is already letting go.

What wet blasting does

Concrete and masonry are always wet blasted. The water knocks the dust down and keeps the cut controlled, so the old paint comes off without chewing up the surface. What is left is clean, open concrete with a consistent profile a new coating or sealer can grip.

On concrete, the surface profile is the deliverable. The coating is only as good as what it has to hold onto.

What we strip

• Entry steps, landings and porches.
• Walkways and patios.
• Painted concrete pads and garage floors — see garage floor epoxy prep.
• Cloudy or failing concrete sealer — see removing failed sealer.

Then decide on the finish

Once it is stripped, you can repaint, seal, or leave the concrete bare. Many owners choose a penetrating sealer instead of paint the second time around, because there is no film to peel.

Freeze-thaw is what finishes painted steps in Medicine Hat. Water gets under a chipped tread, freezes overnight, and lifts the paint around it. Stripping in late spring or summer leaves time for the new finish to cure before winter.