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Modern finishing technologies offer dozens of options for ennobling the floor – practical and durable, and design ideas for a stylish floor cause sincere delight. However, one of the classic methods – painting a wooden floor, does not lose its relevance, making the color of the flooring match the interior or highlighting it.
In apartments and private houses, lacquer coatings are also used to emphasize the beauty of the board with its natural pattern, and different types of paints, depending on the goals and objectives.
The main thing is to choose the right type of paint or varnish so that the coating is combined with wood in terms of technical parameters, performing its functions perfectly. We tell you in detail which paint to choose and how to paint the floor with a quality result.
Useful theory – why you need to paint the floors
The natural properties of wood make this material soft and vulnerable, provoking the rapid destruction of the structure under the influence of external factors. Therefore, the board requires additional protection. The key task of paint for a wooden floor is to protect the material from moisture penetration, to prevent decay, mold and mildew.
Country houses have long ceased to serve as a kind of warehouse or a one-time vacation spot for those who are tired of living in a city apartment. Therefore, they began to approach the country interior in detail, the design of country houses has become an independent design unit, where every element is important, including the choice of paint for flooring.
Why is it important to paint the floor:
- the painted board is protected from moisture, so it does not dry out;
- paint puts a barrier against the development of microorganisms, prolonging the actual life of the floor;
- the painted surface makes it easier to care for it (smooth coating is quickly cleaned of dirt);
- under a layer of paint, the wood is protected from temperature extremes.
Paints and varnishes make it possible to make the interior original, opening up hundreds of ideas for patterns, ornaments and colors.
Types of paint – which one to choose
There are two main types of coatings – paints and varnishes, so you first need to decide in this category.
What is the difference:
- Transparent mixtures – varnishes. They have a qualitatively different composition, but they fulfill a common task: varnish for a wooden floor forms a transparent film on the surface that serves as protection from external influences. Does not paint over the tree, preserving its color and texture.
- Coloring mixtures – different types of paints. Selected for a specific purpose, depending on the composition. Floor paints form a dense film on the board, which completely paints the wood in the selected color.
Choose high-quality compositions, since savings on a coating that will constantly be exposed to external influences (starting with walking, ending with washing) will quickly lead to another cost – to bring the wooden floor into proper shape.
What varnish to choose for a wooden floor
If the wooden floor treatment is planned for well-heated rooms (all year round), a water-based coating for interior work is suitable. Such a varnish is easily applied to wood, but, most importantly, it is distinguished by the absence of an unpleasant odor. An excellent option for cottages and summer cottages, the premises of which do not suffer from temperature changes and high humidity.
In other cases, it is better to give preference to compositions for outdoor work. Such varnishes have strong protective properties that will protect wood in cold and damp conditions. Thanks to the durable film that forms on top of the board, the floor covering will last longer than water-based counterparts.
There is another type of colorless floor covering that is not related to varnishes – this is oil. The modern mixture allows you to protect the board without changing the color and enhances the texture. Oil is good for parquet floors or hardwood flooring boards. However, it’s still not paint.
What paint to choose for a wooden floor
Unlike varnishes, the range of paints is much wider. Here you can choose the optimal combination of coatings that will last a long time and at the same time retain spectacularity.
Types of paints depending on the composition:
- oil. A classic of yesteryear, rarely used today. The mixture dries for a long time (5+ hours), spreads a strong smell around the house. It cracks relatively quickly, starting to fly around (especially in conditions of unstable air temperature).
- Acrylic floor paint. One of the safest and most durable options. It is produced on a water basis, so the key purpose is internal work. The paint does not form a sharp unpleasant odor. Resistant to abrasion and fading, creates a good protective coating for the board.
- Enamel and alkyd paint. They have a pungent smell, but represent the cheapest way to paint the floor in an apartment or private house. Creates a strong, durable finish.
- Polyurethane. Differs in durability of a covering, is steady against deformations. Serves up to several years without becoming covered with small cracks. It is more often used for painting outdoor premises (arbors, verandas, etc.).
- Rubber floor paint for wood. A relatively new type of coating containing a large amount of rubber polymers. On the surface creates a dense latex coating in matte colors. Visually reminiscent of rubber, perfectly protects the board. Abrasion resistant, non-slip.
Rubber floor paint “SuperDekor”
Floor paint intended for outdoor use can also be used for interior treatment. This will allow you to forget about painting for several years, due to the strong components in the composition of the mixture, which will preserve the integrity of the wood and visual appeal.
