How to Strip Any Floor Down to Concrete and Paint It
This type of floor treatment can give any room a distinctive look and a warm, inviting appeal. It can pull a room together and make it into a gorgeous showplace that your friends will admire and envy.
And the best part is that you can do it yourself. Actually, that’s only half the ‘best part’. The second half is that this particular floor treatment is inexpensive and a fun project that you’ll enjoy doing.
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NOTE: Before beginning any project, which requires you to kneel much of the time, it is a good idea to invest in a good pair of kneepads. This can save you quite a bit of knee pain and even damage to the kneecap itself.
Step One – Remove Old Flooring
The first step, of course, is to remove the existing floor covering. If your floor presently has carpet, then this is a fairly easy task.
�· Remove the threshold strips at every entrance to the room.
�· Remove the molding from around the edges of the room.
�· Run a carpet knife around the perimeter of the room in order to loosen the edges of the carpet.
At this point, it’s simply a matter of rolling the carpet up and taking it outside. Sometimes the pad can be done at the same time as the carpet and sometimes this will need to be an extra step. This depends on what type of room you’re working in and how the carpeting was originally installed.
Sweep or vacuum the floor to remove loose debris. It’s also a good idea to wash the floor well with soap and water in order to remove any dust or dirt left behind.
If your floor is covered with linoleum or vinyl floor tiles, then you will need a scraper. These come with long and short handles and you will probably need both types. Most of the tiles can be loosened by forcing the blade of the scraper under the edge of the tile and pushing until the adhesive lets go. At times though, you may need to get down on hands and knees (please wear those knee pads!) in order to remove the tiles.
Step Two – Clean Floor Thoroughly
Once all of the tiles (or linoleum) have been removed from the room, it will be necessary to clean the floor with an adhesive remover. There are many brands of adhesive removers that will work for this at your local hardware store.
CAUTION: Always wear a mask when using products such as adhesive removers. The fumes from these products can be harmful to your health. Be sure to open some windows or turn on a ceiling fan to ensure proper ventilation.
Step Three – Repair Concrete
Now that the floor covering has been removed, and the floor properly cleaned, it’s time to prepare the concrete. Most of the time, when carpet is installed in a room, there is damage to the underlying concrete from carpet nails. This is easy to repair.
Go down to your local hardware store and purchase a concrete repair product such as Vinyl Concrete Patch. This comes in a 10 lb. pail and is pre-mixed for ease and convenience. You will also need a putty knife. The size putty knife depends largely on the size of the holes you’ll be repairing but normally something with a 2 to 3 inch blade will work well.
Work quickly. Dip edge of knife into concrete mixture and spread over hole in floor, forcing product into hole while smoothing out surface. It’s okay to leave the concrete a bit higher than the floor’s surface. This excess amount can be sanded away later.
Fill all holes in the same manner and allow to dry according to package directions. Once the concrete has hardened, you can go back and lightly sand, making certain that the repaired sections are even with the rest of the floor. A nice even surface is preferable to work with.
NOTE: It’s not important that every inch of the concrete floor be perfect. Miscellaneous defects in a concrete floor’s finish can lend old-world charm to the completed project.
Step Four – Prime Floor
Sometimes we balk at having to spend that extra cash on primers. But using a primer prior to painting your floor will:
�· Provide a uniform and attractive paint finish.
�· Block water, grease, or other stains from bleeding through your topcoat.
�· Improve adhesion of the topcoat.
�· Paint lasts longer and looks better.
Step Five – Paint Floor
Now comes the fun part. Choosing a Color. It is also important to choose the correct type of paint. If you are working on a bathroom floor, then it’s best to use a paint that is water and/or mold resistant, or at least one with an oil base formula.
NOTE: You do Not need to use a paint that is labeled “Concrete Paint” for an interior floor. It is important, however, to purchase a durable brand with a good reputation.
When considering your color choices, look around the room to see what other colors are present in furnishings, drapery, walls, etc. You want your floor to become part of the room and not stand out like a sore thumb. Normally, use of a lighter shade or pastel is preferable to a dark or harsh color.
If you’re not certain, pick up paper samples at the paint store and lay them in the center of the room. Try to visualize what the entire floor would look like if it were that color. If all else fails, buy a small amount of the color and paint it on a large piece of cardboard. You can purchase a 2 x 3 sheet of poster board at Walmart for under a dollar. Lay the poster board in the floor and see how it looks in the room.
Step Six – Painting A Mural
While you’re deciding on a color, it’s time to talk about personalizing the dÃ?©cor or setting a theme for the room. Think of your floor as a large canvas, a clean slate on which to paint anything you wish.
Perhaps the dÃ?©cor of your room has a Spanish feel. It might be fun to paint pieces of Mexican Pottery onto your floor color. You could be decorating a room with a “Vineyard Theme”. Drawing bunches of grapes or a vineyard would really set the mood for the room. Or you might try using a sponge and darker color for that mottled look. Anything you can do on a wall can be done on the floor. Keep it simple though. Too much activity or the wrong colors can detract from the overall beauty of the room.
Any drawings or artistic shapes or murals should be done once you have the floor primed and painted. Allow the floor to dry thoroughly between each coat.
Step Seven – Seal The Beauty Inside
The final step is the Sealer. There are many brands out there and it would seem that using an oil-based sealer would render the best results. This is true to some extent. It does provide added protection but it will also yellow with time. Regardless of what the sealer product label says, all oil-based sealers turn a bit yellow over time.
If your floor and room design lends itself to this yellowing affect, then by all means go ahead and use the oil-based product. If not, it’s best to go with an acrylic sealer.
The Steps in a Nutshell
1. Remove old flooring
2. Clean floor thoroughly
3. Repair concrete
4. Prime
5. Paint
6. Decorate
7. Seal
Tips For Success
�· Try to remember that this type of floor treatment, though it is not difficult, does require time. Each coat of primer or paint should dry overnight or at least 8 hours.
Ã?· Don’t be afraid to be creative! Have fun with your floor. It’s very easy to paint over it if you don’t like the way it comes out.
Ã?· Start with a “Theme” for the entire room such as, “Old Mexico” or “The Vineyard”.
Ã?· Spend some time searching through magazines for colors and styles that fit your “theme”.
