A HOMEOWNER is warning against a popular DIY gardening trend that ruined her outdoor space in under a year.
Victoria shared before and after photos after painting her patio using a stencil.
On her @victoriajane6x account, she urged people to think twice before doing the home transformation this year.
She wrote: “Your annual reminder not to paint a concrete patio.
“Thinking of painting your concrete patio? Don't do it!
“Don't be tempted by the stencilled pretty patterns. It doesn't last.”
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Victoria shared how she “spent ages” cleaning and scrubbing her concrete outdoor space.
She then found a weathershield masonry paint to use with her stencil, and “spent hours back breakingly stencilling a pattern.”
Her hard work appeared to pay off, as the finished result looked beautiful and she “loved” how it looked.
Victoria said how she’d even used a patio sealant to help it to last - but it hadn’t worked.
She added: “But then by the next summer it peeled up in big chunks.
“It left a mess of my garden.
“Paint flakes everywhere.”
She added: “I did it when the weather was really dry but I think there was potentially still damp in the concrete!”
Many people agreed with her that you should avoid being tempted to stencil your outdoor space, not matter how good it looks.
One shared: “painting concrete or cement floors really never works, no matter the paint. So indeed the only good advice is to not do it.”
Another person added: “I paint mine every year I change it so it's always different.
“I love painting mine.”
Victoria replied: “I will never do stencilling again. It took forever!”
How to repair broken patio slabs
THE paving specialists at Simply Paving told Fabulous how you can repair broken patio slabs, without the faff.
The experts advised: “If you have a loose paving slab, then it’s unlikely it can be lifted straight by hand. Instead, you will probably need a hammer and chisel to prise the paver free of your patio.
“To remove loose paving slabs without damaging your flagstones, carefully chip away at the mortar around the paving slab with the plugging chisel and rubber mallet until the slab comes completely loose.
“Then, slide the spade into the gap left by the mortar and prise the paver free of the patio.
"As you lift it up, place a short piece of timber underneath the spade to act as a lever, making it easier for you while protecting the slab underneath.
“When the paver starts to give, place the cylindrical wood underneath it and roll the slab out of the patio.”