Our recent sunroom floor staining debacle led us away from semi-transparent floor finishes (which are fabulous for raw concrete but don’t work as well over previously stained concrete) and towards solid floor treatments that are yummy and glossy and opaque. So here’s how we got it done.
We quickly learned that oil-based porch and floor paint was the best candidate for the room (since latex based floor paints can’t bond to a previously stained concrete surface) and at Lowe’s we happily discovered Valspar’s High Performance Oil-Based Porch & Floor Paint in a perfect chocolate brown color called Brownstone (here’s an affiliate link to it over on Amazon if you can’t find it in stores).
We’d been longing for a rich brown tone to tie into the adjoining room’s hardwood flooring, and Brownstone was a match made in floor paint heaven. Since the stuff is “extremely durable and resists scuffing while retaining its high gloss appearance” it was the perfect solution for our high traffic sunroom. And not only is it great for concrete floors, it can also be used on wood floors and primed metal so it’s definitely something to keep in mind for any of the floors in your home that have seen better days.
So without further ado, we bring you the simple five step tutorial to painting your floor:
Step 1: Ensure that the floor is squeaky clean. This can be accomplished by thoroughly vacuuming and then going over your floor with a mildly soapy wet rag and waiting for the floor to dry completely before moving onto the next step. Additionally, if you’re painting a wood floor, any splintered or rough parts should be sanded or patched before moving on to the painting process.
Step 2: Edge the perimeter of the entire floor (about 4 inches or so) with a good quality brush that won’t leave any bristles behind. Oil based paint is deliciously glossy, which can makes things like errant paintbrush bristles stuck to the floor more obvious than a matte floor finish would.
Step 3: Use a paint roller with an extended pole attachment to coat the entire floor with one coat of paint. Roll in long even strokes and make a “w” pattern on the floor with the roller to eliminate any obvious paint globs from the side of the roller. Don’t forget to be smart about painting yourself out of the room as oil paint takes a looong time to dry before you can walk on it again.
Step 4: If you’re lucky, one coat of paint will do the trick. In our sunroom it would have except that we missed a couple of teeny slivers of the floor and wanted to go over the whole thing again for good measure and a uniform finish. You must wait at least a full 24 hours before applying a second coat, and even after 24 hours you may notice that your first coat isn’t completely dry (you may see subtle footprints as you walk across the floor) but you can proceed with your second coat since it’ll gloss over everything and leave it looking shiny and perfect again.
Step 5: Wait at least 6 full days to walk on your new floor. It may feel like torture, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. And after almost a week of avoiding the space, you’ll be super excited to move in all of your furniture and make yourself at home. It should be noted that oil-paint is especially toxic and super stiiinky, so keeping a ceiling fan going and the windows open for the full 6 days is a smart idea (which means implementing that plan before the second coat since you won’t have access to the room afterwards).
So there you have it, a simple five step process to fantastic new flooring. Here’s ours looking all glossy and fabulous (like melted chocolate, I tell ya). We love the rich, uniform tone and the luxe sheen, and we’ve both noticed that the room looks a whole lot more “finished” with the newly painted floor.
We also love how it ties in with the dark brown window sashes around the entire room, and makes our white furniture pop even more than it did against our old orangey-gold floor.
And perhaps the most exciting thing of all is how the newly painted sunroom floor so perfectly ties into our existing hardwood floor in the adjoining laundry nook and den. It’s an almost seamless transition which makes the sunroom seem a lot more cohesive (it no longer screams “add-on”) thanks to the uniform floor color and super luxe sheen.
We hope our fast and furious floor painting tutorial has been of help. And of course feel free to send us your floor painting before and afters (we eat that stuff for breakfast). Happy rolling!
PS: If you want to learn how to just stain your concrete floor, we have a full tutorial for using a semi-transparent stain.
PPS: You can also see how we later added a decorative stencil with paint to this floor to add even more interest!
