Painting your floors can be a cost effective way to update your floors until you’re ready to replace them. But there are few key tips you’re going to want to follow to make sure they last! I’ve painted my entryway and kitchen because I despised the dated tiles of our fixer upper.
I didn’t know before painting my interior floors, that I would be faced with so much criticism. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the internet trolls say:
“Your painted floors won’t last”
“Your floor will chip immediately”
“You can’t mop your floors”
I am here to tell you that is not true. I’ve painted 2 different tile floors – both in high traffic areas. I painted my entryway 9 months ago, and my kitchen 6 months ago. Since then, the floors have endured A LOT. In this article I’ll share my top tips, and some things I wish I had done differently.
How Is Our Painted Floor Holding up?
First of all, let me say that I am not careful at all with my floors. I have 3 kids. They are rough. I wear house slippers and my husband wears house sneakers. We do not wear outdoor shoes inside the house.
When we had our upstairs hardwood floors re-sanded, the contractors brought their big heavy sanding machines. In the winter, my kids brought their snowy and salt filled boots through here. We have a mat, but inevitably, the floors would puddle with snow.
I painted my kitchen a few months ago, and so far, they are holding up great. Our kitchen gets a lot of use, but there a few tiny chips that could have been prevented (more on that later).
Can you paint your interior floors? Short answer is yes. If you take precaution and follow my top tips then absolutely your floor paint will hold up.
Top Tips:
1. Deep Clean Your Floors
Deep cleaning is very important to keep your paint lasting long. As I mentioned before, I painted my floors in high traffic areas of my house. Namely, the foyer and the kitchen. In a house of 3 active kids under 10, these two areas of my house are frequented multiple times a day. So, like any other part of my house I make sure we all keep it clean.
I started by using a de-greaser to remove all the grime, oils and soap residue that builds up over time. Then I swept up the dirt, and using my cordless Dyson, I vacuumed up all the dirt. Lastly, mopped over the area using a light cleaner mixture.
2. Repair the Damaged Grout
If any of the grout is broken or cracked on the floor you will be painting, make sure to repair it. An intact canvas ensures it doesn’t look like you have gaps in your floor. This should be one of the first steps before painting.
3. Choose the Right Paint Type
Choosing the right type of paint goes a long way when painting your floors. There are several types of paint available in the market. Make sure you choose a paint that is specifically formulated for painting floors. There are many paints for floors. I chose to go with the Rustoleum Home Floor Transformation kit.
The main reason I picked this was because I’ve seen the durability of this in other DIY accounts. It already has great reviews (plus mine too now!)
4. Skip the Sanding and Primer
There are several steps to take before painting. Usually, you would prep the surface before applying the paint. This involves sanding down the surface and then applying a coat of primer. However, I recommend skipping these steps. Controversial take I know! But the Rustoleum Kit doesn’t require it!
Using the Rustoleum painting kit you can make your life easier and get to the fun part right away. With the Rustoleum kit I didn’t need to sand my floors or apply primer.
5. Apply Multiple Thin Coats of Paint
Make your floor paint last with multiple thin coats of paint. After cleaning thoroughly and choosing your preferred shade for your floor paint, you can start the painting process. The best way to paint your floors is with the appropriate tools and lots of patience.
The first step is to stir the paint thoroughly. Make sure you don’t shake the paint, as it will make air bubbles, which can be a nightmare to deal with. I start by using my favourite angled brush for all the edge. Then, use a high-quality roller for smooth and even coverage. I found it to be the best way to paint a floor. Start with your first thin, even layer of coat. Let the coat of paint dry completely before applying the next one. I recommend waiting 6-8 hours in between each coat of paint. The Rustoleum kit recommends at least 1 coat of paint. However, I didn’t get good coverage because my tiles were dark. I applied 2 to 3 coats of paint.
I used a brush to get the fine lines. I recommend using a brush for the grout. So there are no empty spots left.
