Floor Painting Techniques

Preparation

One of the most important steps when painting anything is the preparation. Old flaking paint must be removed using a wire brush. Wood floors may need to be sanded to get them smooth. Concrete floors are porous and may require acid washing to remove old grease stains. Fill depressions with hard-bonding wood filler or concrete filler and sand smooth. Do not use caulk or spackling as it will not be hard enough for the foot traffic. Prime wood floors with the recommended primer and concrete floors with a masonry primer. Allow to dry.

Apply the first coat using a roller with a long handle. Oil paint works the best for floors because it sticks better than water-based paints. Allow the paint to dry fully, then use different thicknesses of masking tape to mark stripes or shapes, if applicable. Paint on the next coat, which may be the same color if there are no patterns, or a darker color if there are. Allow the paint to dry for three days. Apply a coat of clear polyurethane. When this has dried, repeat the process two times.

Faux painting can add color and brighten up your rooms. Sponge painting requires two different colors - one light and one dark. Paint the entire room with the light color and wait until it is almost dry but still tacky. Dip a sponge in the dark color and blot the floor with it to make patterns. To paint terracotta tiles, paint the primer in the "grout" color. Dip 12 by 12 by 1/2 inch squares of foam onto three swirled together paint colors on a thick 24 by 24 inch piece of cardboard and press onto the floor to make "tiles." Finish with three coats of polyurethane.

Epoxy is a resin-based, paint-like coating used in garages and hangars. It is thicker and more durable than paint, and color chips can be added to create a stone-like appearance. Paint the primer on with a roller in the same way you would apply paint after cleaning and smoothing the floor. Start in the furthest corner of the room and paint a six-foot by six-foot section with the base coat. Throw the color chips into the air to scatter them on the painted section. Repeat until the entire floor is covered. Allow to dry overnight then apply the top epoxy coat following the manufacturer's directions.