Jackie says
Hey there sooo I just bought a split level from 1960’s era. I want to rip up the carpet. I found hardwood floors underneath (but floors are arranged in wooden squares which are outdated) Can I paint that? Will you still see the squares? and should I paint the stairs too?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jackie,
If the wood flooring is actually tiled wood (called parquet) just painting it won’t hide the fact that it’s not all one plane (so you’ll still see seams where each wood square joins) but it will certainly look more uniform and flat as opposed to dimensional and gridlike. As for painting your stairs it’s really your call. Why don’t you think it through a while and see where you end up with everything? Stairs that match the floor can really add to the flow of a space but you don’t want to paint something if you’ll end up regretting it because it can be hard to strip things back to their original unpainted condition. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Lauren says
Sorry if this question has already been asked an answered, but how much paint per square foot should I plan on purchasing? I’m looking at about 730 square feet. Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Lauren,
Every paint brand covers differently, but right on each gallon they’ll suggest how many square feet it should cover (just keen in mind if you’re doing two coats you’ll need it to cover around 1500 square feet and not 730). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Lauren says
Sorry for a million questions. I’m in a battle with my future landlord about these stupid floors. You say 6 days before the space is usable… is that due to dryness or toxic fumes or what? Basically the situation is the landlord had put off painting the floor (as it states in the lease) apparently hoping I’ll back out. Unfortunately we’re now at the point where he’s realizing I’m not backing out and my move-in date is Tuesday. So if he paints the floors Monday (fingers crossed), when can I expect to move in? Saturday?
Again, sorry for all the questions.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Lauren,
We would really recommend reading the paint can that you (or your landlord) chooses. Varying brands call for different dying times and although it might be dry to walk on in two or three days you might not want to be moving or dragging heavy pieces of furniture in the space for at least a few more days until it has totally cured. To be 100% sure just read the paint can and see what it suggests and add a day or two to be safe if you can (if you can’t just do what you need to do and cross those fingers!). As for how necessary two coats are, one would have been good for our floor except we had a few spots that we missed with the first pass of paint so if someone is extremely thorough they might be able to get by with one even coat. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
lauren says
Oh and how necessary do you think two coats are?
mam says
I painted my hardword floor white in my first house. It was a nice look. I just finished an addition on my house and now I’m ready to tackle the basement. I’m interested in the first process you did (semi-transparent) paint. The concrete floors are nice and flat, however the spackler(s) and the painter(s) dropped alot of stuff on them. I know the spackle will clean off easily. What can I use to clean off paint from the floors? Is it important to get all the paint off or will it add to the texture after I apply the semi-transparent stain? About the color of the semi-transparent paint. I have dark hardwood floors throughout my house and on the steps leading to the basement. I also want to stay away from golden tones. What color of semi-transparent stain would you recommend to have the same brown tones are in the hardwood floors.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Mam,
Here’s a tutorial for staining your floor: https://www.younghouselove.com/2008/08/how-to-stain-a-concrete-floor/
Just check out the comments for answers to all your questions. As for how to get paint or stains off your concrete you’ll want to ask a paint pro at your local hardware store since we didn’t have to deal with that. Other than that it’s a very straightforward process. And when it comes to colors we’re not super familiar with the ones that are currently available so just bring home a few swatches from the home improvement store and hold them up to your flooring to see what you like best. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Alexis says
Hello,
We went to Loew’s today with the intention of buying the oil based paint for our concrete basement floor. It turns out that NJ has banned the oil based line because of its toxic nature! We didn’t end up getting anything because I know that the latex kind doesn’t comapre in durability. What do you recommend?
Thanks!
Alexis
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Alexis,
Yup, we knew this was coming! California actually started the ban a few months back and other states are following suit. What you’re looking for is a high quality “enamel based paint” which is still more durable and long-lasting than latex but not technically oil-based so it shouldn’t be outlawed. For floor paint just look for any sort of line that’s meant for high traffic areas (obviously stuff that’s meant for floors and not walls) and hopefully it’ll do just fine. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Tia says
First let me say that I LOVE your blog. I just bought my first house yesterday, and I am so excited to use some of your ideas. I have a basement laundry room that is drywalled and finished, but the concrete is completely untouched- its rough. I thought about painting the floor a nice color for a quick cheap fix to make the room look a little happier, but I don’t want to have to sand it and smooth it first. I think the rough texture may even help in a slippery room. Do you think I am getting into a mess or will it look completely sloppy and silly? Do you have any words of warning? I just don’t like plain rough concrete. I can probably put a rug down to distract from the concrete pits and grooves and unevenness. Whatcha think?
