subject: How to Paint Wood Floors [print this page] How to Paint Wood Floors How to Paint Wood Floors
Laminate long gone? Poor quality wood flooring? Then painting is your best and cheapest option for making your wood floor look its best. You can use interior paint (or enamel for a harder finish) or specially formulated floor paint. Floor paints come both ready- and custom-mixed and in gloss or satin finishes, too.
Keep in mind that latex paint, although easy to apply and widely available, doesn't stand up to heavy wear and tear. Alkyd paints perform better on floors because they dry to a hard finish, cover well, and stand up to moderate foot traffic. Epoxy paints and industrial enamels cover extremely well and stand up to heavy foot traffic but are available in fewer colors.
1. Remove furniture and rugs, and vacuum the floor.
2. Put on latex gloves, and follow the manufacturer's instruction to combine TSP or TSP-PF solution with water in a bucket. Use a sponge mop to clean the floor with the solution. (For greasy floors, apply degreaser with clean cloth or sponge mop; follow the manufacturer's instructions for use.)
3. Use painter's tape to tape bottom edge of baseboards or wall to protect them from paint spatters and unintended brush or roller marks.
4. Stir primer with a stir stick. Starting in the corner farthest from the door, cut in the corners of the floor with a 21.5-inch sash brush.
5. Roll on primer or a combination sealer/primer using a long-handled extension pole to speed up the job and save your back. Work in 4-foot-square areas. Let the floor dry thoroughly according to the primer manufacturer's instructions. (It can take from 30 minutes to a couple hours.)
6. Use a stir stick to stir the finish paint thoroughly, and pour some of it into a roller tray (about 2 inches of paint in the well of the tray).
7. Use a 2.5-inch sash brush to cut in the finish paint around the perimeter of the room.
8. Starting in the corner farthest from the door, roll on the finish paint using a roller at the end of an extension pole.
9. Let the paint dry overnight before walking on it. It's best to let it cure for several days before moving in furniture or rugs.
If you can see any imperfections on the floor after cleaning it, use 180-grit sandpaper to remove them. The smoother the floor, the nicer your project will look when it's finished. You can paint almost any floor surface linoleum, vinyl, or tile. If you're looking for a short-term solution, painting is the way to go. Just be sure to prep the surface (by cleaning, sanding, and even deglossing) and prime it as you would any hard-to-paint surface.
