How to Paint Wood Floors

Wood floors are very attractive in any kinds of house designs or themes. They look clean and can be elegant, rustic, or formal depending on the kind of theme you have in the room. However, once these wooden floors got damaged, then it is another matter.

Damaged wooden floors are a nightmare. It is very difficult to paint them because of the natural texture of wood which do not readily absorb paint. Fortunately, there are paints that are made especially for wooden fixtures like floors or ceilings. However, you still have to know some basic information about painting wood floors before actually painting them. Here are some tips that you might want to consider.

Before you do anything with the wood floors, you have to sand and clean them first. You should sand the wood surface of the floor so that it will be easier to paint. This should be done especially if the wooden floor has old coating of varnish or urethane. Make sure to sand all parts of the wood floor. After sanding, clean off the entire floor by vacuuming or sweeping dust caused by sanding, hairs, or other small dirt or debris that might also get coated with paint. If you apply way on the wooden floor, remove the way by using a wax remover.

After sanding and cleaning, you should now repair any damages that you can find on the floor. Wooden floors sometimes have gaps or spaces in between them. And some have dents, chips, or holes. For these damages, you can solve this by buying wood filler. You can buy wood filler from any do-it-yourself or hardware stores.

Start at the corner furthest from the door. You do not want to be stuck in a corner once you have painted every square inch of the wooden floor. Make sure that after finishing the final area, you have a space to step on.

Never apply the wood paint directly on the floor. Use a primer first. If you decided to have dark wood floors, you can apply a darker primer or tint. After the primer has dried out, apply the oil-based paint on the wooden floors. Let it dry for a few more hours before applying the second coating of paint.

After coating the wooden floors with two layers of paint, apply polyurethane. You can add three layers of polyurethane to make it sturdier and durable. A floorboard with a thick coating of paint and polyurethane can last much longer than a bare of thinly painted wooden floor.

Choose a paint color that will complement the room where you are doing the renovations. It is also good to be experimental, but not too much. You might want to be unique and original by painting the wooden floor hot pink but you have to consider if it will look tacky or if it will look awkward inside the room.

Painting wood floors is not so easy. But it can be a little bit easier once you do all the information provided above.