How To Paint Your Floors the Right Way
Fans of interior décor can walk into any home and see it as a blank canvas. But even the biggest decorating aficionados don’t always think about the fact that there is one more dimension to their canvas: the floor. Whether your floors are genuine wood, tile, or concrete, painting the floor can add depth and interest to your room the same way painting your ceiling can. However, knowing how to paint your floors the right way can be the difference between a fun addition to your space and a mess.
Make Sure the Home Is Ready
Just like painting the walls, painting the floor works better when the environment is warm and dry. This may involve keeping the heat on in the house to ensure that your paint dries quickly. Getting the floors to dry as quickly as possible is especially key since you won’t be able to walk into rooms where the floor has been painted until the paint is cured. In some cases, it may be a good idea to have the household stay elsewhere until the project is finished.
Prepare the Floor
Preparing the floor for paint may look a little different depending on the type of flooring. For wood, you will want to sand the floors first. If you are painting concrete, you will want to make sure that any cracks or holes are filled. Whatever the flooring though, you will want to make sure the floor is thoroughly cleaned, swept, and dried before you apply paint.
Plan Your Starting Spot
Painting the floor is unique in that you can accidentally end up in the position of being forced to walk on your freshly painted floor if you don’t plan your path before you begin. Usually, you will need to start at the back of the room so that when you are finished with a coat you will be at the room’s exit.
Paint the Floor
Just like when painting walls, you will want to start on the edges with a handheld brush to avoid accidentally getting paint on the trim or other walls. To paint your floors the right way, you will want to use a roller and apply a thin coat. This will help the paint to dry. After the paint has completely cured (usually in 24 hours), you can add an additional coat. If your surface has seams or cracks, such as concrete floors, you may consider painting over the floor with a handheld brush so the paint gets into the crevice. Otherwise, you can simply roll over them.
Apply Varnish
This step is optional but recommended if you are painting a wood floor in a heavily trafficked area. Applying varnish is very similar to applying paint. After the floor is completely dry and clean, apply three thin coats, allowing each coat to dry completely in between. We have a variety of clear, odorless* varnishes for any of the painted floors in your house.
*Odorless - no traditional paint or polyurethane odor, which can cause headaches, nausea, and respiratory issues.