Like most builder-basic houses, our house has a concrete slab we’ll call a “porch.” It wasn’t doing much for me and it certainly wasn’t holding up to my idea of a porch. I’ve always dreamed of having a classic wood planked porch so we played around with the idea of building a deck over the concrete. There are some blogs that have tutorials on how to do that and maybe it works but I called several contractors to ask about it and they all said the same thing: Don’t do it!

Why? The biggest reason cited to me was drainage. I was so bummed, too. And you know me, I get frustrated with the guys at hardware stores who trip over the way it has always been done to ignore innovation. I kept pushing and pushing to find a way to make it happen but ended up deciding that wood would be a high-maintenance and likely expensive-over-time option that I didn’t want to tackle.

Here’s a few other ideas I considered that you may want to look into if, like me, you’re not dazzled by a drab concrete slab trying to be a porch.

Concrete Stamping

Concrete stamping is a more costly option for improving your curb appeal but the impact is well-worth the investment in my opinion. It’s definitely on my Someday list. Based on my research, this isn’t something you want to tackle yourself otherwise you could end up with some drainage issues. Here’s how it works: A concrete contractor preps your concrete slab, applies a thin coat of concrete then stamps a pattern to create the look of tile, stone or even wood planks. The concrete is then stained with acid for a finished look.

Photo via Williams Concrete Services

Outdoor Tile

If your budget allows, adding tile over a concrete slab is a great way to add character to your outdoor spaces. If you like the look of classic, wood planked porches, a wood plank tile (priced at about $1.99 a square foot) is a great option because it’s less maintenance than real wood.

Acid Staining

Acid staining your concrete slab will give you a rich color that adds a lot of character to your porch. You can have this done professionally or tackle it yourself. Valspar has a readily-available line of acid staining products with a variety of colors but proceed with caution because it is acid and can be dangerous.

Photo via Southern Concrete Designs

Faux Tile

Traci from Beneath Your Heart did a great tutorial on using acid stain to create a faux tile look on her concrete slab porch. She used acid stain for this project but you could also use concrete paint if you’re nervous about working with acid.

Photo via Beneath Your Heart

Faux Brick

The Virginia House has a great tutorial on creating a faux brick look with a simple sponge. This would even look great on a sidewalk leading up to your home.

Floor Decking Tiles

Deck flooring tiles snap together and are perfect for creating a fast new look. Ikea has the best price on these, from $24.99 to $34.99 for a pack of 9 squares. If you don’t have an Ikea nearby, you can order deck tiles on Amazon, Target or even Ebay.

Painted Stripes

After considering all of the previous options, we decided to go with painted stripes in two shades of gray. Here’s why:

1. It was cheap.
2. It only took us one Sunday to complete.
3. I’ve always been drawn to coastal or Southern homes with painted stripes.

The porch flooring makeover cost us well under $100 and I love how it changed the look of the porch.

Which option would you love to try out? I’m still pretty starry-eyed over that stamped concrete. Hmmm. #Someday.