YoungHouseLove says
We would just go for it! Sanding a concrete floor or otherwise trying to smooth it with self-leveling compounds is a ton of work that can often result in more of a mess than the look of slightly textured painted concrete so we encourage you to paint it and see how polished it looks. Plus you’re right about it keeping the floors from being too slick. Good luck!
xo,
s
kat says
This is a similar question to the one above, but I’m about to paint our basement floor, which is concrete, there are some pretty large cracks in it and I’m wondering if you know of a filler type agent that we could put on it before we paint so it won’t show through.
thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, there’s concrete filler that comes in a tube and is totally paintable. Just visit your local home improvement store to pick some up.
xo,
s
Rene' says
Your rooms look so beautiful. What an inspiration.
I have a question…. What about painting over linoleum? At least that is what I think the floor is. It’s been there a long time. It was laid with tar so tearing it up is not a project I would like to tackle. I would love to paint it the color you used in your sunroom. I have to add that the tiles also have ridges, which I thought might be interesting when painted. What do you think? Is that possible? Also, we have a black sleigh bed so I am wondering if a darker color on the floor wouldn’t look very good with our bed. Light colors on the walls though. Your opinion is greatly appreciated. Thanks so much.
YoungHouseLove says
From what we have read and heard, there is no lasting way to paint linoleum since it can easily scuff and peel under normal foot traffic. You might want to visit your local home improvement store and see if the paint pros can recommend anything that we haven’t heard of though. Good luck!
xo,
s
Michelle says
Ok so I ripped a corner and it is plywood… so any tips on how to paint it? And so I need to paint around the edges with a brush and fill in with a roller?
YoungHouseLove says
Well you could sand the plywood if it’s rough and then you can prime or use a porch and floor plaint with a built in primer to skip that step (just ask what they recommend for foot traffic on plywood at your local home improvement center). Good luck!
xo,
s
Janelle says
Do you think I could use porch and floor paint on these concrete tiles? The color in the kitchen is way more reddish than the open concept living/dining.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/_I_C_O_N_S_/IMG_1850.jpg
YoungHouseLove says
Sure, just read the back of the paint can to be sure it lists concrete as one of the materials that it’s compatible with (of course our sunroom was concrete and it worked wonderfully so we’re sure it’ll be a great match). You could also look into stains (which are specifically made for concrete). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Ann says
I want to paint the bare concrete floors of my bedrooms. I pulled carpeting out of all three bedrooms, then used Quikreet to fill in the nail holes left when the carpet tack strips were removed. The result is that the perimeter of the room now has rough splotches where the filler was used. I rented a sander, but couldn’t get close enough to the wall to sand effectively. I want a smooth floor before I paint it; do you have any suggestions? Also, I had painted two of the bedrooms with a latex-based paint in semi-gloss and it hasn’t held up well to pulling heavy furniture across it or even just maoving the bed, which is on casters. How do I prepare the painted floors to paint over with the oil-based paint you recommend? Thanks for your help. Ann in Texas.
YoungHouseLove says
Maybe you can use an electric hand sander with high grit paper to try to get closer to the walls and smooth things out? Of course asking your local home improvement center would probably yeild more ideas so that’s a good method as well. You should ask them about painting over your latex floor paint as we’re unsure (you probably have to sand it or strip it and then prime it with an oil-based primer to get the best adhesion. Good luck!
xo,
s
Kara says
Hi! I’ve just come across your blog today, and I absolutely love it. I have a question about painting the floor that has nothing to do with this post, so I completely understand if you don’t know! We recently ripped out carpet in our ‘kid’ rooms (the kids are elusive, we don’t have any yet…but that’s where they’ll be once we have them!), and have no clue what we really want to put down as far as flooring goes. I’d like to paint the concrete floors for a fix in the meantime. Do you know if it’s possible to put flooring down on top of painted concrete? For some reason, I thought I had heard that if you paint it with latex, the mortar for tile wouldn’t stick. Do you know if this is true (and for other floors as well)? Thanks for any advice!!!
