It is now widely accepted that the inherent chemical resistance of concrete is limited and that the concrete surface needs additional barrier protection when exposed to aggressive environments. Unlike a metallic substrate, the concrete substrate is heterogeneous and porous in nature. Since adhesion is one of the important parameters influencing the durability of any surface coating, the influence of various characteristics of the concrete substrate on coating adhesion has been investigated. Tt is shown that the adhesion strength of a coating on a concrete substrate depends on the surface strength of the substrate itself. It was found that the cement content of the substrate has a significant influence on the surface strength. Surface strength, like compressive strength, is a function of the hardening process. There is a linear relationship between the surface strength and curing time. The adhesion strength of an acrylic paint coating was found to be slightly higher than the surface strength of the substrate, even though the values lie in the same range.