What is better to paint wooden floors and how to do it right?

Wooden floors help create coziness in the house. This is an environmentally friendly coating that can revitalize the interior and create a comfortable atmosphere. They can be painted with special paints and varnishes based on organic solvents. It can be paints, enamels, wax and varnish.

Acrylic paint

These paints are based on acrylic resin, water and a coloring pigment. Such a coating is characterized by non-toxicity, fire resistance, good moisture resistance and heat resistance. Acrylic paint guarantees long-lasting color preservation; it is applied quite simply and dries quickly. It does not have a pungent odor, and if mistakes were made during painting, then a non-dried coating can be easily removed.

Caring for acrylic-coated wooden floors is very easy. Such paint provides a long service life - subject to the use of a high-quality sample, it can reach 10 years. Acrylic paint is resistant to low temperatures and ultraviolet rays, has a fairly high protective properties and good vapor permeability.

Wood floors are porous and partially absorb paint, for this reason they will require a slightly larger amount of coloring matter than, say, a concrete base. In order to reduce the consumption of acrylic coatings, it is necessary to paint the surfaces with a spray gun.

On a note

When choosing acrylic paint for a wooden floor, it should be remembered that a cheap product is applied in at least three layers, and an expensive one has higher quality and much less is spent!

Alkyd paint

Alkyd dyes help create a glossy finish. Such a coating is very reliable, since its components penetrate deep into the wood. After application, the layer dries quickly, and thanks to the presence of antifungal additives provides reliable protection against mold and decay.

It is recommended to paint the floors with alkyd paint in rooms with high humidity, since such a coating has good water resistance. The color is quite intense and lasts a very long time.

But along with the positive characteristics, alkyd coatings have several disadvantages:

• pungent odor that disappears for a long time;
• when exposed to chemicals, the alkyd layer is destroyed;
• such a coating is not fire resistant, and therefore there is a risk of ignition.

Oil paint

Another type of opaque coating. Somewhat earlier, oil paints were very popular. But with the advent of acrylic and enamel, they began to quickly lose their leading position. The advantages of oil dyes include low cost and heat resistance. Moreover, if you paint the floor with such substances, it will acquire the ability to withstand the effects of both very low and high enough temperatures. These coatings guarantee a durable surface protection and are characterized by a long service life.

But oil paints have one significant drawback - this is a very low drying speed. And if you are going to paint the floor with just such a composition, then be prepared for the fact that due to the dense structure it will be absorbed into the wood quite slowly and it will take at least 24 hours to completely dry it.

Polyurethane Enamel

Polyurethane enamels provide reliable protection of the wooden floor from wear.For this reason, they will be used correctly in rooms where traffic is particularly high. Such coatings withstand water and temperature extremes.

However, polyurethane enamel also has several disadvantages:

• it dries for a very long time and the drying period can range from 6-36 hours;
• it should be applied only on an absolutely dry floor, otherwise it will crack and form bubbles when it dries;
• enamel is characterized by high toxicity, and therefore it is not recommended to paint the floor in residential premises.

Enamel quality will always be evidenced by its value. To remove this coating use white spirit.

Varnish coatings

With the help of varnish you can get a beautiful glossy surface. Use it in cases where wooden floors have a perfectly even structure and a beautiful pattern. Varnish coatings are able to last for 1-3 years.

There are several types of varnishes:

• primers - they are used for reliable adhesion of the finish varnish to the surface of the wooden floor and to prevent the raising of the villi of the wood;
• Lessing - possess high antifungal abilities and reliably protect a tree from mold rot;
• acid curing - the most resistant form, which is characterized by ease of application and high adhesiveness, in addition, before using such a coating there is no need to apply a primer;
• anhydrous polyurethane - show resistance to chemical influences and are characterized by rather strong bonding qualities;
• water soluble - in comparison with other types, they have low combustibility and emit a small amount of odor, but at the same time their wear resistance is low;
• alkyd and urethanealkide - favorably emphasize the texture of wood and do not show adhesive properties, but compared with other varnish coatings have the lowest wear resistance.

Important!

The varnish is not allowed for use if previously the wooden floor was treated with oil substances, including drying oil, as well as in high humidity and in open areas, such as arbors and verandas!

Oil

Oil impregnations can improve the properties of wood and create a reliable protective layer on its surface. This coating has high penetration and extends the life of wooden floors.

Tip

To care for wooden floors and parquet, it is advisable to choose more liquid oils - they are absorbed much better, penetrating into the deeper layers of wood, and it is much easier to paint with them!

An oil-soaked floor will retain its original appearance over time without drying out or swelling. But when using such substances, a wax finish is always used.

Wax

Wax is used at the final stage. It gives the surface a silk texture and can create both a glossy sheen and a matte finish. Such substances have high moisture resistance and reliably protect wood from the development of fungi and mold.

But there is a drawback - wax is not able to protect a wooden floor from mechanical stress. Therefore, such coatings are not used in rooms with high traffic.

How to choose a paint coating for a wooden floor?

You can paint natural wood floors with any of the above coatings, but when choosing it is worth paying attention to the following factors.

• If the paint is characterized by a long drying time, then it is advisable to use it in rooms where there is a heating system and good ventilation.
• The humidity level plays a very important role, since many coatings have low moisture resistance.
• The specificity of the wood species and its appearance will allow you to determine what to choose - varnish or paint, in addition, some species are more susceptible to mechanical stress, as they are very soft.
• If you are going to paint the floor in the living room, then in this case you need to pay attention to the environmental safety of the selected coating.
• If there is an old layer of paint or varnish on the floor and you do not want to remove it, then you can apply a new layer only after making sure that both materials have the same binders.