Vanhan puulattian maalaus – uudista lattiasi tyylikkäästi ja edullisesti
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Painting an old wooden floor – renew your floor stylishly and affordably

Guide to painting a wooden floor

Refresh your floors stylishly and affordably

Painting a wooden floor is a quick and striking way to refresh an entire room. With the right preparation and painting technique, you can create a durable, beautiful and easy-to-maintain floor that stands up to everyday life and turns heads. Cheerful, colorful checks and stripes painted on the floor suit an old house. 

  • Our wall paint has been officially tested by the manufacturer for painting wooden floors. 
  • Trim Paint is a paint for trim and doors, perfect for finishing skirting boards and interior doors. 

Putty Perfect is a light, creamy shade with a subtle green undertone. A stylish, neutral backdrop for the rest of your interior. An interesting color reminiscent of traditional heritage shades.

The benefits of Frenchic paints for painting wooden floors: 

  • dozens of ready-made shades, with no tinting fees
  • high coverage; a 2.5 l container of wall paint covers approximately 36 m²
  • quick coat drying time: 2-4h
  • affordable and quick renovation

What is the best paint for painting a wooden floor?

Consider how much wear the surfaces will get and how they’ll be used before painting

  • Is any part of your previously painted floor particularly worn? 
  • Do you need a rug to protect your painted kitchen floor from chairs being moved around? 
  • A painted hallway floor wears quickly from sand and foot traffic if it isn’t protected by a rug. 
  • Clean painted floors only with mild detergents. Avoid strong cleaning solutions, disinfectants and steam cleaning on painted surfaces.
  • If your floor gets particularly heavy wear, for example from pets’ claws, repainting is a normal part of maintenance.
  • If your floorboards have deep grooves and gaps, paint consumption will be higher than usual. 

Painting a wooden floor: how to achieve a durable and beautiful result

A worn wooden floor isn’t a problem, it’s an opportunity.

Painting a wooden floor is one of the most effective ways to refresh your home without a major renovation. The right shade can bring light, depth or bold contrast to a room, while extending the floor’s lifespan by years. A well-painted floor is not only beautiful, but also durable and easy to keep clean.

When you choose a paint for a wooden floor from the Frenchic range, you can choose from dozens of beautiful, ready-made shades, professionally designed to complement all kinds of interiors. The wooden floor in the image below is painted in the blue shade Ducky.

Ducky - blue wall paint-Chalk Wall Paint interior wall paint-Frenchic Paint Finland

Many people hesitate to paint their floors unnecessarily. The most common challenges, such as wear, paint adhesion or an uneven surface, are almost always due to inadequate preparation or the wrong type of paint. When you get these right, achieving a great result is surprisingly easy, even for a first-timer.

In this guide, we’ll clearly explain how to paint a wooden floor, step by step. You’ll get practical instructions on preparation, choosing the right paint and tools, and achieving a durable finish, so the result looks great and stands up to use year after year.

Painted wood checkerboard floor.

Does your old wooden floor need a fresh new look?

Painting an old wooden floor with Frenchic paints is a quick, affordable way to create a beautiful, durable and personal finish.

With all our wonderful shades at your fingertips, you can create beautiful spaces in every room of your home. Our matt paints blend harmoniously with the atmosphere of old houses, and many of our shades are reminiscent of traditional Finnish colors. 

Choose a colorful or soft pastel shade for your floor with confidence. 

Paint coverage when painting a wooden floor

Our wall paint range has been officially tested and approved for painting wooden floors, and the handy 2.5-litre tin is enough to cover about 36 m² in one coat.  

You can paint smaller floor areas, for example, with paints from the Al Fresco range. A 750 ml tin covers about 13 m² in one coat. When calculating how much you need, note that all Frenchic paints require at least two coats. 

New, untreated or sanded-back wood absorbs more paint than usual, as does an old, worn plank floor with wide gaps. 

Since the paints in our wall paint range are also washable, they are well suited to painting wooden floors. Our wall paints have been awarded an ISO rating, the highest possible wet scrub resistance rating of 1, and have won the award for best washable paint. The manufacturer has tested the wall paint’s durability to ensure it is also suitable for painting wooden floors. 

