Best product for painting timber floors

[Aangelique1611]

ok, 8 weeks till lift off - my sub letter is moving out so i will have the opportunity to pull up my carpet and paint my floors (see inserted picture - this is the look im going for).

I was hoping to obtain some advice on the best product choice for my next little handygirl project. I had originally been advised boat paint but many people have advised me against this for numerous reasons so the other 2 recommendations have been aquatread (although berger says its not recommended for that) and dulux weathershield (also not recommended by dulux for this purpose).

Is anyone familiar with the properties of these paints and able to provide me with any pro's/con's on product choice? Or if anyone has painted their floorboards already and used a different product id love to hear your experiences? Basically any commentary on the topic would be appreciated.

Thanks!
A

[echnidna]

I'd use a water based paving paint if you want colours.

Or Wattyl 7008 2 pac for a traditional clear timber finish

[Gaza]

paving paint,

you will need to prep floor ie sand and fill any holes.

[Dusty]

Use any old acrylic paint: Example, Wattyl Solar Guard, and then coat it with a polyurethane, any will do, two pac, single pac, satin or gloss.

Bear in mind, that if you choose a light paint colour and then coat it with polyurethane that over time the polyurethane will oxidise and yellow off, thus changing the depth and hue of your chosen colour (this is not as much of a problem with darker paints).

As already pointed out, the floor will need to be prepared as if it is to be a normal polished floor, i.e nails punched and filled and the timber sanded to a super fine finish.

Good luck.

[Aangelique1611]

yeah, do you usually need to give tradies lots of notice to book just the sandingg stuff in or is it something i can ring up about the week before and get someone to do? also, what should i expect to pay for sanding per m2?

[Tonyz]

what should i expect to pay for sanding per m2?[/QUOTE]

hat sort of jobba ya want lady I do real cheap, you pay cash up front I do real cool jobba fo ya.

Ma am yes we can book you in quality is our business name would you like some recomendations

Horses for courses Lotta sharks out there, dodgy brothers alive and well; but ask your friends as well, how about some of the display homes, dont know Sydney thank god, never want to either but well thats my 2 bobs worth. TIME

[Mick Nash]

You want to paint a timber floor with a colour paint? Did I read that right?
Can you tell me what sort of timber the floor is.
That pic looks like its been limed.
It should cost you about $25-$30 psm to do the job from whoe to go by a floor sander .

[Dirty Doogie]

Hi A,

you will need to book a floor sander type person in advance but get few quotes first. tell them you are going to paint the floor becuase they will have to do a few extra things like filling indents etc.

Floor paint is a specialist type of paint especially if you want something really durable and really glossy.

General paving paint is a good less expensive option and once it is fully cured you can buff it with water based removable floor shine such as they use on parquetry.

I would advise that you examine your boards first - if they have uneven gaps between them the painted affect may not quite look that hot.

[Bloss]

The floor looks as though it is in reasonable condition and has already been painted.

If this is the case then a big floor sanding job is not needed. You should clean it thoroughly with white spirits or perhaps sugar soap, sand it lightly using a random orbital sander or by hand and a block (120-180 paper), fill any obvious gaps or holes with a suitable filler then re-sand those bits.

Then coat using a brand name paving paint of your colour choice - at least two coats and a roller will do a good job (follow the instructions).

Paving paint is durable and suitable for a variety of surfaces - indoors with no weather exposure it should last well and be easy to sweep and mop clean.

[Dusty]

Bloss, I think you will find that the picture the original poster submitted was a shot of the "Look she is going for", not, her actual floor. Therefore and hence after, she will require a floor sander to prepare the boards ready to be painted and finished.

[Gaza]

i would let the contractor sand and finish the floor this way any problems with the job they will be fixed but not at your cost.

floor sanding is dodgey trade with lots of cow boys that dont sand enough and then water down finishes.

end result is you dont always get what you pay for.

lime washing or staining as suggested will set you back $40.00+ in sydney, a normal tung oil or poly around $25, you should get the "white" finish for this price.

why dont you post some pics of how your floor looks now, if its had carpet over it their is a fair chance that it may not need to be sanded just filled and buffed,

[manoftalent]

I would without a doubt use Jetry....it comes in a range of nice colours now and I used it on a shop floor a few times (concrete)....its a hard wearing paint, so as long as the floorboards dont move ....it will maintain a nice finish..and easy to mop ...pls make note that I said (flooring should not move)...this is a hard drying paint and movement will cause cracks ...

[Aangelique1611]

ok, great - will take a snapshot of the boards tonight so i can post. I pulled up a corner of the carpet on the weekend and they looked surprisingly smooth and a very light colour. Will post pictures asap. Thanks to all for input.
I think i would like to do the painting myself ... Im battling paying off the mortgage as it is as cost is of the essence. I would even give the sanding thing a go but i have been told it is a.) easy to stuff up and get a bumpy finish and b.) probabaly not within my physical capabilities haha (they are supposed to be pretty big heavy machines from what i hear). So basically will try to keep cost to a minimum by doing as much as possible myself.

