My husband and I are remodeling one of the bed rooms in our trailer home. When we removed the carpet we found that the pressboard under had what looks like an oil stain. ( The previous owner used this rrom for storage. Many stains all over the floor.) We would like to put down vinyl but worried that in wont stay. Is there any way to seal this mess?
Melissa H. CLarington, OH

Melissa,
I doubt you will have any problems with the sheet-vinyl adhesive. Possibly consider coating the floor with a water-based urethane.

I have an old basement floor that was once covered with glued tile, that one of my customers wants painted.What is the best methodand type of paint to use. The floor (concrete)has been stripped of the tile but is not down to bare concrete. Is there a sealer that i can use the will stay.

Arthur,
If there is no vapor barrier under the slab, all paints will likely fail. If I was forced to paint it, I would use epoxy paint.

I am redoing my sons bedroom. The carpet is awful. There are plywood floors underneath the carpet and I wondered if it's possible to pull up the carpet and paint the plywood and make it look good. Can you help?
Thanks,
Shanece Harrod

Shanece,
One would think you skimmed the column above and went directly to the comments. You bet the floor will look great!

Tim, I have torn up carpet and found particle board on one bedroom floor. Do I need to cover it with plywood first or can I paint on that? Thanks for your advice! I'm a newly single mom and happy to find out I can redo some floors without spending a fortune!

Rhoda

Rhoda,
You can paint the OSB, but it might be a little rough.

Hi Tim -

We are finishing our basement (our home is 3yrs old). No sealer was put on the concrete floor. If we paint/stain it, does it need to be etched? Also can I use 3 coats of polyurethane to seal the concrete?

Thanks for your help!
Donald

Don,
Just clean the floor. Use a masonry primer to seal the concrete.

I,too, want to paint my basement floor. After I stripped the old tile and glue down to the bare concrete, I see there is a remarkably preserved glossy gray finish that appears undamaged, even by the mineral spirits I used to remove the old glue. So my question is, will new paint be as durable, and do I need to do anything special to the glossy gray finish before applying primer, paint and urethane?

Roland,
Use a liquid deglosser on the existing paint.

I have a PARTICLE WOOD subfloor that is exposed in all rooms. Any alternative, out there suggestions? I have no money presently to lay laminate, hardwood, carpet or for that matter not too much money to do much of anything. Sweat equity is what I will be expending. Any thoughts on alternative flooring? The particle wood is so ugly and dirty. It sheds dust all the time. Please help......

Jeanette,

Well heck, PAINT them! :->>>>> Clean them well, prime them and then do what I say in the column.

Hi Don,
We have some Dupont T&G laminate flooring that looks like fake green slate. It's aweful! The previous owners installed it, and they started @ either end of the room(combined dining rm and kitchen) and met in the middle. There's a horrible patch work piece in the center. We want a change and are considering painting the floor, but what can we do about this aweful cobbled together strip in the middle?
Thanks!

Shannon,
Who is Don?
Replace the hack job. If you are unable, hire a pro.

We are planning on painting the plywood floors of our cabin.

It is only a summer place - not heated at all. There is no insulation under the plywood and an open crawl space beneath that.

Is there anything special that we should use to ensure that it stands up? Will the urethane stand up to the freezing and dampness in the winter?

Bill,
You should be fine...... As long as water vapor can't come up from the ground. Read all of my Vapor Barrier columns.

I have laminate flooring and some parts are really damaged with dents and holes, which makes it look like mud stains...any good idea to repair it please as i cannot afford new ones now. Maybe paint over it or a good repair kit....thank you

I am painting plywood that has been painted with very glossy marine paint. Any pointers on painting over the current paint? Also, have you ever used rags to create texture on a plywood floor like you would on a wall? Would this work? Thanks Alexa

Alexa,
You need to sand the floor or use a liquid deglossing product. Get a rag roller.

I wanted to update the lino floor in the kitchen as it has an 80's pattern on it.
I was wondering between the paint and the three layers of urethane can we walk on the floor? Or will we have to avoid the area for a few days?

Thanks, Emily

Emily,
I think the column is pretty clear about when you can walk on the floor. Look at it once more. The urethane alone needs 48 hours of cure time for heavy traffic.

