No Money For New Floors? No Problem! Paint Your Floors!

Do you need new hardwood floors but don't have the money? Have you just added on to your home or built a new one and its time to buy flooring and you are over budget? I have a cheap solution for you that will still look fabulous!


A few years ago my husband built an extension onto our home and did a marvelous job of it considering he had never built so much as a dog house in his life! When we began the interior decorating we realized we did not have any funds left in our budget for new flooring.  After thinking it over for awhile I suggested we paint the plywood sub-floor.  Well my husband was very skeptical but agreed and we worked out a plan to get it done.  Here's what you will need if you are planning to paint a plywood sub-floor:

1. wood filler
2. large electric sander
3. vacuum cleaner
4. damp mop
5. measuring tape
6. painter's tape
7. smooth paint roller
8. porch paint in your chosen colors
9. polyurethane
10. several days (to allow drying between coats)
11. lots of patience lol

If you are painting wood floors you probably won't need wood filler (unless they are in really bad shape) or the sander. You could also do this to concrete floors using concrete paint.


Here are the steps for painting the wood sub-floor

• First we filled in all holes and rough spots with wood filler.
• Next we sanded and sanded and sanded :-)
• Then we thoroughly cleaned the floor

oldhouseweb.com

• You will not be able to enter the room for several hours so plan ahead we painted right before bedtime
• Follow porch paint instructions and paint the entire floor the lighter color starting opposite of your exit point and finishing at exit
• Allow to dry overnight
• If necessary apply second coat
• Dry overnight
• Next using painter's tape measure & tape out your design
• Paint in darker squares (we chose 4" x 4" squares)
• Allow to dry overnight (I told you it would take patience!)
• If necessary apply second coat
• Dry overnight
• Porch paint is very durable but we decided to add a coat of polyurethane for extra protection
• Allow to dry for at least 24 hours or according to polyurethane instructions

That's it, your finished, and most people won't be able to tell that you don't have linoleum! Guest would always compliment us on our floors and were surprised that they were painted.  I really wish I had some pictures to share with you but we covered our floors with laminate a couple of years ago and did not take pictures so here is a floor very similar to ours but we painted ours a deep blue and cream with a gold border, and ours was the sub-floor

houzz.com

A word of warning a freshly painted floor is very slippery! Be careful! They are also very durable and can last for years. Clean them according to paint directions.

Here are a few more pictures of some beautiful painted floors.

houzz.com

marieburgosdesign.com

designaustin.blogspot.com

designlinesltd.com

As you can see by the last pictures you may also use a

stencil just paint your floor then paint the stencil design on 

top. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination 

and the amount of time and effort your willing to spend on 

the project.

I hope I helped and inspired you today until next time happy 

painting.

Just a reminder to enter my one year of blogging 

anniversary giveaway. Just go here to leave a comment 

to be entered.

This giveaway includes a lovely Duck Egg Blue chalkboard, 
a pair of vintage style drape tie backs, pink, shabby chic 
outlet plates, 6 furniture knobs from Hobby Lobby, French 
script burlap ribbon, and a green ribbon 
scarf knit by me. This giveaway ends on July 20, 
2012.  Good luck. :-)

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