painted floors

[jhleclair]

I am on a budget. My livingroom carpet is horrible and I would like to paint it and make it look like a faux finish. This is an extremely high traffic area. Does anyone know the best products to use or even a guestamate in cost...can't possibly be as much as the carpet. It is approximately 20ft. by 29ft.

[Troy]

What kind of floor is underneath the carpet?

Yes, paint is much cheaper than carpet!

Welcome to Home Repair Forum!

[Myke]

I painted my floor using Behr flat paint and finishing it with Behr Garage Clear Coat. I used the flat paint because I masked off 16 inch diagonal squares after painting a base (grout) color and then "wooly lambed" the floor. The flat paint allowed me to let the paint dry and still pull up the tape cleanly. The only dissappointment I have is that the paint/finish insulates the concrete more than I'd like (in Arizona with radiant heat).
Myke

quote:Originally posted by jhleclair

I am on a budget. My livingroom carpet is horrible and I would like to paint it and make it look like a faux finish. This is an extremely high traffic area. Does anyone know the best products to use or even a guestamate in cost...can't possibly be as much as the carpet. It is approximately 20ft. by 29ft.

[dayindelft]

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

[Tom71]

I used a water based two part epoxy and have been pleased with the results. Created a "terrazzo" effect w/ their products and now the floor looks great! Seamless, easily cleanable and chemically resistant, no worry for spills, stains, mold or mildew. I have used their products in my basement, front porch and garage, and am looking for new areas where it can be used. Not "cheap" but well worth the costs incurred. hope this helps you.

[pinefloor]

I am buying a house that has a newly installed pine floor that was painted with deck paint. Does anyone know whether I need to also seal the floor with some sort of ploy-coating? Thanks!!

[tudor]

Couple of questions: I have numerous "geological layers" of flooring in the kitchen of my 70-odd year old rowhouse. The top layer is worn linoleum that I want to replace eventually. For now, can I paint over it with epoxy paint?

Also, if I do that, will the paint make it significantly harder to get the top linoleum layer off? There is a layer of plywood under the top linoleum; beneath those are several other layers that I'm now thinking I will just leave alone.

Thanks for any and all info--

[ty gnuj]

I JUST finished painting my dining room floor tonight - for about the third time, I think. This is the first time I used real floor paint. It is an old plank floor with a lot of flows in it. Before, I have used just plaint old paint (latex, of course, for easy cleanup and faster drying time). I hate carpet - it is gross and gets filthy underneath. I think it is unsanitary. By all means, rip OFF that carpet and throw it outside! When I moved into my house there was carpet in almost all the rooms - even the closets! It was old and gross and grimy. In another room I painted an elaborate floor - stenciled a very wide and detailed border around the edges and have a big fancy design in the middle of the floor. It is just the "sub floor" - plywood. Every couple of years I give it a coating with polyurethane or Future floor finish or something. Sometimes I have to touch up the paint. I hate to cover over it because I like it so much. Once I painted my kitchen floor over the old linoleum, and then stenciled designs on that. However, eventually it starting wearing out so I put stick-on tile over that.

For the person who posted about his new pine floors and if a coating should be put on, and I say go ahead if you're not sure. You can use waterborne polyurethane, very easy, or Future floor finish (I like Future floor finish).

[Caroll Connell]

I have an old house with tongue and groove painted,pine floor, in my bedroom. I would like to repaint with a crackle finish. I haven't found a manufacturer that recommends there product for use on the floor. But I'm not willing to give up on the idea that easily. Looking for advise or a recomendation of products.

[tudor]

Well, I painted my old sheet linoleum kitchen floor with floor paint plus 2 coats of polyurethane. It looks pretty neat with the cobbled texture of the old floor showing through the new "tan" color (gray floor paint color plus safety yellow). I don't know how long it will last but the room sure looks 100% better until I can scrape up enough money to get the whole room rehabbed. Plus it was easy to do.