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Hi,
Here's a painted floor story with a happy ending.
Two years ago we bought into an older home that had been used as a duplex rental for 40 years. The 1st floor had beautiful inlaid oak floors under its carpet and we hoped for the same thing upstairs. However, when we removed the horrible smelly carpet, we found chocolate brown asphault tile. My husband and I spent a week removing this tile (wearing asbestos masks that we got as housewarming gifts) and under that found very damaged solid pine floors that were painted the same dark brown. It took at least another week to remove all the nails. We considered refinishing the floors, but with the existing damage, the probable lead paint, and our very restricted budget, we decided to paint them.
First I used a layer of lead paint sealer. Then I used Behr floor paint in a sand color. My father cringed at the notion of painting pine floors, but it came out great, and now even he says, "you were ahead of your time - painted floors are in style now." (In fact, older homes often featured painted floors.)
Floor paint covers an amazing amount of flaws. In one room, my daughter and I spent days filling every nail hole, but it's really not necessary as the floor paint will fill them. Major splits and damaged areas can and should be filled with wood filler; once painted over, you will never know the difference.
Good luck!
- inez
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