Parquet painting, useful tips

Replacing parquet with a new one is quite an expensive and time-consuming undertaking. Therefore, during the repair, people often ask the question: is it possible to independently paint the parquet? There is an answer to the question, and it is positive. Painting will not only give new life to the parquet floor, but will make it much more attractive. If desired, it is possible to use colored dyeing compounds or stain. But before you arm yourself with brushes and a roller, it does not hurt to get acquainted with the technology of painting the floor. We will tell you about it in this article.

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Where to start finishing?

A variety of paints and varnishes on sale allows you to get the most unexpected and interesting shades and textures. With the smallest efforts and material costs, you can turn the old coating into a true work of art.

So, how to paint the parquet with your own hands? Parquet flooring is made in 2 stages:

• Application of primer on wood surface.
• Floor coating with varnish or coloring compound.

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The choice of paints and varnishes

When choosing paint, you need to consider brands designed specifically for the floor, given the increased load that parquet is experiencing. As for the shade, you need to choose the option that harmonizes with the interior. However, in order for the result to be truly impressive, you need to take the color about one tone darker than the original.

Important! Can I paint a parquet board in a different color? Nothing prevents you from painting the floor in a light color, down to white, but all the flaws on such a surface will be much more noticeable.

Decide whether you want to radically change the color of the floor or just refresh the coating:

• The natural texture of wood is hardly worth hiding under the paint. There are also paints that preserve the natural texture and beauty of wood.
• It is necessary to take into account the type of wood from which the parquet is made. For example, for a pine board, varnish designed for softwood is suitable. But, since the most common is oak flooring, most of the standard varnishes and dyes are designed specifically for oak.

Consider the most common types of paints.

Acrylic Water Soluble

These paints are popular for plank flooring. Distinctive features of acrylic paints:

• Low cost.
• A variety of color options.
• Resistance to temperature changes.
• Security.
• No unpleasant odors at work.
• “Breathable” properties (vapor permeability).
• Quick drying.

Important! The service life of such flooring is 4-10 years. Semi-gloss enamels are best suited for coloring flooring.

Latex compounds

Another option than painting parquet is latex solutions. The basis for latex paint is the juice of rubber plants. Latex-based paints have the same advantages as acrylic.

Maintenance of latex painted floors is very simple. It can be kept clean without any effort.

Important! The advantage of latex dye is a thin coating layer. This means that you can save the texture of the tree. There are latex and cons. In particular, it does not tolerate low temperatures well. However, this is not critical for home flooring.

Primer

When varnishing a parquet floor, a preliminary coating with a primer is mandatory.

Important! The primer allows you to eliminate small defects (chips and cracks), as well as apply the varnish in a more even layer. Primed wood is not attractive to bacteria and mold.

It is necessary to choose the soil, depending on the type of varnish used:

• For varnish on a solvent or polyurethane, a similar primer composition is suitable.
• Acrylic primer is suitable for water dispersion varnish.

Important! If you do not want the board to change color, use a colorless product.

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Preparing the floor for work

Painting parquet is a slightly more laborious task than coating a regular plank floor with paint. Preparatory work is desirable for a new parquet floor, and for an old covering they are absolutely obligatory.

Floor preparation is carried out according to this algorithm:

1. Clean the floor from dirt: sweep and then wash.
2. Using a film, protect the walls at the bottom if they have a decorative coating.
3. Inspect the parquet. Exfoliated or bending boards must be replaced.

Before painting the old parquet, it is necessary to remove from it the remains of the old varnish, soil or paint so that only a clean tree remains. This process is called looping.

Important! It is advisable to loop the floor using a special grinding machine. Apartment repair companies provide such a service, and the prices are quite reasonable. If you want to do everything yourself, buying expensive equipment is not necessary. The same repair companies rent equipment.

Grind the floor in a respirator and goggles. Take care of the airing of the room. It is desirable that the grinding device be equipped with a dust collector. When grinding, different nozzles are used:

• The primary processing of the coating is carried out by rough sandpaper, in a diagonal direction. The subsequent track is lapped with the previous one by about 50 mm.
• The second stage is the use of a nozzle with an emery of medium grain size. It is made diagonally in a direction perpendicular to the primary.
• The last stage is the application for the processing of fine-grained sandpaper.
• The most difficult areas to access are sanded manually.

Important! You can also save on the costs associated with renting equipment by removing the remnants of old paint cycles. Externally, this tool resembles a scraper. A good option is a hand tool with interchangeable nozzles of different grain sizes. Nozzles vary from the largest to the smallest grit. Of course, the speed and quality of manual scraping is lower than machine.

At the end of the looping, the parquet must be vacuumed and inspected for defects. The last stage is the application of a special putty to align defects. After the putty is completely dry, the preparatory work can be considered completely completed. You can start staining.

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Applying varnish or paint

How to paint the parquet floor - we found out. But in order to paint the parquet efficiently, it is important to choose the right roller or brush:

• A paint roller on a long handle, made of mohair or wool, is well suited for such work.
• Foam products cannot be used as they leave unpainted spots due to slippage.
• You can also paint with a brush, and if the dye is sufficiently liquid, then with a special spray.

Consider the stages of staining in detail:

1. Make sure the floor is perfectly flat and clean.
2. Take care to thoroughly ventilate the room, as some paints and varnishes contain harmful substances.
3. Wear a respirator and protective suit.
4. Apply the paintwork starting from the farthest part of the room. Do not forget to follow the instructions from the manufacturer.
5. Make sure that drops of paint do not fall on an unpainted surface. If dye gets on unpainted boards, wipe it with a clean, dry cloth.
6. If you use not paint but varnish, then it is applied in several layers. Each new layer is applied perpendicular to the previous one. You need to wait 2-3 days until the previous layer is completely dry. So you do not break the already existing layer of varnish and achieve a brighter and deeper shade.

Important! On the packaging of many paints and varnishes it is written that complete drying takes place from 8 to 12 hours. However, it is possible to put furniture on the parquet no earlier than 2 weeks after painting.

Care for the painted coating depends on what tool you used to update the floor.

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Stock footage

As you can see, self-painting of parquet is a possible thing, although it has a lot of nuances. You can breathe new life into the old floor, you just have to try a little. Do not be afraid of experimentation. As a rule, it turns out unusual and beautiful. Good luck with your repair!