On the contrary, paint intended for interior treatment is impractical to use outdoors. Improper operation will soon render the coating unusable (especially water-based formulations).
For painting a garage or facade, look at universal compositions, or choose paints exclusively for outdoor use. They are distinguished by high wear resistance, therefore they calmly endure frosts, an abundance of summer precipitation or the scorching sun.
Give preference to paints with polyurethane in the composition – it makes the coating durable, suitable for use in rooms with high humidity.
When choosing how to paint a wooden floor in an apartment or a veranda in a country house, do not forget about the fading of the coatings. For example, varnish will retain a decent appearance for an average of 2 years with constant exposure to direct sunlight. Paint (depending on the type) will last about 7-10 years.
Paint colors – main categories
Paint coatings offer a truly wide range of colors, so you can find almost any color and variation of its shade in the store. Facilitate the task of colored colors that can be mixed with each other, achieving the desired shade.
In addition to the palette, there are main categories that determine the final surface:
- satin;
- matte;
- glossy;
- semi-gloss.
Depending on this property, the coating is characterized by high gloss or, on the contrary, its absence.
When deciding how to paint the wooden floor in the house, do not forget about the purpose of the paintwork! Choose paints designed specifically for floors – they are most protected from abrasion.
Floor treatment before painting – the basis of a high-quality coating
Surface preparation is carried out in two stages. The first is cleaning the board from the previous layer of paints and varnishes. It is important here to make the wood smooth, removing even small grains.
If during operation cracks, serifs or chips have formed on the floor surface, they are carefully overwritten and cleaned. Large gaps must be sealed with putty, followed by grouting to make the plane smooth.
When treating a tree before painting, in addition to a primer, it is advisable to apply insecticidal or antiseptic impregnation – these are special compounds that protect wood from fungi, mold and small pests.
At the second stage, the floor is washed well, cleaned of dirt and dust, left to dry (at least 2–3 hours are allocated for drying). Subsequently, a dry, clean and smooth floor is treated with a primer – this reduces the consumption of paint and varnish material, and it becomes easier to apply paint (adhesion to the board increases).
Carefully choose a mixture for the primer – it should be combined with the type of paintwork. Read the instructions on the package or ask the seller to advise on the compatibility of the compositions.
The approach to processing the floor is somewhat different if there is a lacquer coating in the plans. Here it is necessary to grind the surface of the boards as high as possible, achieving perfect smoothness. After the board is primed, moving along the wood fibers, and proceed to the application of varnish.
Tools
With large surfaces, it is faster and more economical to work with a roller, but you will also need a regular paint brush. The roller will not work to paint near the walls and in the corners. Therefore, it is better to walk in hard-to-reach places with a brush, and then use a roller.
If your walls are not painted or wallpapered, then you can not particularly worry and get to work. But if you need to protect the walls, you will need to purchase masking tape and paste over them, and after completion of work, remove it.
To impregnate the roller with paint, it does not hurt to buy a paint bath. Of course, you can get by, for example, with a cut-off water bottle, but a bath is more practical and convenient.
How to paint wooden floors
The first step is to paint the skirting boards, as well as all areas that are inaccessible to the roller. After that, you can safely proceed to painting the floor surface, moving towards the exit.
After applying the first coat, it is important to let the paint dry completely, then apply the second coat. As a rule, staining in two steps allows you to achieve a more durable, dense coating.
Varnishing a wooden floor with varnish is somewhat different. It is also applied in two layers, but the goal is not the density, but the smoothness of the coating. The first layer of lacquer penetrates the structure of the wood, slightly lifting the microfibers – the effect is manifested in the form of roughness.
Note! When buying paint and varnish products, fix the item number. If it is not enough, the seller will be able to pick up an identical shade according to the article.
Therefore, you need to wait until the varnish is completely dry, sand it again, then apply the second – final – layer. The work is carried out with a wide brush with soft bristles, applying varnish along the boards. In the process, it is necessary to remove the hairs that have separated from the brush from the floor so that the painted floor looks flawless.
Coating Compatibility
Compatibility is rarely thought about when choosing a parquet floor varnish or paint for unheated rooms. However, the compatibility of the paintwork material and the surface for its application is one of the rules for high-quality painting.
So compatibility:
- Acrylic paint “lays down” well on all previous coatings.
- Alkyd “does not conflict” with oil, so the first can be applied over the second.
- Polyurethane – give excellent results only in combination with each other.
As a rule, the manufacturer prescribes such nuances on the packaging, so take a closer look at the description. You will spend a little more time choosing floor paint, but the excellent result is definitely worth it!