Tips for Painting Linoleum Flooring
Many people don’t know that linoleum flooring can be painting, however it is an easy, inexpensive way to dress up your floors without the expense of replacing dated linoleum. The finish is surprisingly durable and can last for a long time with proper care. Here are some tips on how to paint a linoleum floor.
To begin with, you need to be sure that your floor really is in good enough shape to be painted. Scuffs and dirt are fine, but major damage like tears or holes won’t look good even if it is painted. Cracks can also be a sign that your floor should be replaced rather than painted.
As long as the floor is in decent shape it can be painted. You will need to thoroughly clean the surface before beginning to ensure that you don’t trap any bits of grit or grime in your paint. Begin by first sweeping up any large items like dirt or pet hair.
To ensure that you get it all you can even use a vacuum which will suck up even the smallest pieces that otherwise might have gotten away with just a broom. Then, mop the floor thoroughly to remove any stuck on dirt or grime.
Once the floor is clean you are ready to start prepping it to be painted. Use medium grit sandpaper and a hand sanding block to sand the entire surface of the linoleum flooring. This can be a tedious job but it is vital to ensure that the paint will adhere to the linoleum and won’t just peel off.
By sanding the floor you accomplish three things: you remove the wax from the surface of the linoleum, you give it more “tooth” to hold the paint, and you eliminate any rough spots.
After the floor is sanded vacuum up any dust or residue and hit them with a mop again to pick up any fine traces of dust left over from sanding. Allow them to dry and then apply an oil based primer to prime the surface for painting.
Be sure that it is an oil based primer and not a latex primer since you will be using oil based paint to paint the floors. Apply a generous coat of primer and allow it to dry thoroughly. You can use a roller with an extender handle to paint the floors and make the job easier on your back.
Once the primer is dry you can begin painting your floor. This is the part where you can let your creativity shine if you choose to. You can either paint your floor all in one solid color or you can paint patterns or faux tiles on the floor to give it more flare.
Use at least 4-5 coats of oil based paint on the floor to ensure that the paint is thick enough and will hold up over time. Oil paint takes a long time to dry to plan your painting project for a time when you won’t need to be constantly going in and out of the room.
Once you have applied all of the coats of paint to your floor and it is dry all you have left to do is sit back and enjoy your handiwork!
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