Carpet is Gone! Time To Paint Some Faux Hardwood Floors!

The holidays are coming.  Slowly, but surely, the holidays are basically upon us.  And so is the nagging little head that says hey!  We need new drapes, new carpet, new sofas, etc.  So I decided to tear up the carpeting.

Ok - carpet is gone.  NOW WHAT?  I want hardwood floors but I really cannot afford them.  I want those awesome, distressed hardwood floors that have been around for a hundred years!  Like the ones Paul Revere walked upon or were once in a local pub in Ireland.

Alas, my budget cannot afford any of the above so I decided to PAINT my version of these floors.  And I must admit, they didn't turn out too badly.

I swept the dust and dirt away, removed all staples and tack boards and wiped the underlayment wood down with a very damp cloth.  I used a scraper to remove any globs of paint or glue.  Then, I used a basic brown porch floor paint and rolled it on.  Then, I took a 6" wide piece of wood and used a thick black magic marker and drew lines to simulate planks.

Then, I took a small bowl and added basic black paint and added some water and a darker grey paint.  I swirled it all together - I didn't mix it together - I wanted the colors to stay separated.  Then I used a sponge craft brush and painted the paint onto the floor, let it dry for about 30 seconds.  Then I used a damp rag and gently wiped the floor to create the desired effect.  I left some darker patches and some lighter areas to create the worn, vintage tavern floors I so desired.

Once that dried, I added a coat of polyurethane gloss to make them shiny and complete!  I love the look and the price even more!  They make the room turn out exactly as I had hoped.

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