• There are specific types of primers to use when painting over concrete surfaces.concrete image by Empath from Fotolia.com
  
  When painting any surface, nine times out of 10, you should start with a paint primer. A paint primer helps the additional coats of paint firmly grasp the object you are painting. Concrete, like any other material, has paints and paint primers that are better suited for it. They are widely available online and at your local paint store or hardware store.
  
  

Latex Paint Primer

• Latex paint primer is the surest way to adhere paint to the craggy surface of concrete. Latex paint primer is not as brittle as oil or shellac paints. It provides a more flexible finish that is resistant to peeling and cracking. Latex paint primer will even smooth out the texture of the concrete you are painting. KILZ latex paint primer provides a solid coat that seals, primes and acts as a stain-blocker before the topcoats of latex or oil paint are applied—though only latex paint should be used on concrete as a topcoat. KILZ is available online and at hardware stores.
  
  

Latex Paint

• After the latex primer, which acts as the agent to bond the paint to the concrete, comes the latex paint. Apply the latex paint over the primer, finishing the paint job. For the best results, use the same based paint as your primer. DRYLOCK latex concrete floor paint works in both industry and home use. DRYLOCK latex paint can be used on basements, garage floors, patios and stairs. When dry, it endures scuffing, moisture, traffic, washings, weather, acids and alkalis. DRYLOCK also offers epoxy paint kits.
  
  

Epoxy Paint

• Epoxy paint dries harder than concrete and, therefore, is ideal for painting its coarse surface. In fact, it dries five times thicker than one coat of water-based paint. The results are better, but the level of difficulty and chance of failure is greater too. Epoxy paints are substantially more expensive and come in kits—occasionally with a finishing clear coat. The epoxy paint kits come in one-car and two-car garage kits ranging from approximately $180 to $490.
  
  

Acrylic Stains

• Acrylic staining is an easy alternative to acid staining the concrete. Acrylic stains are milky in texture and easily seep into every pore and cranny in the concrete's surface, which leaves the concrete with a semitransparent coloring. Acrylic staining is preferable to acid stains since acid stains are a chemical process and cannot be used on all kinds of concrete. Acrylic stains come in a variety of colors that will not peel or flake away over time. They are resistant to UV rays, foot traffic, heat, moisture, mildew, acids and alkalis. Acrylic staining needs to be sealed after applying, lest the integrity of the color or stain job be affected negatively.