[Dirty Doogie]

I got my GF sanding the floor with a drum sander. She didnt like it at first but she got used to it and I couldnt stop her. If the boards are pine then they will be easier to stuff up though:)

[Aangelique1611]

if i had to guess i would say they were cypress pine but im such a novice so best to wait for pics.

[manoftalent]

please do wear a dust mask , the throw away type are cheap to buy and will save your lungs in the long run..

[Aangelique1611]

ok so here are some snaps of the floor. Does this need sanding? What sort of timber is it (out of interests sake)? and can i paint over it with any of the above suggested paint types?
Thanks again for all the feedback.

[Gaza]

cypress,

why not just paint onew room without sanding and see how it goes, if it looks ok then do the rest.

[Aangelique1611]

sounds good to me ... what about the nail punching bizzo? do i need to do any of that? see in the photos - if you run your hand over you cant feel any nails (you cant even hardly see them from the pics/in person too) what do u reckon? is the nail punching thing fine to do for someone who has only just picked up a paint brush for the 1st time? is there anything else i need to know?

[Larry McCully]

I would lime wash, using a white wash. Then a water based poly over the top. Water based poly such as toby comercial will retain the whiteness. White wash on cypress looks good. Porters limewash products are favoured in the industry. I would get a pro to do it though. Its a bit tricky

[123]

Agree with Larry, look at getting a professional for this, its not simple to get a even stain across the floor. Liming white would have be used on the bare timber, than possibly even mixed in with the coating to bring it desired colour (must be done with a weaterbased coating to avoid yellowing)
In QLD you would normally look at about 35 to even $40 a square meter for this.

[Aangelique1611]

Yeah, I really dont want to do a limewash thing, i agree it looks great and probaably is more in line with many peoples tastes but im going for more of a flat colour (like in the photos attached) and i even when to porters to chat to them about it and the more i showed them what i wanted the more they said their product wasnt what i wanted ... and your right - i totally wouldnt try limewashing myself - it would look all patchy if i did it i think too...

[Master Splinter]

To be totally different here - if it is a particular modern look you are going for (that pic looks like it might be on a concrete slab) you may be disappointed with what you end up with if you go for a painted finish on timber. It just has the hallmarks of 'maintennance nightmare' to me - a fairly soft substrate trying to hold a clean and seamless look.

Have you had a look at good old vinyl? - there are many minimalist patterns (not looking like fake tiles) that may suit your needs and it may well work out cheaper than paint considering the amount of surface prep required for a decent paint job.

[manoftalent]

when you pull up the carpet stays, your going to have a gap under the skirting......which quad should cover up nicely something around the 25-30mm size should do it, they can be cut and liquid nailed ( also known as construction adhesive) into place and it will save you a fair bit of nailing....to cut mitres for the corners, I would suggest a mitre box and reasonable quality tenon saw to suit .....a mitre box is a guide and they are usually set for 45 and 90 degree angle cutting , easy for a novice to use and as long as you mark them off at the right lengths, you should get good results, remember to cut close too but not "on" the pencil line ..it does make a difference ....
I would only nail punch the nails protruding above the boards to a depth of say ....2-3mm...
you may want to invest in a set of good quality knee pads....crawl around on the floor punching nails for half an hour, and you'll see why I said that.....and lastly .....its a shame you want to paint baltic pine flooring ...cleaned up and resurfaced ...its a beautiful timber and worth a small fortune ......

[manoftalent]

when you pull up the carpet stays, your going to have a gap under the skirting......which quad should cover up nicely something around the 25-30mm size should do it, they can be cut and liquid nailed ( also known as construction adhesive) into place and it will save you a fair bit of nailing....to cut mitres for the corners, I would suggest a mitre box and reasonable quality tenon saw to suit .....a mitre box is a guide and they are usually set for 45 and 90 degree angle cutting , easy for a novice to use and as long as you mark them off at the right lengths, you should get good results, remember to cut close too but not "on" the pencil line ..it does make a difference ....
I would only nail punch the nails protruding above the boards to a depth of say ....2-3mm...
you may want to invest in a set of good quality knee pads....crawl around on the floor punching nails for half an hour, and you'll see why I said that.....and lastly .....its a shame you want to paint baltic pine flooring ...cleaned up and resurfaced ...its a beautiful timber and worth a small fortune ......

[Aangelique1611]

great! the stuff your talking about to cover up the gap ... is this usually done in the same colour as the boards (timber if stained) or in the same colour as the skirting boards? - dont want it to look dorky :)

[Aangelique1611]

I am assuming there is a nail punching tool i will just pick up at bunnings or is it something more basic than this? sorry if thats a dumb qu.