Kara
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, that’s a good question! We would definitely recommend asking an expert at your local home improvement center or even calling a flooring company to see if they can install something over a painted concrete floor. It seems like they would find a way around it since saying it’s “Impossible” seems harsh (there are a ton of free-floating floors that should be able to be installed over anything, painted or not- and many adhesives and other methods that would hold down flooring that needs that sort of structure). They also sell “etching” products which you should be able to apply over painted or stained concrete to make it rough and porous again- sort of like a stripper. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Ann says
Your sunroom floor is gorgeous! Now that some time has passed since the floor paint was applied, has it held up well? Has anything heavy been dragged across it, and if so, how has it held up? Did it leave a noticeable scratch? I want to do this in a bedroom, and you know how heavy dressers and armoires can be. I painted with a cream-colored latex floor paint in a different bedroom last year, and every flaw of the slab and every furniture drag scratch is visible. Thank you. Ann
YoungHouseLove says
We’re happy to report that it still looks fantastic! We haven’t dragged heavy objects across it (we’re always careful to pick them up or use furniture moving coasters) so we can’t sound off about that particular question, but if you take care of your painted floor as you would a hardwood or ceramic floor you should be just fine. Oh but definitely let it dry dry dry before moving things in (that would result in chips and scratches pretty much off the bat if it’s not fully cured). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Alice says
I live in a condo with a concrete patio in the front. The only way to get out of or into the condo is through this patio (my condo is connected to other condos on both sides and in back also). My sister and I would love to paint our patio, but the thought of having to either stay indoors for 6 days straight or live out of our carport for 6 days while it dries isn’t too appealing. What do you suggest?
YoungHouseLove says
Good question! Just visit your local home improvement store to see what they recommend! They might have something that dries in 24-48 hours so you could stay with a friend for the weekend. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jennifer says
Hi guys – I just came across your blog and love it! I was searching for answers regarding the Behr semi-transparent concrete stain and here I am. My hubby and I are in a ‘pickle’ and need some fast advice. Here’s the run-down:
We have ripped up every inch of flooring throughout our house and decided to stain the concrete. We bought the Behr stuff in “Loden” and after cleaning and etching our “test room” we applied it with a sprayer (set on the finest mist). Results = horrible!
The stain looks splotchy, and where I tried to blend it in with a roller, you can see every stinkin’ brush mark! And to top it off, the stain isn’t transparent at all – it looks like a really shoddy paint job. So we’re bummed.
Now we’ve bought a little lighter color – the Behr “Natural Henna” to solve the color issue. Now my only issue is…what’s the best way to apply this stuff and have it turn out looking good? We haven’t etched the rest of the house and after seeing that you guys had such good luck skipping the etch and primer, I’m curious to try your one-step method.
With the semi-transparent stain did you just simply roll it on and leave it? Your floors looked amazing but it sounds too easy!!
Do you have any experience with the Behr solid concrete paint? I really want the ‘weathered look’ and not just a solid, blah color.
YoungHouseLove says
Here’s a post all about how we stained our concrete floors.
https://www.younghouselove.com/2008/08/how-to-stain-a-concrete-floor/
We had great results (until we tried to stain over them which led us to painting the floor). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Cynthia says
I’ve been googling about painting floors and found your post, thanks for the info! Our concrete floor in the basement was painted by a prior owner of the house… so we are not sure if we can use a stain. We probably have to paint. Plus, we have dogs and cats and we don’t really want to use oil based… so I’m looking for alternatives. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Cynthia,
It’s true, most painted concrete can’t be stained because it now has an opaque covering so the stain won’t look good or seep into the concrete properly. You might want to visit your local home improvement store to see if they have a stripping agent or etching cream made for painted concrete that might help you get them back to their raw state (which could then be stained). So that’s one idea for you. Otherwise repainting is definitely your best bet. And again, you can ask your local home improvement paint pros if they can recommend anything that will stand up to floor traffic that’s not oil-based. Good luck!
xo,
s
Kara says
Hey YHL,
I wound up doing this project over the past few weekends. I only have pics of the floor up on my blog, but I’ll post pictures of the entire room once it’s done. I couldn’t figure out where to email you guys pictures, so I’m just posting it here. My blog link is: http://mekhart.blogspot.com/2010/04/painted-floors.html
I gave you guys a shout out in my blog. Thanks for the great idea, we really love our $20 flooring solution!
YoungHouseLove says
It looks amazing Kara! Thanks so much for sending us the link so we could see how it turned out. Great job!
xo,
s
aimee says
Hi guys–
I tried searching the archives so pls forgive me if you already answered this, but I would like to paint my basement stairs (which were hastily painted blah grey in latex by the previous owners). Do you think I have to scrape off ALL the paint, or just sand and paint? And what kind of paint to use? Latex or oil? Since it is a stairwell, does it need extra polyurethane coating? Or is using a floor/porch paint strong enough?