6. Use the right tape!
If you’re going to be painting a pattern like a checkerboard, you’ll need to tape off your floor. Make sure to use the right type of tape! I used the yellow frog tape which is meant for freshly painted surfaces. It prevents peeling up the basecoat when you remove the tape.
I was SO nervous of 2 issues: either the paint would bleed underneath the tape, or it would peel up my base coat of paint. Neither of these happened!
7. Vacuum Often
When painting your floors keep a vacuum cleaner nearby. I recommend vacuuming before applying each coat of paint. Having a clean floor goes a long way with floor paint. You don’t want dust mites or any other kind of dirt to embed itself within the paint and be stuck to your floor. I found hair to be the worst. In fact, make sure you tie your hair up if you have long hair! Mine was constantly shedding while I was painting.
8. Seal with a Durable, High-Traffic Topcoat
After you have completed painting the floors and are confident they are dry, seal in everything with a topcoat. Using a durable sealer allows you to secure the paint. I recommend applying 2 to 3 coats. Between each layer of sealer, make sure you allow proper drying time. This ensures there is no overlap. And of course, use your vacuum if you need it.
9. Allow Proper Curing Time
The saying “all good things take time”, goes a long way here. After you have painted and sealed everything into place, allow proper curing time. Wait a minimum of 24 to 48 hours before you start to frequent your painted floors. And even then I would suggest light foot traffic at the most.
Full cure time is usually 7 days. You should avoid heavy use during this time. Make sure you aren’t moving or dragging furniture across your floor either.
With 3 kids, trying to get them to stop using the kitchen was a difficult task. So to avoid any hang-ups my family and I went away for the weekend.
10. Use Mild Cleaners (no Harsh Chemicals or Abrasives)
Aftercare for the painted floor is very important. It goes a long way in ensuring the paint is long-lasting. Keep the painted floors clean and free from dirt as much as you can.
I recommend using mild cleaners. Make sure the cleaning mixtures you are using don’t have any harsh chemicals or abrasives. You don’t want abrasive chemicals to start stripping your paint away.
11. Place Rugs or Mats in High-Traffic Areas for Added Protection
Both of my painted floors are in highly frequented and high traffic areas. The Rustoleum paint does not peel off; however paint may chip off or can wear off from frequent use. This is why I suggest placing extra protection of some sort along your floors
For my entryway, I have laid down a snow mat. Living in Canada, the snow mat offers protection for our floors in all types of unpredictable weather. For my kitchen, I opted for a pretty rug over the floors. Both good ways to protect interior floor painting.
12. Add Felt Pads to Furniture Legs to Prevent Scratches
This is a step that we neglected to do. And I really wish I had thought of it before. In my kitchen, I added a rug under the table to offer protection. However, that was not enough. The plastic leveling bits on the bottom of the chairs scratched up the floor.
So learn from my mistakes, and add extra protection to the bottom of any furniture you put on top of your painted floors.
13. Life happens
The last tip to keep in mind is that you can take all the precautions but things still happen. My kids dropped a mug on the kitchen floor and it shattered. The spot where they dropped it left a couple of scratches. They are kids, mistakes will be made, and we cleaned up the mess and moved on.
Something to keep in mind is that this is an affordable upgrade even if it is not perfect. Using stencils or freestyling designs with a paintbrush can offer your house a huge upgrade without breaking the bank.
Whether you keep it as a short term resolution, I think painted floors are a great solution until you can upgrade your floors with a higher budget.
Would I recommend painting your floors?
Yes, I would definitely recommend painting your floors. With the appropriate materials, cleaning, aftercare and protective measures it is a great way to upgrade your home on a budget.
There are a lot of naysayers out there, who will put doubt in your head but ultimately you know what works best for you and your home. And as someone who has been doing DIY for years, I would recommend taking the jump and painting your floors!
Keep in mind that this isn’t a forever project. But it’s an inexpensive and easy project if you can’t stand looking at your dated tiles anymore. For me, it’s allowed me the time to save up for our hardwood flooring while liking our floors!
If you loved this project, make sure to pin it!
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