Can You Paint Laminate Flooring?
Can You Paint Laminate Flooring?
Painting a laminate floor is a very budget friendly DIY project that can be a great way to visually update a room. Most importantly, you can give a room a refresh without having to do any ‘heavy duty’ work such as ripping out any boards.
However, it’s important to find the right laminate floor paint, to avoid running into any issues on your project. This is mainly because laminate is a plastic based synthetic material. So standard paint won’t stick to it if it’s not carefully prepared to be painted on beforehand.
This simple, step-by-step guide will help you to paint laminate flooring. It will do this by providing you with the following information so that you can paint laminate flooring to a professional standard.
Shop Laminate Flooring Related Categories
Things to consider when painting laminate flooring
Before you can paint laminate flooring, you should consider the following pros and cons of the process.
|
Pros |
Cons |
|
Significantly cheaper than buying and installing new flooring. |
Laminate floor paint is prone to chipping, peeling, and scratching, especially in high-traffic areas. |
|
You aren't limited to wood grain, you can choose any colour and even create your own patterns. |
The majority of the work is deep cleaning and sanding. |
|
No need to rip up skirting boards or trim doors. |
Painting hides the natural wood-look grain, often leaving a flat, "plastic" appearance. |
|
An excellent way to refresh a room for a year or two while saving up for a full renovation. |
Once it starts to chip, it is difficult to patch seamlessly, you may need to repaint often. |
|
Keeps old laminate out of landfills for a few more years. |
Painting almost always voids any remaining manufacturer warranty on the flooring. |
Tools and materials you will need
- Sandpaper (120 grit) or a hand sander - to smooth out any imperfections, and create a bond for the primer to attach itself to.
- Sugar soap or another degreaser - to decontaminate the surface without leaving behind any residue.
- Primer (high adhesion) - to seal the laminate paint and increase its durability.
- Paint rollers - to apply the paint to the laminate flooring. Our paint roller guide can help you find the most suitable one.
- Small paintbrush - to paint the edges of the flooring.
- Sealer - to protect the laminate against foot traffic, scuffs and spills.
- Laminate floor paint - to help you to get a professional finish.
- Masking tape - to protect surfaces from splatter and make ‘cutting in’ easier.
How to paint laminate flooring: Step-by-step
Here is a detailed, step-by-step guide to painting laminate flooring.
Step 1: Clean and repair the floor
Before you apply primer or paint a laminate floor, the surface must be meticulously decontaminated.
This is because laminate floors naturally accumulate the following over time:
- A layer of wax
- Household grease
- Cleaning product residue
which acts as a barrier, preventing paint from bonding. Before starting this process, make sure you have a degreaser, or sugar soap in your cleaning supplies.
- Scrub the area using a potent degreaser or sugar soap, to ensure a completely clean surface.
- While cleaning, inspect the floor for physical damage. Deep chips or gouges should be fixed at this stage using a high-quality wood filler.
- Once the filler has dried and the floor is spotless, you have a stable foundation for the sanding process.
Step 2: Sanding the surface (De-glossing)
A key step in applying laminate floor paint is the preparation of the surface. This is done through careful sanding.
Laminate flooring is manufactured with a non-porous "wear layer". This is designed to repel liquids and stains. Unfortunately, this also causes paint to peel.
It's important that when sanding to only scuff the transparent top coat. This will help create a chemical bond.
- Using a fine-grit sandpaper (120 grit). Slightly sand the entire area until the factory shine is completely gone. You will know you have been successful when the floor takes on a matte, chalky, appearance.
- Once the surface is dulled, it is crucial to hoover the room thoroughly and wipe it down with a damp, lint-free cloth. This ensures dust is removed, as any leftover debris will create permanent bumps in your finish.
Be extremely careful not to over-sand. You risk breaking through the image layer as a result. The exposed core will absorb moisture from the paint, causing the floor to swell, warp, and eventually rot.
Step 3: Priming the laminate
This is arguably the most critical stage of applying laminate floor paint. It’s important to not skip it, and to execute it correctly. Failure to do this could mean the failure of the entire project. To avoid this, ensure that you use an oil based multi-surface primer, or a high adhesion primer. These primers will act as a chemical bridge between the slick laminate and your topcoat.
- Begin by "cutting in" around the perimeter of the room and into the corners, using a high-quality brush for precision.
- Once the edges are sealed, use a foam or short-nap roller to apply a thin, even coat across the rest of the floor.
- Ensure the room is well-ventilated, and allow the primer to dry completely. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for drying times.
Step 4: Apply the laminate floor paint
Once your primer is fully cured, you should apply the first coat of specialist laminate floor paint. A key point to remember is that thin coats dry significantly harder and more evenly than thick ones. Ensure you start at the furthest corner from the entrance and work your way toward the door. This ensures you don’t paint yourself into a corner.
- After the first coat is dry, take a moment to very lightly sand the surface with high-grit sandpaper. Doing this removes any tiny imperfections or raised grain. This creates a professional, super-smooth foundation for the final application.
- Once you've wiped away the dust, apply your second coat for full opacity and depth of colour.
Step 5: Sealing and protection
When you’re applying laminate flooring paint, it’s important to seal it with a clear polyurethane (PU) sealant for maximum longevity.
- The sealant will act as a ‘sacrificial’ layer against foot traffic. It will absorb the impact of foot traffic, and provide protection against spills and scuffs.
- Once finished, allow the floor to cure fully, for around 7 days at least. Then you can move heavy furniture back into the room, and reintroduce foot traffic.
Key considerations
You can paint laminate flooring to give a room a cosmetic refresh. However, whilst it may be easier to paint a laminate floor, certain aspects, such as drying, are arguably more inconvenient. For example, the surface may feel dry, but it should ideally be left alone for 7 days. This means minimal walking, or placing furniture on it. This will allow the paint to completely harden.
It is also vital to distinguish between aesthetic and structural damage. Paint is excellent at hiding ugly patterns or outdated colours. But it cannot fix "blown" joints or water-damaged boards. If your laminate is physically warping, buckling, or peeling away from the core, painting isn't a good option. Replacing it is more suitable.
Laminate flooring paint is a brilliant, short to medium term solution for giving a tired room a makeover. However, it isn’t suitable for high traffic areas, such as busy hallways or moisture-heavy bathrooms.