Is it possible to paint laminate flooring? If so, what needs to be done to prepare the surface and what kind of paint can be used? Thanks for the help!

tina

I recently had an 8x12 shed, with an overhead door, built on top of a cement pad adjoining my driveway. I can not keep the floor dry. Right now, the only vent is the ridge vent. I bought two wall vents to install, believing that might help. It was built to house my motorcycle and the wet floor and dampness is not good for the bike. Any other suggestions on keeping the inside of the shed dry?

Tina,
It is possible. Read all of my past columns about painting floors. There are several columns with lots of tips!

Bruce,
The builder made a mistake. A high-quality vapor barrier should have been placed on top of the floor joists before the flooring was installed. All sorts of water flows under the shed and this water is evaporating through your shed.

Hello Tim
I have a small condo 650ft. The former owner tiled the enire condo. Problem is they used a different tile in each room. It looks hideous. How do I paint it and do I need to fill in the grout to even the floor out? I am experienced in redoing wood flooring, but have never refinished tile. Also, the tile is very smooth, would I have to rough it up?

Arlene,
Just follow all of the advice in *all* of my columns about Painting Floors - there are several. You do not have to rough up the tile, just make sure it is clean.

I have read your comments on painting floors. I did not see anywhere if it is okay to paint laminate wood floors. I have a swimwear store on the beach with a lot of heavy foot traffic and a lot of sand that comes in with the people. Is it possible to paint the exitsing laminate wood flooring? I would like to do a distressed white wash look to the floor.

Wendy,
You can paint laminate floors.

Thanks for having this web page.

I need to sell my house. My realtor says my bathroom floor tile should be covered. Though I disagree...it is in perfect shape and is not ugly, I am thinking of painting it a neutral color (it's kind of a Spanish tile with yellow/brown decorative stuff).

Do you have a product that you recommend for this?

Again, the tile and grout is perfect. I would probably need to sand it with something, prime it and then use a enamel-type paint?

Thanks,

Susan

I'm finishing a bookcase I built (see below for a link to a pic of it). I'm going to paint it, but it's actually going to be used quite actively; that is, it's not just to show off knick-knacks.

I want to be be sure that the finish is hard and will stand up to use. I don't want anything to stick to it... I've had to touch up many rooms after leaning something against the wall for a while.

Is water-based urethane the answer? There seem to be lots of different products out there (I'm looking at you, Minwax), and I have trouble telling the difference between them.

Can someone make a specific recommendation? What product is best for a non-yellowing, hard finish for a bookcase that will see active use for books, electronics/computers, etc.?

Check out the bookcase here: http://picasaweb.google.com/fgarriel/Bookcase/photo#5158150769881454962

Susan,
Follow your heart. Do not paint this floor. Let the new owners deal with it. That floor color will not be a deal breaker. I am a licensed broker here in Ohio and there are many other things you should be fretting about.

Frank,
Water-based urethane is indeed the answer.

Hi, Tim,
My husband and I are finally finishing the stairwell. We have a small landing at the top and bottom of the stairs which have a designed vinyl sheet goods. The colors do not go with the paint color we are using and the tile also has a few gouges in it. I understand I can paint the tile to match my colors better and not have to replace the tile which could be a problem. Where can I get the paint and primer to do this job? Thanks for your help.
Mary

Mary,
I would go to a store that specializes in paint.

Hello,
We have just finished painting my daughters floor and are ready to put the urethane on. Can you tell me the best way to put urethane on the floor?

Thanks

Jenn,
I have had superb luck with a lamb's-wool applicator. You may need to thin the water-based urethane a little so it really flows.

tim,
I have a 50 year old basement floor slab and no vapor barrier. installed a french drain with 2 sumps in opposite corners. and last, i used a 2 coat cement based sealer to cover. last spring i did get a few small pools of water when the water table came up throught the floor. i want to put down an final finishing coat on the floor. should i just use a latex or can i use epoxy paint to really seal the deal? thanks!!! Jon

Jon,
Wrong! You need to stop the water BEFORE it gets indoors under the slab. Please go read every one of my columns in the Drainage category.

I would like to try painting an OSB covered floor to look like an old barnwood floor. Any tips?

Linda,
Yes, read all of my columns about Painting Floors and the ones about Faux Painting.