Remember: at least two coats of paint

For the best, smooth and durable finish, we generally recommend at least two coats of paint.

So when estimating how much paint you need, don’t calculate the area based on just one coat.

If, for example, the surface to be painted is 10 m² and you paint it twice, the actual total area to be painted is about 20 m².

Is it worth buying a little extra paint?

Often, yes, especially for a large project.

A small spare tin or paint left over from a project may prove invaluable later if the surface gets a dent or scratch and you want to do a small touch-up.

At the same time, avoid unnecessary overplanning. Accurately estimating how much paint you need saves money, reduces waste, and makes the project more sustainable. 

When estimating how much Frenchic paint you'll need, remember that the paint already contains a primer, saving you money on materials, time, and drying time. 

Allow for an extra coat of paint if the existing color is very different from the new shade you've chosen. For example, if you're painting an old red or reddish floor off-white. You can also tone down the color difference with a gray base coat. 

The yellow checkerboard floor in the photo was painted in Honeycombe. 

Painted wood checkerboard floor.

Why paint an old wood floor?

Painting an old wood floor extends its useful life and gives the room a completely new look. Compared with replacing the floor, painting saves money and is an environmentally friendly choice. A colorful floor doesn't have to be garish; it can be subtle and stylish - and it doesn't always have to be gray.

When you choose a paint from the Frenchic range, you get several benefits, such as a quick drying time, odor-free paint, a beautifully smooth finish, and of course, gorgeous shades. 

The floor in the photo was painted in the pastel aqua shade Breezing. 

Wood floor painted with Frenchic paints.

How to get it right: step-by-step guide to painting a wood floor

1. Prepare the floor carefully
Remove dirt and dust, then wash the floor thoroughly using an effective, concentrated cleaner such as Sugar Soap. 

2. Sand and prime if needed
If the floor surface is particularly worn or uneven, light sanding and the use of a filler primer may be necessary. Vacuum and mop away the sanding dust before painting. 

3. Protect the surrounding area and move furniture out of the way
You don't always need to remove the baseboards. Carefully protect the baseboards and lower parts of the walls with masking tape, and use protective paper or plastic sheeting. You can also paint the baseboards with our paints. 

4. Apply the first coat
Stir the paint thoroughly, right down to the bottom of the can. Apply the paint as usual (undiluted) and evenly with a good-quality brush or roller. Let the coat dry according to the manufacturer's instructions, usually about 2-4 hours. Work one board at a time, painting lengthwise. Don't touch up the paint; let the first coat dry, and the next coat will even out the surface. 

5. Apply the second coat
A second coat enhances the color and durability. Let it dry thoroughly, preferably overnight, before using the floor gently.

6. Finish the surface
If you wish, you can also protect the painted floor with wax or varnish for extra durability.

Tips for successfully painting a floor:

  • Careful preparation is the key to a successful result.
  • Plan the painting and drying times to suit your daily routine and use of the space
  • Stir the paint well to ensure you get the benefit of its important pigments and protective ingredients
  • Use high-quality tools and apply normal coats of paint
  • Remember that paint will not fix surface imperfections, scratches, or holes. 
  • Let the paint dry thoroughly so the floor stands up to wear for a long time.
  • Add felt pads to the bottoms of the furniture

Tip: Paint the floor with a partner

Painting is quick and efficient when you work in pairs: one person applies the paint to the floor with a roller, while the other finishes it with a wide brush, one board or section at a time. Working in pairs makes the job go quickly.  

Painted wooden floor

Pink painted wooden floor.
The wooden floor in the bathroom pictured was painted in the pink Dusky Blush shade from the Al Fresco range. 

Tools needed:

Refresh your floor easily and quickly!

Explore the color options and accessories, and enjoy your completely renewed, beautiful floor quickly and affordably.

All wall paint shades in 2.5l tins.

All shades in the Al Fresco range in 250ml and 750ml tins. 

More painting instructions and project inspiration:

No mass production. Nothing like everyone else. Just your ideas and a little creative color confidence ❤