How To Paint a Floor Tutorial

When we first moved in, we had to remove previous owners’ carpet.  There was so much work to be done (there still is), that I covered this floor with an area rug and we moved on to other more important projects. With out of town guests coming, I wanted to give this room a fresh new look.  We painted a floor in our guest bathroom with amazing results, so I knew that painting the floor would be a great solution.

With the help of True Value, we came home with these materials:
Zinsser 123 Bulls Eye Primer
True Value’s Easy Care Paint (color = Ticker Tape (a beautiful medium turquoise), flat finish)
Frog Tape (different widths will give you different results)
Paint Tray
Paint Brush (I recommend Purdy)
Paint Rollers
Minwax Polycrilic

For my participation with the DIY Club, I received these materials:
Deco Art Acrylic Craft Paints (Porch and Patio Paint in Terra Cotta, Dazzling Metallics in Gold)
Cutting Edge Stencils – Ikat Samarkand
Dutch Boy Refresh paint (Fountain of Youth)

Other items needed:
Sandpaper
Paintable caulking or wood filler
Pencil, ruler

BEFORE -yikes!
After:

See the complete guest room before and after here:  http://thediyshowoff.blogspot.com/2011/10/guest-bedroom-reveal-and-100-bhg.html

(The guest bedroom painted floor where it meets the guest bathroom painted floor.  See the tutorial I did 2 years ago on the bathroom floor for more tips/information:  Painted Bathroom Floor Tutorial.)
Here is How I Did It:
PREP:
1. I removed the old baseboards.  They lacked character. I wanted something more in line with the character of our home. I include more information on our baseboards in this tutorial as well. 
2. At this point, filling cracks and nail holes and sanding is recommended for longer term plans but since this is a temporary solution for us, we didn’t invest the time or money in doing this step as we will be covering this floor in 6 to 18 months. (See details on filling cracks/sanding at painted bathroom floor for more information on this step.)
3. Make sure the floor is clean (sweep/wipe up sawdust/etc.).
4. Apply a coat of primer to the floor.  It’s best to do the edges first using a brush and use a roller for the center of the floor (utilizing a broom handle with roller is also easier on the knees).  Don’t trap yourself in the room, plan ahead and paint in a far corner working your way towards the door, where you can escape while paint dries. 
START:
1. Once primer is dry (if it’s applied), I used a yard stick and measured in from each wall.  I came in 2 1/2 feet because I wanted a larger “area rug”.  I marked my “area rug” with a Sharpie. (I originally came in 3 ft., but that made the “area rug” I was going to stencil 5×8.  I changed my measurements to allow for closer to a 7 x 9 foot area rug. 
2. Tape inside of the Sharpie line. 
3. Smooth and seal tape using a credit card. 
PAINTING SURROUNDING FLOOR:
Using a brush and porch and floor paint, paint from the outside perimeter of the room.  Roll on paint from that edge to the tape. We used a dark brown. 
Let dry. 
PAINTING AREA RUG:


Now onto the “area rug”. Using a Purdy paint brush and steady hand, I was able to paint the base color without taping onto the brown ‘floor’.  I edged right next to the brown and filled in using a roller. 
Allow base color to dry completely. Paint a
second coat if desired and let dry. 
Use painter’s tape to create a border.  I measure from the outside edge with a pencil and apply tape. Get decorative in the corners!
STENCILING: 
Using a tape measure from corner diagonally to corner, I marked the center of the ‘area rug’ in order to know where to start my stencil.  I used the Ikat Samarkand stencil from cuttingedgestencils.com and Dutch Boy‘s Refresh (color = fountain of youth). Refresh paint has exceptional durability and zero VOC/Greenguard and is mildew resistant!
Place stencil in the center and work outwards. I used a foam roller.  Apply paint to roller and roll onto paper towels until roller looks dry.  Roll paint over stencil. Lift stencil. I keep working with the stencil. Using the guides on Cutting Edge Stencils’ stencil keeps the pattern consistent. 
When center of ‘area rug’ is complete, I painted the border between the taped lines the same color. 
Isn’t the stencil pattern gorgeous? I love it as it is (so soft and pretty) but decided to add color. Keep reading.
Let dry. 
DETAIL:
The painted area rug in the bathroom is only two colors and I wanted to get a little more creative this time and coordinate the area rug with the room I was planning. I used paint from my craft stash including Deco Art Dazzling Metallic in gold and Deco Art Patio Paint in terra cotta.

I used the stencil and went over specific areas of the pattern, keeping it consistent.   I used Dutch Boy Refresh (color = Lake Camplain) for the border. I also used the shorter stencil (which is included for stenciling the top of a wall). For the border, I found the center and worked left and right from there. 

Let dry!
FINISHING:
Once all paint is dry, apply a coat of Polycrilic to protect the entire design.  I applied one layer.  Applying more is recommended for durability. 
RESULT:

The walls have been painted and baseboard trim painted and installed. 
Baseboards before were cheap and scratched up.  I like chunkier (and no miter cuts).  I used 1x3s. I measured around the perimeter, cut, primed then painted and put them around the floor. 