Whoops sorry for the all the questions. I asked the folks at HD and no one was able to agree on one answer! :(
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Aimee,
As long as the paint underneath is smooth (not flaking) and has a nice firm bond to the stairs, you shouldn’t even need to sand it at all- and all porch and floor paints come with a built-in primer of sorts which will create a nice strong bond for a durable and lasting finish. We do recommend the oil-based stuff since it’s a lot more long-lasting (no need for a topcoat of poly or anything), but our best advice would just be to visit your local home improvement center and check out the oil-based porch and floor stuff that they have and chat with a pro about what will work best for you. Good luck!
xo,
s
aimee says
ps. i was hoping to do something like this (from Domino, RIP), but alas, they seemed to have removed instructions…
http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/painting-fixing-repair/how-to-paint-rainbow-stairs–048396
aimee says
wonderful! thanks so much–I’m 8mos preggers and can’t help myself…must…paint (or have my dear husband do it!) so am glad to not have to sand anything down. thanks again, S!! :)
kelly Griffin says
Hi YHL–question, we painted out porch floor–EXACTLY how you painted yours, same color, same technique. problems: it came out super shiny (so we tried to tone it down with a de-glosser, and you can see all the roller streaks-boo. And finally: I have noticed a bit of peeling. Any tips?
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, our floor is super glossy and we love it (in fact we described the paint as “deliciously glossy” in the post) so the finish you got sounds just like ours. Unfortunately if that wasn’t what you were going for, you probably wanted to find a flat finish floor paint, but we love the durability and shine of the one we chose. And as for the streaks from the deglosser, we’re not sure what to do there. Maybe ask the pros at your local home improvement store? When it comes to the peeling, things like that are usually a clue about the prep work or the drying time, so if your concrete was totally clean and dry before you started we would guess that you might not have given it the full time to cure so it wasn’t at full strength and then got a bit weathered by foot traffic or moving furniture. Either that or the deglosser had something to do with it. We would ask the pros at your local home improvement store since that step wasn’t something we took on. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
kelly Griffin says
j&S-
thanks for the response, can I send you guys a pic of the porch?
YoungHouseLove says
Sure, but we’re certain that the best way to solve it would be to ask the local pros at a home improvement store near you. We totally understand your dilemma from your description, we just have never personally encountered the problem before. Good luck!
xo,
s
Amanda says
My fiance and I are inheriting his parents post-divorce house. As both of his parents have moved to different states, and his mom offered to let us live there for free since it’s already paid for.
The house is an awful combination of tons of late 80’s wood-paneling and old popcorn ceilings. (Shudder.) But the most interesting thing in the whole house is the pseudo-sunroom. First it’s on the top floor and big enough to make a carport under. And it’s walls are a white-washed plywood. The real kicker is the astroturf carpeting. o.o I’m a big fan of green but not astroturf with cigarette burns everywhere.
I’ll have to take a before picture later today when I head out that way. You’ll be horrified.
YoungHouseLove says
That sounds insane! Good luck with the big makeover!
xo,
s
Ashley says
Hi! I painted my floor using your tutorial and am in love with the results (i moved into a place with navy blue concrete with silver stars spray painted on, no kidding. Major upgrade). So I wanted to say THANK YOU for your help and ask if you would recommend any particular cleaning product for oil-based painted floors?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Ashley,
We love Mrs. Meyer’s All Purpose Cleaner (in the lemon verbena scent) watered down a ton to clean our floors (both our hardwoods and our painted concrete). You also can use a swiffer with those wet pads for a good result. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Angie says
Can you provide a tutorial on “painting a vinyl laminate floor”? Last year my husband and I put in a square vinyl laminate tile floor in our bathroom. We absolutely hate it. Any suggestions for a cool cheap fix?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Angie,
So sorry but we don’t recommend it! Vinyl is such a slippery and smooth surface that it doesn’t take paint well at all (and will crack and peel with foot traffic). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Angie says
Thanks for the advise! You probably saved us alot blood, sweat, and tears!
As always – I love your website!
