How to: Paint waxed floorboards

 ...paint waxed floorboards

 We are steaming ahead with our bedroom makeover! This week we have made a start on panelling the wall behind our bed, and I have painted the wooden floorboards white!

We were uhm-ing and arh-ing on wether to go ahead with this, as the floorboards were previously waxed, but in the end I desided I could no longer live with the orangy finish, so I folded up my sleeves and went to work....

I am not going to lie to you....this was a lot of hard work....but totally worth it in the end!!

When a wooden floor has been waxed, it is essential to remove the layer of wax before painting, as wax is a release agent, and nothing will stick to it!!

So unless you want peeling paint, don't be tempted to skip the first step: Sanding!!

Safety first: When sanding, please remember to wear a dust mask!!

If you have a large room , it may be worth hiring an upright sander, but , as our bedroom is relatively small, I used my palm sander wit some coarse (P40) sandpaper...

As you go, you will see where the wax is....basically you want to sand back any of the shiny surface...

 It actually didn't take as long as I expected, and after 2 1/2 hours on my hands and knees, and a the humming noise from the palm sander ringing in my ears, I was satisfied that the floor was no longer shiny!!

 

I swept away most of the dust, then gave the floor a thorough hovering... 

Then I cleaned the floor with some soapy water...(Use a cleaner with degreasing purposes)

When the floor was dry again, I got back on my hands and knees and scored the floor clean with some white spirit! This will remove any remaining grease and wax residue!!

NB! Please wear rubber gloves when doing this....White spirit is NOT good for your skin!!

Your floor will feel slippery when you do this, but as the white spirit evaporates, the wood will have a matt and slightly rough finish, perfect for painting!!

First you need to use a good wood primer to seal the now "raw" wood...

Start by cutting in the edges of the room...

Then use a roller (invest in an extended handle....your back will thank you at this point!!) and paint in the floor...working your way from the furthest corner of the room towards the door (You really don't want to paint yourself in the room...that would be silly!!! Doh!)

Leave the primer to dry according to the instructions on the tin...

Next up, choose a purpose quality floor paint, and repeat the above!!

Cutting in the edges of the room first, then rolling on the paint in the middle of the floor...

Again, follow the instructions on the tin, leave to dry, then repeat if necessary.

I did two coats!!

From start to finish, It took me about 2 1/2 days to paint our yellowing waxed wooden floor boards....

...most of that time was waiting for the paint to dry!! 

I love how my "new" white floorboards turned out! They are not perfect, as the grain of the wood and the "damage" to the old floor boards show through the white paint, but I love that!! (If you want a "perfect" floor, you will be better off with laminate) And I just love how the white floor has changed both the light and the feel of our bedroom!!

If you have been uhm-ing and arh-ing about painting your wooden floor, go with your heart!!

A lot of people will tell you it's sacrilege to paint wooden floor, but YOU are the one living in your home, and the decision is yours....just make sure you do it properly!!

xxx

June