How to Design Floor Paint

What if you've got a stained and discolored old laminated floor that just doesn't look good anymore? You can strip it down to bare wood and refinish it, but that's a major project. An easier route, and one that allows some of your creativity to show through, is to paint the floor, using it as a canvas for whatever design you want. Normally, painting a floor means using floor-grade paint, which limits your colors, but this plan entails repainting the whole floor right over the old paint or laminate, which will be enough to protect any type of paint you choose to use.

Things You'll Need

• One package of fine-grade sandpaper Masking tape Paint Polyurethane gloss made for floors Paint brushes Gloss brushes Newspaper Paper towel for spills

Instructions

1. Using your sandpaper, gently buff the entire surface of the floor, starting in a far corner of the room and working your way across. The goal is to take off the top layer of old gloss to ensure that the paint and new coats of gloss will stick. Sand with the grain of the wood in long, straight strokes. Thoroughly wipe the floor clean and allow it to dry.

2. Lay out your floor design, using the masking tape to create lines, borders and shapes. The sky's the limit, but you should think about incorporating the vertical lines of the wood planks into your design, since they'll be visible within the paint. A common approach is to create a permanent ``rug'' in the middle of the room or in front of a doorway, leaving a border of unpainted wood around the edges and/or in the middle. When choosing colors, take into account the colors of the surrounding walls and trim. Keep in mind that it will be there for a long time.

3. Once the design is taped off, spread some newspaper to one side, set your paints on it, and open and stir them. Brush the appropriate color into your design. Paint directly onto the wood and just a little up over the masking tape, so it will provide the sharp edges of the lines and shapes when you remove the tape. Stroke the paint on in the direction of the wood grain.

4. Let the paint sit about 10 minutes before taking the tape up, but don't wait until it's fully dry. You want to remove the tape when the paint has set enough so that it won't spread beyond the lines of your design, but not so dry that it will peel up with the tape.

5. Allow the paint to dry overnight before applying polyurethane gloss. Open and gently stir your can of gloss (don't shake it). Working from the far corner of the room, apply the gloss over the wood in long, slow strokes, with the direction of the wood planks, taking care not to allow bubbles to form. Gloss right over your painted design as if it weren't there.

6. Allow the gloss to dry overnight. Then repeat Step 1, buffing the new gloss with sandpaper so the second coat sticks. Apply the second coat in the same manner as the first. A third coat can be applied the next day if desired.

Tips & Warnings

• Premade stencils of plastic or cardboard can be used instead of masking tape to lay out your design. They should be taped securely to the floor from the sides that won't butt up against the paint.

• Make sure the room is well-ventilated when using paints and gloss.