REGISTERS

With new dark floors, the heating and a/c floor vents stuck out like a sore thumb.

A quick coat of Krylon and they blend right in…

How to Paint a Floor video tutorial.
(Please know in advance that I’m not a natural in front of the camera and I lack professional videography skills!)
Sorry! Acting classes are on my bucket list! haha!





True Value     

Have questions? I’m over at True Value’s Ask the Blogger series this week!
“Like” True Value and submit your question.

Speaking of True Value, I wanted to let you know about a great program that the True Value Foundation runs to support schools around the counter in need of a “makeover”. The program is called Painting a Brighter Future.

Schools in need of painting can seek out a local True Value store to sponsor them and they can apply for a grant. If they’re selected, the local True value store will supply and deliver pain tot he school, making this a wonderful opportunity for community involvement.  


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I was one of the bloggers selected by True Value to work on the DIY Squad. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program as well as my writing about my experience. I have also been compensated for the materials needed for my DIY project. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.
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I’m joining this party today:

Domestically Speaking

DIY Project Parade

The DIY Show Off

What a great week of DIY! Wow! I shared our before and after (one week!) guest bedroom reveal with a $100 BHG/WalMart giveaway still going on…

That’s a painted floor – not an area rug.  🙂
A little Halloween in the DIY Fall Festival…Link up you Fall related DIY here!
The DIY Show Off

stenciled pumpkins
I shared the transformation of our “we don’t know what to call it room“…which is getting another new look soon. 
And the Roomspiration-Kitchens linky party where I share my kitchen before and after is going on for the next week with lots of amazing kitchens linked up.  Take a look and share your own if you haven’t already! I’m still trying to visit everyone and having a blast seeing your beautiful, inspiring kitchens and even making some new friends! 


Something else I made this week?  These pink breast cancer awareness angel ornaments will be up for auction soon with so many other beautiful projects by some of your favorite bloggers at 31 Days of Hope at the DIY Club….

After you link up here, you might want to check out the link parties at the DIY Club too where you can win (Any paint project, any post related to paint brushes and/or any spray paint project – any brand!)

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The DIY Show Off

Let’s see what you’ve been up to!


1. You must use the button above (ADD BUTTON HTML CODE FROM SIDE BAR TO YOUR POST) and link to this post to share the linky love.

2.Include your name or blog name and project title. Add your permalink (not your blog url, but your DIY project post url). Feel free to link a Past Post, just invite your readers in a current post with a quick note.

3.Or email your link to thediyshowoff@gmail.com and I will add it for you.

4.If you notice your link has disappeared -please add the link back to The DIY Show Off to your post today, a button or a quick note to your readers about the party and try again! I love when everyone participates and readers check out everyone’s links, but I think the return favor of linking back is the nice thing to do so everyone plays fair and enjoys all of the projects and links. Also – this blog party is for DIY projects only. Links not related to DIY will be deleted.

5.  NOW you can “like” the links!  What a fun idea!  Most liked links may be included in a post of DIY Project Parade highlights later in the week!

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This week: I’ll be sharing a video on the steps I used to paint our guest room floor and answering questions on Facebook at True Value’s Ask the Blog Squad!

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Protecting Floors from Heavy Chunky Furniture

I recently spied this BIG beauty in a local antique/junk shop. You know how much I love junk and unique thrifty finds! Anyway I HAD to have it….

Of course, it’s just a little buried in the dark in a back room so I couldn’t see the entire thing but I just loved her chunkiness and that she was old AND that she was the perfect size for a recessed area in our home. 
Upon getting it home (thanks Bri & Steve for truck/delivery services), I discovered it was pretty filthy.  Even oily or perhaps tar was used as an anti-skid application? Maybe it lived in a garage for 30 years.  I don’t know but she was not stepping foot in our home until she had a bath.  
Isn’t she pretty?
A little scrubbing and degreasing helped however not enough that I’d want to shove it around directly on our new bamboo floors!
A little ingenuity, Gorilla Glue, felt weather stripping and Self Adhesive Cushions and Felt Pads did the trick!
I applied Gorilla Glue to the bottom of her bulk. 
(Yes, I went from swimming straight to DIY without changing…sometimes I’m in my pajamas, sometimes swim wear and sometimes I even wear old work clothes for the DIY occasion.  See how it’s dark outside?  There’s never enough time in the day…or if there is, I just might be taking the opportunity during the day for an end of summer swim at mom’s. )

Felt weather stripping was cut to fit  and applied using Gorilla Glue.
I added weight and let it dry overnight. 
A little extra added protection using Felt Furniture Movers never hurts (floors). 
Then Mr. DIY and I used tons of blankets and towels to flip this big girl.
With the felt bottom, a giant heavy piece of furniture now easily slides around and right into place. No damage to the floors! I can even slide it around myself. I do love to rearrange!  

More details on where this is going coming up at Friday’s Roomspiration!  🙂

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I was one of the bloggers selected by True Value to work on the DIY Squad. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program as well as my writing about my experience. I have also been compensated for the materials needed for my DIY project. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.
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