[manoftalent]

you can buy nail punches at bunnings ...from memory I think they came in a pack of three or four .....with different tips on the end to suit various sized nails ....if buying just one, ask for one that fits a 50-60mm bullet head nail..you should'nt have any problems

[manoftalent]

oh and the quad I would do in the same colour as the skirting boards, it wont stand out so much .

[Aangelique1611]

How should I feel about $350-$400 for the beading for 46m2 of floor sanding (2 bed apt)? Is that about right? Just booking it in now for either this weekend or next weekend ... seems a lot seeing as the total sanding comes to about $900 but if thats the going rate im happy to cough up ... just seems disproportionate.

[manoftalent]

only sound advice I can give here is .....be patient......and get more quotes .....money in a fools hand is easily parted :D

[Gaza]

is that right 450 just for the beading.

should be no more than 300 it would only take a carpenter a few hours, floor sanders are moslty not carpenters so may take them longer thus more cost.

[Aangelique1611]

well, by way of update .... i organised with the sander guy to pull up the carpet myself (he comes in tomorrow morning to sand half and either tue or wednesday morning to do the rest) ...
Re pulling up the carpet ... it was tough! one of the walls was built over the carpet? whats with that? it seemed to go under the wall (i know that wall was added by someone else who previously renovated )... so no grip strip around the edge and i had to stanley knife the whole way around the wall (both sides) abour 10 metres worth .... was an absolute bastard of a job and it was the last wall i did i was puffing and panting hahaha that was the wrst bit but then there was also the bundling and carting down 3 flights of stairs ... council will only pick up carpet rolls 1.2m or less so i had to cut it all up into strips before i rolled it and carted it ... i reckon i did my stairs like 100 times in one day ... was so tuckered out by the time it was done! anyhow ... whinge whinge bitch bitch ...

what im posting for is ... water based paint is touch dry in x time and recoat in 2 hours from reading the can ... how long do u think before it is dry enough for me to put furniture on? I was thinking of doing 3 coats on monday night after work ... how long would u leave it before stacking all my stuff on it again?
A

[Gaza]

at least 24 to 36 hours depending on the weather,

[Aangelique1611]

Great - ta. Thats pretty much what i was working towards 24-48... thanks very much.

[Bleedin Thumb]

Just to muddy the water.....no one has suggested polyurethane paint or epoxy paint I thought they would be a better choice as far as longevity goes. You can get any colour you want and I'd guess that 24 hrs would be all you needed for curing time.


....If you havent bought your paint yet ring Nutech Paints 02 9638 7089.

[Aangelique1611]

Man of Talent .... re your comments earlier in the thread ... just wondering ... you were the one who said berger jetdry - Ive had several people all point me in this direction now but every time i speak to berger they tell me absolutely not to use it on Timber floorboards as the movement is too great and it will crack ... what are your thoughts on this? Im thinking if the manufacturer is saying no then its probably not a good idea yet most people ive spoken to have pointed me in this direction ... berger seemed to be slightly more happy with me using aquatread but still not willing to recommend it as such but there were saying i would be less likely to get cracks … any ideas on the pro’s and con’s?

[Gaza]

Man of Talent .... re your comments earlier in the thread ... just wondering ... you were the one who said berger jetdry - Ive had several people all point me in this direction now but every time i speak to berger they tell me absolutely not to use it on Timber floorboards as the movement is too great and it will crack ... what are your thoughts on this? Im thinking if the manufacturer is saying no then its probably not a good idea yet most people ive spoken to have pointed me in this direction ... berger seemed to be slightly more happy with me using aquatread but still not willing to recommend it as such but there were saying i would be less likely to get cracks … any ideas on the pro’s and con’s?

your timber floor is old thus there will be min amount of movemnet. paving paint will only require two coats and it dries fast between coats.

[Larry McCully]

Did you know that you can mix in paint tint into single pac polurathane. It is possible and it is hard wearing.

[Aangelique1611]

hey all - after everyone's help and responses and advice i thought the least i could do was post some photos of my outcome .... lots of blood sweat and tears ... not to mention numerous rollers falling apart on me (whats with that? thats never happened 2 me b4?), bathing in turps for days on end, dreaming of licorice from sleeping in amongst too many paint fumes and 2 weeks on a hard camping mattress on the splinterey floors ... and then theres the carting carpet up and down 3 flights of stairs and moving all my furniture ... looking forward to not doing anything remotely DIY for a long long time.... would have been ok if i took time off work ... might have even enjoyed it ... but painting the floor until 3am when i need to be at work by 8 the next morning definitely wasnt the funnest.... here goes with the pics anyhow - thanks for all the great responses and input ... i did actually spent time researching further lots of the suggestions.
A

[learninglots]

Aangelique,

After reading your thread I was a bit dubious about the choice of finish... but the end result looks fantastic. Not unlike something I saw in a magazine describing renos to a house in New York.

Well done! Inspiration for the rest of us giving it a go.

Cheers.

[Aangelique1611]

Thanks! Im chuffed :) everyone I spoke to told me not to do it ... but I love it albeit not to everyones taste.