Ron Moret says
Your floor looks great! I got a sample of the same floor paint in the “Brownstone” color as you have, but a small sample of it did not turn out nearly as glossy as yours, which is actually what I was looking for (glossy). What exactly is the type paint you used for your floor? Also the floor I will be painting is currently covered with carpet…is there any type of preparation (etching) that is required? PS…great site! Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
As long as your concrete floor isn’t sealed it doesn’t need any prep, just follow the steps listed above in this post. As for the exact paint we used, it’s also listed in the post above (color, brand, etc). The finish we picked was glossy (they also offered flat). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Elizabeth says
So happy to have found your blog…and this entry especially. When I bought my house six years ago the previous owner had pulled up all the flooring (except in one bedroom/office) and stained the concrete floors. I really love the look and have enjoyed it. However, she stained the floor with actual wood stain (?!) and it was never sealed or anything from what I can tell and it has now worn off in certain areas…especially where my dog walks around. So here are my questions…I want to re-do it, but don’t think I should use the wood stain the previous owner left behind…so I have thought about putting concrete stain over it, but am fearful that it would require removal of what is already there, did you ever ask anyone about removing the lighter stain from your room before re-staining it? And then, when I saw this post I thought maybe I would follow your lead and just paint, but part of what I love about my floors is that they look sort of like burled wood or burnished leather, and paint would be so flat and one dimensional…do you miss that look in your room? What a quandary! LOL
YoungHouseLove says
Good question! And it’s one we’re not sure about I’m afraid, so perhaps asking a few pros at your local home improvement store (or reading the backs of the stain cans) will help you get to the bottom it.
And as for if we miss our old stained floor, we can’t say we do. We love the glossy and rich chocolate tone a lot (but it’s totally a personal preference thing so follow your heart). Good luck!
xo,
s
Elizabeth says
Thanks so much for the quick response! Upon reading your posts on this and some other info on the web, I’m beginning to think that the fact that this “stain” has worn off may mean that it didn’t really stain the floor at all, but is simply resting on the surface. Guess I will be pestering the people at the home improvement store…after possibly testing that left over wood stain in an inconspicuous corner as a stop gap!
Danielle says
We are doing this project this weekend! In the house we just bought, the carpet in the finished basement was full of urine stains and mold. We ripped out the carpet a few days ago, used a hand floor scrapper to scrap off all carpet glues, tomorrow will be cleaning the concrete floor, and Sunday painting the floor Brownstone. I CANNOT WAIT so see how it turns out, I know it will look amazing and I can’t wait to plan new decor around it once it’s dry. Will send pictures when it’s done. Thanks so much for the detailed tutorial!
Dana says
Your blog just saved me from a complete mental breakdown! We just had some flooding in our basement and I’ve had to tear out all the carpet/linoleum left behind from the prior owner. Happily – they had glued nothing down (not sure why, but for once, I’m happy with their laziness).
Being a stay at home mom, we have NO money for a major do-over, especially flooring. I was considering staining…but saw how lovely your opague paint turned out and am so going that route to save time and money!
Anu K says
Hi,
This is a very informative blog well explained.
question. you’d mentioned in your DIY better homes and garden sunroom transformation – you’d ‘snagged’ the west elm daybed Pg 82, stage 2 photo.
I ‘d been eyeing that daybed for the last 2 yrs that is when I saw it for the first time ! but am still waiting for a lower price on that – online or store.
Did you buy it at their outlet or craigslist ..?
Please enlighten me !!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Anu,
We actually got it as a wedding gift from a group of relatives who knew we were in love with it. To keep it budget friendly they just got us the frame and we got a hand me down mattress and covered it with a cheap fitted sheet from Target (instead of buying the mattress and mattress cover from West Elm). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Reva says
How would you go about protecting an outdoor patio for several days while it dries? I imagine it may cure a bit faster in the open air, but how would you keep dirt and pine needles, etc from sticking? I’m pondering this as a project but I can’t figure this part out. Hmmmmm…
YoungHouseLove says
Our only tip would be to use the forecast and the season to your advantage (don’t attempt it in the fall when the leaves are dropping or when a storm is coming). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
leah says
I have a quick question about this. My mom is considering staining or painting her breezeway and she was thinking that paint would scratch and chip alot. Does it? She has a dog and the breeze ways is her area, we were wondering if it scrapes alot or chips? Her breeze way is a bit more of an outdoorish space, although it has a roof and doors it gets alot of outdoor traffic… would love to hear your advice.