We have a section of floor in our bedroom that is concrete in the corner (think a fire place used to be there) What's the best way to make that look better than just a horrible dirty piece of concrete in the corner?

Susan,
Carpet, cork, tile, slate, etc.

Great article, Tim & awesome ideas. Hubby and I are remodeling an old trailer home, the vinyl flooring is terrible and we had laid down 1/2" treated plywood in bathroom and hallway. We wanted to continue on with possibly 1/2" lauan plywood and finish it. We thought of stain/urathane or just urathane, now I'm interested in your good ideas of painting it. Any recommendations for this situation? What specific type of filler paint, and/or urethane would you recommend? Am very open to advice, I hate this vinyl floor and I think this is the best fix for us!!

Cinda,
Just read ALL of my columns on this topic. There are several and you will have all of your questions answered.

what type of paint would be good for vinyl flooring?

Joann,
The type I discuss in all of my columns about Painting Floors.

We live in Mexico. We want to paint a clay tile floor. What paint should we use? Do you have any other suggestions.

My husband and I recently bought a used mobile home with horrible carpet, when we pulled it up the floors turned out to be particle board. Is there any way to stain or paint particle board?

Hi Tim

I would like to use 2 colours on my floor. A base colour, then a top coat
then sanded or worn in places to have the base coat show through. Do you know how to get this effect and still have a durable floor?

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks

Sandy

I found that under my carpet is particle board also. Is it possible to sand it to get rid of the wood chips or do I just paint directly over it?
Thanks for your help!

Hi,

I'd like to paint my doug fir (new construction) porch and porch stairs. My contractor is discouraging this, saying it will be a lot of maintenance and the stairs will be slippery. Do you think this is true? Should I go for a synthetic "trex" type of porch decking?

Hannah,
Yes. Read all of my columns about this.

Sandy,
Read ALL of my columns about Painting Floors. There are several of them.

Kim,
You can sand OSB, but it is a mess. You can also just paint it.

Erin,
The paint will be problematic over time. You better read all of my past columns about Composite Decking!

We have just bought a new house and are renovating the whole thing. We have a room that used to be a porch and is now a closed in room. We don't want to spend much money in this room because it will need to be torn down in a few years and rebuilt anyway. The flooring in this room is a tiled floor (from 1970's) which had been covered over by a carpet. We would like to paint this floor but there is a lot of glue left on it from the carpet and there are also paint stains on the floor. Could we clean up the floor in order to paint over it and if so what should we do to clean it up? Also, which paint would work best?

Leah,
I cover this in all of my past columns on the topic. There are at least three more you need to read.

My husband and I want to paint the floor of a room in our house but we pulled up the original flooring from the 70's and there is this black glue or tar looking stuff it is smooth....can we just paint over that or do we need to take it off and if so what we use to pull it up with?

Laura,
Please read all of my past columns about Adhesive Removers. There are several.

Is it possible to paint particleboard in this manner?

Anna,
Yes.

hey tim,
Is it possible to place a tile floor on top of another tile floor and have it be durable?
thanks for the help,
Jim

Jim,
Yes. So long as the existing floor is solid and in great shape.

My husband and I are short on funds when it comes to flooring in our new home. Could I do "anything" to the current plywood we have down as sub-flooring to give it a finished look? If so, what? I would really love to stain it and trim it out. Is that possible?

Brandi,
You can stain or paint..... If you stain, be sure to go read my past columns about Wood Conditioners!!!! Read all of my columns about Painting Floors.

Hi,

I currently have a painted floor in our new home. It has started to peel. I would like to continue with a painted floor in another color. What do I need to do to prepare the floor before I paint? Thanks.

Aime,
You need to follow the advice in many of my Painting columns. I tell you how to properly prepare surfaces. Happy Reading! :->

Hi Tim,

I was wondering if I could stain rather than paint pressboard and then seal? Of course we would sand it first to make sure it's smooth.
Cathy

Cathy,
Absolutely positively Yes!

Great article. I have painted and stained concrete floors for others before and I want to do it in my house now. The last time I did it the builder had used an adhesive to glue the carpet pad down. I ended up having to rent a huge floor sander to get all the glue off, is there a better way? Is it necessary to get it all off to paint?

James,
You may try a liquid adhesive remover.

We have refinished our garage. the floor is an old tie. I don't want to remove it, I want to paint it...

