Several of you have been asking us to explain how to paint and distress floors! Our lead designer, Sarah Martin, gives us a rundown on how she made these big changes in her home.
1. Stain your floors a darker color
First, we stained our floors using ‘Classic Gray.’
2. Paint three coats of Porch & Floor Paint
Next, we painted three coats of Sherwin Williams Porch & Floor Paint. We matched the paint color to all of the millwork in ‘White Dove’ (by Benjamin Moore).
3. Distress to give your floors the charm of a 100-year-old farmhouse
If you want to, you could stop here! However, we decided to distress the floors to reveal the stained wood beneath…adding character and charm of a 100-year-old farmhouse.
Distressing is the hardest part. The key is to do it in a way that makes it look natural…like it’s a floor that’s been walked on for 100 years. It takes a little practice and a good sanding tool. My favorite is the DeWalt palm sander.
4. Add two coats of water-based polyurethane
Lastly, we put two coats of a water-based matte polyurethane to protect our hard work! It is very important that it is water-based. An oil-based poly will turn the paint yellow. ? We don’t want that!!
5. Add some flair!
Before we turned in for the night, we made the last square extra special. ? My kids will always be standing at the kitchen sink with me…well under a cute, striped rug! ?
If you’re interested in seeing these floors in real life, we’ll be showing them off during the Mama’s Happy market this fall. Details to come!