Thanks.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Leah,
Good question! If you use oil-based porch and floor paint it’s meant to hold up to tons of foot traffic (we have a dog running in and out with super pointy nails and ours is in great shape years after painting it). Just be sure to apply it according to directions and give it ample drying time before walking on it and placing furniture on it. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sandra says
Love this! thanks so much for sharing! we are young family remodeling our 60s ranch in east Los Angeles county. I’m contemplating doing this type of floor treatment to our sunroom (which is laid out much as is yours). My question is about your window treatments – our home came with 20 years old vertical blinds (ugly, dingy & white – UGH) your soft curtains are lovely. What kind of treatment did you use – rods? Our room (no walls/all windows floor ceiling) is about 250 sq ft so the window treatments we’ve looked @ have been pricey to say the least. Would love to know what you did or what you recommend. Thanks in advance!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Sandra,
Here’s a post with that info for you: https://www.younghouselove.com/2010/08/our-sunroom-mini-makeover-phase-two/
Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Amy says
All this info has been very helpful. We just had a slab poured and we are going to either stain it or paint it before we have our sunroom built. I like both looks but was wondering if the oil based glossy finish was slippery to walk on? Also, as a side note, our bloodhound walked on the slab before it was completley dry ~ so we have a few doggieprints in the concrete. Do you think either finish would hide the prints? Thanks!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Amy,
The paint would probably obscure the paw prints a little more, but neither one would remove any indentations. The paint wasn’t slippery at all since it was made for floor surfaces and meant to be walked on (we came in and out in the rain all the time and had no problems). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hannah G. says
This question has nothing to do with painting or floors, much less painting floors. Where did you get your daybed? I love it!
Thanks, Hannah G.
YoungHouseLove says
West Elm. Love it!
xo,
s
Yvonne says
Saw your post about your earlier stain-on-stain experience/mishap and this one on painting. I have a concrete basement floor that I want to cover/color also but it has a number of cracks that have been “repaired” with a white compound. I’m wondering if you have any experience staining/painting over this “crack-repair compound” or how to remove it before painting if it shows through the coating.
Thanks!
Yvonne
YoungHouseLove says
We would think it would be visible through stain since it’s semi-transparent, so perhaps your best bet is paint? Maybe do some test painting on a small area of the floor and the crack-repair compound to make sure it looks seamless? Good luck!
xo,
s
Catherine Hodge says
Hey i dont know if Sue Walker has painted her cabin floors yet but lighter fluid works best to remove glue i know from experience I tried all the store bought solvents and nothing came close to lighter fluid…..btw i am going to paint the concrete floor in my salon the same color yall used i love how rich it looks. Luckily i have some friends that r gonna let me work in there salon so i wont miss any work waiting on the floors to dry. I will send pics.Is there an email i can send them to?
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so sweet of you! We don’t release commenters email addys to each other (for privacy reasons), but feel free to post a link over to those pics (if you upload them onto a site like flickr or shutterfly it usually works best) and Sue can click on over. Thanks again for offering up such amazing help to Sue!
xo,
s
Candice says
We are painting our floors. I read on the paint can that the paint might be slippery and an additive might be needed. Did you use an additive in your paint for a “non skid” surface? Have you had any issues with a slippery floor? I have two small children and I would hate for them to be falling all the time! Thanks for your help. I love your blog!
YoungHouseLove says
Nope, ours wasn’t slippery but we did use porch and floor paint that was specifically meant for foot traffic. Even with wet shoes it was ok! Maybe just paint yours and see how it goes (and use the additive if you need it afterwards?). Hope it helps.
xo,
s
Amanda says
We are in the process of redoing our basement (tri-floor house really). I checked on your site to see if you had done a basement redo and Wa La! Bingo! So, I was thinking of staining the concrete floor or painting. I love yours. But I like the modeled look of the stain I see in some stores and restaurants! So…trying to decide. Stain wouldn’t chip but I am not sure how it works. I need to research it. Do you worry your paint will chip? We painted our screened in porch in our other home and it eventually was wearing and chipping. This is what worries me. Obviously you thought this through. What are your thoughts? Thanks so much for being willing to share all your ideas!
