Floor Revival: The Ultimate Guide to Painting Your Floors | I Hate My Kitchen Makeover Series

February 09 2025, by Ryan Casuga, 3 min reading time

Hey there, friends! If you’ve ever looked at your floors and thought, "I hate my floors," this guide is for you! Today, we’re going to show you how to go from "I hate my kitchen" (or any space) to "I absolutely love my floors!"

We’ve covered kitchen cabinets, countertops, and tile, and now we’re diving into one of the biggest transformations—your floors! Whether you have laminate, tile, or hardwood, you can paint them and completely change the look of your home.

Why Paint Your Floors?

Save money: No need to rip out old floors—just paint over them.
Customize your style: Create checkerboard patterns, marbleized tiles, or elegant stencils.
Stay on trend: Painted floors are huge right now in interior design.

Materials You’ll Need:

🖌 One Step Paint (for a chalky, matte finish)
🛡 Matte Sealer (for protection and durability)
🛡 Lux Lacquer (for a glossy, high-end look)
🛠 Clean Slate (for prepping your floors)
📏 Measuring Tape & Straight Edge (for precise patterns)
🖋 Artist Brush or Feather (for marbling effects)
🩹 Painter’s Tape (to create clean designs)

Step 1: Prepping Your Floors

Preparation is key! Here’s what you need to do before painting:

Clean the surface thoroughly with Clean Slate to remove wax, grease, and dirt.
If painting over laminate, no need to sand—just clean well.
If painting over hardwood, sand it down to remove any old finishes.

Step 2: Painting the Base Coat

We started with One Step Paint in Bauhaus Buff. This gives us a beautiful neutral base for any design we want to add.

Pro tip: Apply two thin coats instead of one thick coat for better durability and faster drying.

Step 3: Creating a Checkerboard Pattern

Checkerboard floors are timeless and very on-trend. Here’s how to do it:

Find the center of your floor by measuring wall to wall.
Mark squares using a ruler and a pencil.
Use a poster board template to help create even-sized squares.
Apply painter’s tape to outline the squares you want to paint.
Use One Step Paint in Noir to paint the black diamonds.
Remove the tape carefully to reveal crisp lines.

Pro tip: When removing tape, pull it at a 45-degree angle to prevent smudging.

Step 4: Sealing the Floor

Once your design is dry, seal it for durability:

For a matte look, use Matte Sealer.
For a higher sheen, use a water-based or oil-based floor sealer.

Step 5: Creating Faux Marble Diamonds

Want to take your painted floor to the next level? Try adding faux marble diamonds!

Start with a base coat in One Step Paint in Noir.
Use One Step Paint in Stoneware mixed with Glazed Over and water (1:1:1 ratio) for veining.
Hold your brush lightly and roll it to create organic, natural-looking veins.
Use a clean cloth to gently pat and blend the veining.
Seal with Gel Stain in English Walnut for a warm, aged effect.

Alternative Floor Finishes

Here are a few more options:

Waxed floors: Use Cerusing Wax to highlight the wood grain.
Glazed floors: Create a soft, antiqued look with a Bowhouse Buff glaze.
Stained wood effect: Use Better With Age to naturally deepen the color of the wood.

Final Thoughts

Transforming your floors with paint is one of the most rewarding home projects you can do. It instantly elevates your space and gives your home a designer touch without the high cost of replacing floors.

Happy painting! 🎨✨