Two Days, One Big Lesson: Front Patio Glow-Up in Progress

The past two days were all about power washing and sealing the front patio at our student housing property. We went full-on DIY mode: scrubbed, blasted, sealed every crack… or so we thought.

After trying a few different methods, we realized we made a rookie mistake. We used a transparent resin crack sealer to keep moisture out—great idea in theory. But guess what? Concrete paint hates it. The paint just wouldn’t stick the way we wanted. If we’d used the black sealer from the start, we’d be golden. Lesson learned!

Today, we finally got the first coat of black concrete paint down, and wow—it already looks stunning. Once it dries, we’re going back with a black crack sealer to even things out, then finishing with another coat for that sleek, uniform look.

Now we’re debating the stairs. They connect to the neighbor’s property, so leaving them as-is feels… off. Thinking of adding a divider railing for visual separation and painting them to match the patio for a cohesive vibe.

What do you think—leave the stairs natural or paint them black to match? Drop your thoughts in the comments!