YoungHouseLove says
We actually stained our concrete first! So if you search “how to stain concrete” you’ll find that post too. The stain wouldn’t chip or peel, it would probably just wear down over time. And you’d have that half-transparent look. The paint gives you a more smooth and sleek finish in all one color that’s less modeled, but it also can peel or chip with wear & tear over the course of about five years (in the year that we lived with ours before moving it didn’t though). It’s applied pretty thinly and evenly so it’s not super thick and chippy or anything. It’s really just about what you like – you probably can’t go wrong either way!
xo,
s
Amanda says
Does it concern you in any way that the porch or basement floor will chip or wear in traffic areas? I am considering painting or staining the bottom floor of our tri-level home. The room was never finished and we are doing a rec room redo. Are you thinking…just repaint….when this happens? Do you have any advice on staining? I love that modeled look (seen in restaurants) that appears like a really old piece of tile.
YoungHouseLove says
Check out the comment right before this one. I responded to your question- hope you can see it!
xo,
s
Diane says
Love the painted floor in the sunroom. Would you do the same with a ceramic tile floor in a kitchen? I have the ugliest white, 70’s looking tile floor with filthy grout. No money at the time to replace it and want to paint it.
I would love your input. Thanks so much.
Diane
YoungHouseLove says
I’m not sure there’s any successful way to paint ceramic tile without it cracking and peeling aside from professional reglazing (which might be expensive). Perhaps try asking at the home improvement center or a paint store to see what they recommend?
xo,
s
Hilary @ KatrinkaJane says
Hi! Just discovered your blog, and we’re a young family about to purchase our own (first!) “old home”. :) The floor I’m thinking about painting is a room in the bottom half of our split-level (kind of basement-y). It has a door to the back yard and a window well, as well as the sump pump, electrical box, and central vac bin. No ceiling fan. If we can’t leave the door open, do you think the window well window will be enough ventilation? Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, I think so. Maybe try bringing a table fan down and sitting it on the steps or the window well so you get a little cross breeze?
xo
s
Princetown at the Landings says
Super like. I like your idea of colors and it really looks great. I guess I don’t need to hire a painter since it could be done easily. I think I’m going to tell my husband about it so he could do the painting job as well… (grins*)
Candeeand says
Great instructions and hints for concrete floors. I have stained floors in two different houses and love the way it came out, but am now in the position you were wanting to re-do it. What is on the floor now is a medium beige base coat, and then two lighter shades over that applied with one of those rollers that lets you apply two colors at once. The finished effect was like marble and was beautiful. Alas, it has been on the floor for four years and is just now showing wear. My question was exactly what you answered if you can stain over stain…you have helped me avoid making a BIG MESS!!! Thank you for sharing your experience, saving me time and money. I think I am definitely going to go for the glossy porch paint look next! Love your blog!!
Sandy says
My kitchen floors are wood…they are dinged and scratched pretty bad…they are engineered and I can’t replace them because of cost. I am seriously considering painting them. I have Corian type counters in a pale green with flecks..actually I will see if I can add a picture here but if not I can send it. Would really appreciate and color ideas for the floor. I’m clueless when it comes to colors on anything.C:\Users\steve\Pictures\2012-02-27 001 That may not show up so let me know if I can email it if it doesn’t.
YoungHouseLove says
How about posting a pic to our facebook page to ask for advice? Lots of folks are over there to chime in with different ideas! I always thing a wood-like color works since it’s so neutral (mocha, chocolate brown, tan, etc). Not sure if you can paint engineered wood though. I would ask at the paint counter to be sure it’ll stick and won’t just peel up!
xo,
s
stacey says
now that you’ve both stained and painted do you think you would have like the end result better if you would have stained the 1st time with the deep chocolate instead of the yellow color? I love the dark look of this but like the idea of something less opaque. With the stain did you have to apply a clear coat?
YoungHouseLove says
I think we really loved the solid chocolate because it was so glossy and slick, literally like poured chocolate. But a chocolate stain would have been fun but a bit rougher and more see-through. So it just depends what you like. As for a clear coat there’s no need for it since it’s all built into the floor stain. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
katie says
Looks great!
I’m thinking of painting my front porch, but wondering do you have any trouble with dirt footprints showing up on the dark painted floor? thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
We didn’t have much trouble. Just put a doormat at both doorways (the one leading into the house and into the sunroom) and it caught most of everything. Sometimes a leaf or two would get dragged in but we’d just pick them up or sweep from time to time.
xo,
s