I will then paint footprints on it from my grandson's feet.

Is this possible?

Gail,
Regular paint will fail from hot tires and water vapor that might come through the slab. Just realize it may fail in short order.

I have read all of the above comments. I am just so nervous about my proposed project! I live in a mobile home with OSB floors. I am wanting to rip out all of the carpet ~ paint or stain the floor ~ then put a couple coats of poly over it. Am I going to be able to lay new carpet or hardwood or vinyl over that later on down the road without it causing a fire hazard or something like that? I think that it will be okay ~ I am just looking for some reassurance before I start such a big job!!! Thanks

Pam,
There is no fire hazard. There is an old saying: Elephants are best eaten one bite at a time. So start this job in a single closet. Experiment there until you feel comfortable. You can also go buy one sheet of OSB and experiment with that!

I'm happy to learn that a ceramic tile floor can be painted, but I have some concerns about painting my kitchen's floor. Can you tell me if a painted floor will hold up to frequent washings...perhaps three times per week...and to the daily use of chairs being pushed in and out from the table? Also, are there any special considerations when painting dark ceramic tile to a much lighter color? The floor in question is a rustic brown ceramic tile with wide black grout...way too dark for our poorly lit kitchen. Many thanks for any advice you can offer.

Hi,
I am wanting to paint some vinyl tile in my basement. It's in fine shape, it's just ugly and old fashioned. From what I gather from this page, all I need to do is clean the floor, then paint it with the same kind of paint a person uses on walls, then seal it with three coats of water-based urethane. Does that sound correct? Any tips? Thanks.

Hi,We just had new cement poured (it's been 2 weeks) and did an acid treatment 3 days ago and have now applied 3 coats of cement stain. It is gunpowder grey which actually turned out close to black. Each coat that dries looks a little better but there are chalky steaks every time it dries. It doesn't look good. What can we do?

Tammy

I am sick of the carpet in my home. I am at the point of just pulling it out. I would like to tile the house, but at this point I don't have the energy (because I would be the one to do it). I have decided to paint the concrete. Once I pull the carpet, do I need to etch it or am I able to clean it and start painting? What type of paint should I use. I don't want a shiny floor, and lastly, what do I seal it with? thank you so much for any information!!

We have a small portion of ceramic tile in our entry way that we painted black, and it's pretty much just all flaked and cracked off. Can ceramic tile even be painted? We are trying to save some money instead of having to replace the tile..

Rhiannon,

Tim discusses painting ceramic tile in this column - http://www.askthebuilder.com/723_How_To_Paint_Ceramic_Tile.shtml

Copy and paste the link, or go to the Ceramic Tile category on the left. This is one of the first columns listed.

If I cut 2' x 2' squares of ply, and put a beveled edge on them, and white wash the, then coat with the urathane, will that be okay without a primer?

Tim,

Hello!
I have torn up the carpet in the front room of my manufactured home. I am planning to paint it. There are stains on the particle board (mobile home decking class 3). I used some Webcreat 98 to cover staple dents and to level up the center board seam. My problem or question.....
The stains are coming through the webcreat98. Will I be done with these stains after I paint on an oil base primer? The floor has been setting a week without the carpet on and NO I did not spill anything on the floor recently.
Thanks for your advice.
Meg
rowing3cc@yahoo.com

Hi Tim,
I'm helping my boyfriend repair and remodel his family's river front home. Structure alone has eaten up all of the money right now and we need a cheaper solution for the floors. They are currently those dark and dingy 9" asbestos tiles but are so old and marked up they never look clean. Can we paint over these as a solution for a few years until we can have them removed and replaced?
Thanks,
Caitlin

We're looking at redoing our daughter's bedroom with plywood floors. Instead of painting, I'd like to put a light stain on them (something like a whitewash) so the wood grain shows through. Just wondering what the best option is for a stain and if there's anything special we need to do before staining that differs from painting? I'd ask at my local hardware store, but they're all about laminate and will just try to convince me it won't work!

