Painted wood floors can be seen as a controversial subject among interior designers. Practically speaking, it can be a cost-effective way to give an old and damaged floor a new life. On the other hand, some people strongly oppose this idea because of its potential to take away from the intrinsic beauty of wood. If you are considering painting your wood floors or refinishing your hardwood floors in Minnesota, you should read this first to consider your options.
Reasons to Paint Your Floor
If your hardwood flooring has seen better days and you need to refurbish a heavily damaged floor on a very low budget, painting might be the way to go.
It’s a Budget-Friendly To Paint Your Flooring
Restoring worn-out wood flooring is commonly completed through sanding, and this still needs to happen to some degree when painting. Sanding can repair scratches and dings and also restore fading wood to its former glory. The process still involves stripping, sanding, and repairing the floor, then applying a finish and sealer. It’s a labor-intensive job that takes skill and the proper equipment to do the sanding right, so it’s hard for a beginner to get good results. If you want a professional finish, you’ll still need to pay for labor and materials.
Painting a wood floor takes time and effort, but it can be cheaper than traditional refinishing. Most homeowners can do the job well themselves, so if you go this route, you may save money on labor. Painting can be practical when your floor is heavily damaged. An old floor might be so far gone that restoring it to an attractive state might be over budget for your restoration or remodeling project. By painting, you’ll get a floor that looks presentable.
If you already have a painted wood floor and you’re debating whether to re-paint it or strip it and stain it, make sure you know what you’re dealing with first. It’s likely that the Minnesota floor was painted before you bought the home for a reason. The wood might be of poor quality or it could’ve been too damaged to repair, meaning traditional refinishing won’t produce satisfactory results.
Affordable Custom Wood Floors
Painting floors is an attractive and cost-effective way to customize your space and create stunning designs. It gives you the freedom to be more creative than what you can achieve with staining, tiling, vinyl flooring, or carpeting.
You can stick with a solid color, create beautiful patterns such as checks or chevrons or go bold with geometric or ornate designs. With flooring stencils, you can recreate a lot of different ideas and styles of flooring. For a unique touch, paint a border around the perimeter of the room. Painted accents like this work just as well on stained wood floors. Painting lets you change the whole mood of a room. In a room that gets little natural light, even a medium-colored wood floor can make it feel dark, while a floor painted white can brighten a space.
Reasons To Stick To Traditional Refinishing
The wear and tear of paint tends to be quicker than that of stain, so if you’re unsatisfied with the results of painting your floor, it may be difficult to switch back.
Paint On Flooring Can Date Your Space
Stained wooden floors remain in excellent condition for up to 10 years or more. Since the stain is absorbed into the wood, it is more resistant to fading, so you can enjoy your floor’s beautiful hue for longer. Paint sits on the surface of the floor, so it will wear away faster. Oil-based paints are more durable than latex enamel.
Wear and tear will depend on the type of paint and the amount of foot traffic through the room. A painted wood floor can begin to peel, crack or chip within a couple of years. Without proper precautions, your paint could highlight bare wood areas, resulting in a damaged, mismatched color scheme. It can be hard to repair, but thankfully it is fixable.
Painted Floors Don’t Work For Every Minnesota Home
Painted wood floors can create an artsy, folksy, country, or cottage feel that might be just the thing you’re looking for in your Minnesota home. On the other hand, in a spacious mansion, a painted floor can look out of place and lessen the home’s value. If you own a traditional home and wish to preserve its historic charm, it is important to understand the era it was built in. Doing so will help you pick the right floor paint that fits your home’s style and doesn’t detract from its original character.
It All Comes Down To Cost And Preference
If you want to refinish your floors, it can be done in three to four days with the help of a professional. Painting the floors may take longer if you opt for DIY or hire a pro. The sanding and cleaning of the floor beforehand are essential because glossy finishes will lead to an uneven paint job.
If you ever want to restore the original wood of your floor, it will be much harder and more expensive than re-staining a floor. To properly prepare the floor for staining, it must be carefully sanded, and any remaining paint must be removed using a floor stripper plus a hand scraper. If you’re planning on selling your home, many of your potential buyers will not see the value, and that could reduce your selling price.
Call A Professional To Help
If you want to sand your wooden floors to prepare it for painting or looking for a more traditional sand and finish, Dave’s Floor Sanding can help you! They are the best floor sanders in the Minneapolis metro area, and they can make sure your wood floors are ready for whatever you choose to do with them. Call us today to get a free estimate on your wood flooring project!