Painting the floor: Here's how!

When you move into an older house, you are often faced with a wide variety of floor coverings, some of which are no longer attractive. If the budget doesn't allow for a complete renovation, simply repaint everything in your favourite colour. You can transform many floor coverings to match your style. Below, we explain what you need to look out for.

Table of contents

1 . Paint the floor: DIY ideas from our community
2 . Which floors can I paint at all?
3 . Which paint is suitable for floors?
4 . Instructions: 6 steps to the perfect result
5 . FAQ: Frequently asked questions about painting floors
6 . Video: Painting floors
7 . These are the products you need for your DIY project

Paint the floor: DIY ideas from our community

Why should you paint your floor? Because you can give your old floor a new shine with comparatively little effort . Not every old floor has to be torn out and replaced immediately, because with a coat of paint it can be prepared for the next few years and look great again . This is a good way to bridge the gap until you have to replace the entire floor . Take a look at how our customers have already beautified their floors with our floor paint and let yourself be inspired!

Which floors can I paint?

Many floors can be painted beautifully, depending on the material. Of course, there are a few things to consider.

• Painting wooden floors, such as parquet and floorboards, is quite straightforward. If you want to use a light colour, a primer with To Bond & Block is necessary, depending on the floor's condition. You'll find the exact steps in the instructions below.
• Plastic flooring like laminate, vinyl, and PVC can usually be painted well too. However, PVC floors often release plasticisers. These can prevent the paint from hardening properly. The only way to know for sure is to test it: simply paint an inconspicuous area and see if the paint hardens correctly.
• Tiled and stone floors, like those in a utility room, can also be painted very successfully. An exception here are terracotta tiles and other impregnated materials. Unfortunately, paint won't adhere to the protective layer, which is often wax-based. If the tiles have been treated with care products that have an impregnating effect, this can also cause issues with paint adhesion.
  You can find the exact steps for painting your floor tiles in our DIY guide to painting floor tiles.

• Linoleum is a natural product made from linseed oil and fillers, making it a special case. It's often treated with a wax coating, which water-based paints simply won't stick to. If you try to remove the wax coating through thorough cleaning or sanding, you might also dissolve the linoleum itself. Only trial and error will help here. We had great success with old, rather neglected linoleum.
• Cork flooring can be varnished or natural. The process varies depending on how the cork has been treated.
• It’s also possible to paint an OSB floor. If it's already varnished, you can simply paint over it.
• Concrete floors can be painted well. Depending on the substrate and expected wear and tear, you might want to use a concrete primer beforehand. This ensures the paint is sufficiently resilient and the floor doesn't absorb too much paint.
• If you have an unsightly basement floor that desperately needs a refresh, our floor paints are perfect for the job. Cement and tiles can also be painted over with our tile paint. You'll find the exact steps in the instructions here too.

You can find out which primer, which paint, and which topcoat are suitable in the table below.

Fancy painting your steps at the same time? Then take a look at our instructions for painting stairs.

Which paint is suitable as floor paint?

Since a floor is always subject to heavy loads, a 3-part paint structure consisting of primer, varnish and sealer is recommended . The following list shows which products you need for painting wooden floors, PVC floors, linoleum, etc .

Instructions: 6 steps to the perfect result

Step 1: Choose your varnish

Choose from our stable Easy Eggshell! quality, which is best suited for floors. Our colour cards can help you make the right choice. If you are unsure about the quantity, simply calculate the floor area to be painted and enter the square metres in our quantity calculator. You will find this with every colour shade.

Step 2: Prepare the floor

Sand off any flaking varnish if you already have a painted floor and the old varnish is coming off in places. All loose paint should be loosened and the transitions sanded smooth. If the floor is waxed or has another floor coating on it, you should sand the floor down completely.

Step 3: Clean thoroughly

The floor must be free of dust and grease. The best way to do this is with To Clean - MissPompadour Cleaner. A basic cleaner may also be necessary, especially if old floors are heavily soiled in recesses or corners. After cleaning, the cleaner should be rinsed off well with clear water. Then leave the floor to dry thoroughly.

Step 4: Prime the surfaces

Apply the primer to the floor, covering it well. Use MissPompadour To Bond & Block or, if necessary, a special primer. On tiled floors, the drying times of the primer may vary depending on the humidity and temperature. You do not need to prime joints with To Bond & Block.
We also recommend using a paint roller for larger areas. This is the easiest way to achieve an even and controlled application of primer and colour.

Step 5: Varnish the floor

Now paint your prepared floor. On average, 2 coats of paint are enough to achieve an opaque result. Depending on the base and target colour, especially with white on dark wood, more may be necessary. Make sure to paint the coats rather thinly.
Give each coat approx. 4 - 6 hours to dry.

Step 6: Seal the result

Seal your painted floor after the last coat of paint. Give the last coat of paint 24 hours to dry before applying the topcoat. Then apply a thin layer of To Seal - MissPompadour Topcoat with a short pile paint roller. The surfaces become more stable every day.
After approx. 14 days, they have achieved very good stability and can be walked on normally.
Pro tip: To make your floor varnish last longer, simply stick felt glides under the legs of chairs and tables in the dining room and living room, for example.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about Painting Floors

1 . General questions about painting floors

2 . Questions about primer, varnish and sealer

3 . Processing questions

Video tutorial: Painting the floor

These are the products you need for your DIY project

With the materials in the following list, you are well equipped for your flooring project .

• Cleaning bucket, sponge and cloth: The floor must be free of dust and grease . Especially with older floor coverings, dirt may have accumulated in the corners or recesses, which must also be removed .
• Mask with masking tape: To mask skirting boards . It is best to remove the masking tape when the paint is not yet dry . This way you get a clean edge . Please also read the instructions in the FAQs .
• plastic drop cloth or newspaper: If there are areas you do not want to paint .
• Brush, paint roller with telescopic rod and paint tray: It is best to paint all corners and edges as well as depressions with the brush . Then paint the surface with the varnish roller on the telescopic pole .