Before I learned how to paint hardwood floors, I was intimidated by the thought. In fact most people would say you should never paint hardwood floors. After contemplating this thought for a while, I thought, why not? After all, painting hardwood floors would not be any different than painting any other surfaced floor and by painting the hardwood floor a bright color, I knew it would open up and brighten the room.
The most importance suggestion I have for painting hardwood floors, is that you must make sure that the floor is ready to receive the paint. By this, I mean that before painting hardwood floors, they should be immaculate. Sweep or vacuum up any dust, debris and hair.
Next, before painting hardwood floors, you will ensure that the surface is smooth and free from holes and cracks. If your hardwood floor does have holes or cracks in it, they should be filled with wood filler. You can buy wood filler at any home improvement store or hardware store. The next step for painting hardwood floors is to prime the floor. Priming your hardwood floor is necessary to cover any wood grain, marks or stains that might show through the paint. You will probably only need one coat of primer when painting hardwood floors. If you still see any remnants of the wood grain or marks showing through the paint, you can give the floor another coat of primer. Let the primer dry between coats for better coverage. As soon as your primer dries, your floor will be ready to accept the paint.
In choosing paint colors, the lighter and brighter the color, the larger and more open your room will appear. Again, as I stated before, some people think painting hardwood floors is a negative, however with the right paint and technique, your creativity can create a beautiful professional looking effect.
I prefer to use latex paint when painting hardwood floors, but you can also use an oil based paint. I find it takes longer for an oil based paint to dry. The longer the paint takes to dry, the longer you must avoid the room. This can be challenging when there are children and pets in the home. When your latex paint dries, it will give your hardwood floor a beautiful sheen and it will make it that much easier to clean, as spills will wipe up quickly and cleanly.
When painting hardwood floors, you will want to use a paint brush, especially one that does not lose it’s hairs easily. There is nothing worse than noticing your beautiful paint job has been ruined by dried in paint brush hairs. Starting at the edges and working out, paint small areas at a time, until you are far enough from the baseboard that you can use a roller. You can either use a standard sized roller alone, or attach it to a painting pole for covering larger areas when painting your hardwood floor. See how your floor looks after you’ve given it one coat of latex paint. You might want to give the floor another coat to give it richer a look. Make sure you allow each coat to dry before you apply another.
With patience and a little know how, painting a dull, drab hardwood floor can transform it into a masterpiece. If in the future, should you tire of your painted hardwood floors, you can always refinish them to their original wood finish.