Tim- I just used Zap oil based sealant on an old wood floor. It has a mildew smell, so I asked the salesperson if they thought this product would work. I wish I would have read your site before I started. I have let the first coat of sealant dry...and I can still scratch it off. I am worried. I don't want to have to remove the sealant. :( I am hoping you'll have advice. Can I paint over this (with what?) and then seal it with urethane coating? Thanks in advance. Sherilyn

I want to put a dark wood floor in my kitchen, and don't have a large budget. We've pealed up the vinyl and seen a really nice, hard composite board underneath as the subflooring. I think it looks really nice, reminds me of cork a bit. Can we just stain it, and finish it in the manner you suggested? Any recommendations on stain... I know the composite has filers and/or resins in it... is there anything in particular we should use?
Thanks!!

My house has terrible carpet throughout that I want to get rid of, but can't afford to put down the hardwood or cork I ultimately want, at least not at the moment. I am up for the idea of painting or staining the existing plywood subfloor, but am wondering what to do on the stairs...

Any idea what I would find under the carpet on stairs in a wood-frame townhouse built around 2002?

The finishing work on the place is not great, and when I pulled up the basement carpeting the floor was not in great shape (there were stains and nails etc left behind by the builders) so I'm not SUPER confident that the rest of the subfloors will be in good shape. Is it worth it to try??

Hi there. I just bought a house with 2 yr. old armstrong laminate plank, gooved, natual look floors. I can't stand the color and was wondering what primer, paint, urethane combo you would use to paint them. I have painted ceramic tile counter tops before using Glidden Gripper primer, then coating it over with Minwax polyacrylic. I even did two ugly showers and made them look brand new in 50 yr. old houses...but I am scared of ruining the floors here as I have so much of them and high traffic with a newborn, 1 yr. old and recent 3 yr old. I let them ride toys inside and this floor cleans up so well but I can't stand the fake gun oak wood look. I want them black or something cool. The floors are seemingly impermeable to liquid so do I need to scuff if I want to paint them?? Sorry for the million questions but ripping the floors out is something I want to wait a few years for. An exact set of recommendations would be so helpful. Thank you again and FYI Armstrong floors are not very good. The pieces come apart, the floors chip and the manufacturer's 25 yr. warranty is worthless...so maybe paint can save them??!!

Hi,
Getting ready to paint my basement floor. Floor has been painted long ago and coming up in a few spots. I scraped the floors and cleaned them well. Do I really need to etch the exposed concrete or can I prime it and then paint. I really don't want to be exposed to toxic fumes with no venilation. Planning on painting it with epoxy concrete & garage floor paint.

Hello Tim,

I'm going to be painting my hardwood floors, and I'm glad I found your article because I was about to use latex. Great to know that I should use oil paints. The urethane is a great idea, but I like my floors to have the flat look, as a matter of fact, I'm painting them flat black. Is there a urethane that won't make the floors shiny?

Thanks for your time,
Nastatia

What is this "special primer" you need to prime the bare floor with. Does it have a special name or brand?
Thanks for the help.

I was delighted to find your article on painting subfloors after much searching. I have a 10 year old mobile home with carpets that need to be replaced, but as others have said, money is tight. This mobile home has tongue in groove plywood subfloors. I had the idea of just painting these floors, but was cautioned against it by my father and stepfather who both say "it isn't a good idea to just paint a bare subfloor". What are they thinking could go wrong? Is there any risk? Just don't want any more expensive problems down the road.

I would like to paint the floor of our 100 year old log cabin. It has linolum on the floor that is about 50 year old and so thin that it is almost fused to the concrete underneath. Can I use garage (concrete) paint on the floor? The cabin is not winterized and gets a lot of water on the floor from swimmers in the summer. Do you have any suggestions for another kind of paint?
Thank you,
Jean

I pulled up my carpet to find not so great looking hardwood flooring. I want to paint the floor instead of refinishing it. I am wondering, do I need to sand it first or could I just clean, primer and paint?

We live in a condo that was constructed as an addition to a larger building in 1976. We are hoping to paint our concrete basement floor, but really have no way (that we can see) of telling if there is a vapor barrier. Do you think it is safe to assume that a '76 construction would have one?

Robert,

If you have good looking hardwood floors, don't think you want to paint them. We found hardwood floors under our carpet. Had it sanded down and a few coats of clear polyurethane applied. They look great. Paint won't let the hardwood show.

