How To Paint An Old Wood Floor

Our old wood floor was damaged and stained. Instead of replacing it, we decided to paint it and turn it into a charming feature for our cottage style home.

It was an easy DIY and much less expensive than our other flooring options.


The first time we decorated the hallway in this tiny little cottage, patterned wall to wall carpet was all the rage.

Our kids were babies and we wanted something snuggly under their feet as they ran from the bathtub to their bedrooms on chilly winter nights.

And we were so burnt out from all the other room renovations and the kitchen addition, that we couldn't deal with the damaged wooden floors we found hiding underneath the the wall to wall seafoam green shag the previous owner had installed.

So, to make them disappear, we covered them with a fleur de lis version in burgundy and called it a day.

Well, this spring, almost a full 20 years later, with grown kids and during a period when patterned wall to wall carpet is making a resurgence, I decided I was done with it.

And it had to go.

Of course, that still left the issue of those unsightly wood floors...and the question of what to do with them.


Too badly beaten, stained, chipped and water damaged to be refinished, not that my lungs could handle that process anyway.


Too time consuming, messy and expensive to replace them with real wood.

(We hadn't yet put down the laminate floor in the family room, so we didn't even consider that option.)

And too tired of carpet to ever cover them with wall to wall again, I decided that paint was the way out. 

(We hadn't yet put down the carpet tile squares in the basement yet, to consider that option either)

While my husband wasn't originally onboard with my solution, after many, many, long conversations, I finally convinced him it was the way to go.

And he's just as smitten with the results as I am.

Now, this wasn't our first foray into the world of painted floors.

A few summers ago, we painted our concrete patio with great success. So I knew we could handle this job.

Here's the detailed DIY and the answers to a few frequently asked questions I received when I posted about the hallway renovation before.

How Do You Paint A Wood Floor?

This is just the way we painted our very old, very damaged wood planked hallway floors. Be mindful that there are really two separate processes here.

First we had to clean the hardwood floors underneath the old rug. Then we painted it.

Supplies

1. How To Clean Hardwood Floors After Removing Carpet

We started by ripping up that old carpet and the padding underneath it. Then we pried the tackless that was around the edges of the room up and all those miserable staples.

It was a tedious process.

Then we had to sand a few spots where the old carpet padding literally melted to the floor. Not fun.


Once the physical debris was removed, we vacuumed the floor well, mopped it with vinegar and water, just like I clean the hardwood floors all over my house, and waited for the floor to dry.


We didn't fill any holes or patch any of the boards, we left all the rustic charm intact.

Then we moved on to the painting process.

2. Tape 

Next up, we had to figure out how to paint the floor in pieces, since that hallway is the only way to our bathrooms and bedrooms.


Eventually we settled on a plan to paint the floor in sections, made a path, using tape to mark it up.

Then we put more tape down to create lines between the hallway and the adjoining rooms.

3. Cut In The Edges 

We began painting the perimeter of the floor with a brush.

That was an easier way to cut in around the freshly painted mouldings. We would've taped them off as well, but frankly, we got lazy.

We also didn't want to take the chance of ripping off some of the trim paint when we removed the tape.

We know...painter's tape shouldn't do that, but with recently painted mouldings...ones that had multiple layers of paint underneath...nothing was guaranteed. 

4. Grab A Roller

When that was done, we grabbed the roller and applied the paint in even strokes, in the same direction as the wood.

We made sure to use a roller pad that was made for stains, as well as paint, because we didn't want to leave marks on the floor. 

We wanted a very tight nap.

5. Let It Dry

The next day we went back and painted the strip we'd left to walk on.


We devised a way to mark what was wet and dry with a few index cards. That was very helpful, as you can imagine.

6. Add A Second Coat

On the third day, we went back to the original area and added a second coat to the entire floor, since it only took about an hour to dry.

7. Seal It

And then we waited a solid week to allow it to fully cure before adding the polyurethane with a roller as well.

Once it dried it was a tiny bit slick for a day or so, if you were wearing socks, however that slippery feel disappeared quickly.

Even though we used a water based product, I'm not going to lie, it still smelled a little for several days.

The plastic tarps we used to isolate the hallway did help my allergies during this part of the renovation.

But I was thrilled when the smell was gone and all that remained of the process was a fabulously refinished, light, bright, carpetless wood floor.


The difference was dramatic.

Those damaged boards were super charming with their new finish.

The entire space appeared so much larger, especially with the addition of a few painted white mirrors.


Cozy and cottage styled.

Just what I'd been craving.

Wall to wall perfection.

Painted Floor FAQ's.

What About Resale?

This was a big question and one I can honestly say that I didn't even consider.

Which is ironic, since several years ago, I wrote that there are only three things I would never do to my home in the name of resale.

And painting a wood floor was one of them. However.

In that post, I referenced covering damage like my bedroom floor, which is just a bit discolored. It could easily be refinished and look brand new. I still don't think I would paint a floor like that.

Or one that was in perfect condition.

These floors were bad, way worse than they look in the photos. A future buyer would have to rip them up and replace them if they wanted useable wooden floors. Paint or no paint. 

Since the wood in the hallway was already trashed, it was a no brainer for me.

Plus, times change, painted floors are very in style right now, so some could argue it's a selling point.

But clearly this is one for the never say never file. 😉

What Paint Did We Use On Our Wood Floor ?

We did a little bit of research before we got started, consulted the pros at our local shop and ultimately decided against using a traditional floor paint.

Here's why.

I knew from experience that the floor paint had a nasty odor and the wall paint did not.

I knew that the floor paint was supposed to be used without a top coat. That was one of the benefits of going with a floor product.

I didn't like that. I use a lot of paint, many that say they don't require a top coat. 

And they all chip. So no top coat wasn't a selling point for me.

I also knew that there was going to be a variation in tone when moving from one paint formulation to another and I wanted our floors to match the hallway walls exactly.

Lastly, I knew that no paint was going to last forever on a floor. 

SO. I went with my gut and we used the same latex paint we put on the walls. Benjamin Moore Aura in Satin.

And then we coated it with a water based polyurethane to protect it. Perfect.

How's The Painted Floor Holding Up?

The floor is about a year old. It's used every single day, in a busy house full of people, and so far, so good.

No chips, dings, scratches or marks. Only time will tell how well it will hold up in the long term, but honestly, I'm a fan of the weathered/ worn look, so I'm not concerned.

Besides, the poly is very strong. That's the key.

It's been protecting both our wooden countertop in the bathroom and our kitchen table for years and they both look brand new.

The only complaint I have is that the light color paint does show a lot more dirt than that dark carpet ever did. That should've been clear before I started, but sometimes the design dream clouds common sense.

Food for thought. Choose your color wisely.

Would you paint a wood floor?