I'm ready to paint my plywood floors. Any good suggestions on colors? Is it possible to make then look like stained concrete?

i have a concrete basement floor. built in 1957 (so, i'm sure no vapor barrier). is it too late for me to put one down? i'd really like to try the plywood flooring (but was thinking more of staining it, as opposed to painting it). would some type of vapor barrier work at this point? or am i out of luck?

I have a painted concrete floor in my sun room that is chipping and peeling. How can prep the floor to repaint? Once prepped, what type of paint should I use before the 3 coats of polyurethane?

Help!

My basement floor was previously covered in vinyl tiles that were secured by this black tar looking adhesive. I want to get this stuff up and either paint or put down real tile. Is there anything I can use to get this up and should I paint or tile? The house was built in the 1960's so there is probably no vapor barrier and it gets pretty moist down there. Also is there any help for the moisture problem?

We are getting mixed advice regarding trying to paint over a torginal floor in our basement (home built in 1970). We rented a commercial floor sander and were told to use fine grade sand paper to scuff up the surface. We're unsure if the paint will adhere to this type of surface. Do you have experience with this type of surface and can it be painted successfully? I'm also assuming your advice regarding sealing with 3 coats of urethane would also apply to this type of floor. Thanks for any info you have! We're sick of looking at this ugly floor!

I have an old wood subfloor that I wish to paint. Unfortunately, I have been unable to remove all of the old glue and because of the type of wood I cannot sand it down to a perfectly smooth floor. Will a primer adhere to the glue and will the slightly rough floor turn out reasonably well after the painting process?

Our contractor painted our old wood floors with exterior enamel paint. They are "sticky" like now and make a squishy sound when you walk on them. The paint store said they shouldn't have used this paint as it is a dark color and will not harden for a long long time, if ever. What can we do now? Thanks so much for any advice.

Are there colors of paint out there that looks like stain and is there more than just gray,red colors for wood floors? Thanks

Hi Tim:

Thanks for the very helpful site, great information. I am in the process of finishing my basement. It is part subgrade with a walk-out in the back. I would like to sealer the concrete floor prior to laying and carpet to prevent moisture vapors from coming in. Can you recommend what type of sealer will be safe to use on a basement floor? Thanks! -Jason

I LIVE IN A CYPRESS LOG HOME AND I LEFT THE LOGS ROUND INSIDE AND OUT. WE HAD A FLOODING PROBLEM DUE TO OUR WASHER OVERFLOWING FOR HOURS. WE HAD CARPET AND PLANK FLOORING AT THE TIME. I TOOK ALL THE CARPET OUT AND THE PLANK FLOORING BOWED AT THE SEAMS, SO IT HAD TO COME UP TOO. WE THEN BOUGHT PORCH AND FLOOR PAINT IN WHITE AND PAINTED OUR SUB-FLOORS, THEN I USED A ROCK DESIGN STENCIL ON TOP OF THAT WITH GREEN PAINT. I AM READY FOR SOMETHING THAT WILL LOOK MORE AUTHENTIC THAN THIS NOW,SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE OLD BOARD FLOORING AND AGED GRAY. I LOVE THE PAINTED FLOOR LOOK AND HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF COMPLIMENTS ON IT, SO I WANT TO USE PAINT AGAIN. MY QUESTION IS HOW CAN I GET THAT OLD GRAY BOARD LOOK USING PAINT? THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE, MAGGIE IN P.C., FL.

Tim - what about painting a bathroom floor?

Is the poly enough to protect the floor from inevitable moisture?

Also - on selecting the primer - how do I know which of the recommended primers will hide grain better?

I need paint for my out door basketball court

Hi Tim,
I saw a team on HGTV paint old hardwood floors with a rich deck stain. Have you had any experience with this? Would you recommend it? What are the application steps?

Dearest Builder,

We are looking at a house with horrible Laminate faux wood flooring all over, the kind you you will find here : http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40070010
As the house is expensive, we will not be able to lay wooden floors for years to come.
Can this kind of laminate be painted?
Will I need to sand it, can it even be sanded?

Thanks for your help!!
Stine

Hi Tim, We have a game room in the basement which has some paint left on the concrete floor can we lay ceramic tile on the painted floor?

We want to rip out our family room carpet and paint the concrete slab below. Have radiant in-floor heating and wonder if we need to worry about sealing the concrete before priming and painting.

Thanks,
Jane