Painting a bare wooden floor for a whitewash effect?

[Aulus]

Any advice or suggestions please? I've belt-sanded the floorboards in a small bedroom back to mostly clean bare wood (planks are a little uneven so a few smoothed but darker spots). I want to get a white-ish, washed out effect with hopefully not too much effort! Due to work I can only fit the job in on Sundays & want to get the room useable asap.

I got a good effect some years ago on some shelves using diluted silk emulsion, but I imagine a floor is a different matter with the weight of traffic?

It only needs to last a year or so, as we'll be rebuilding.


Thanks in advance!

 

[Pigeon85]

Never personally done anything like this before so can't come up with a proper answer only a bit of advice is try asking a furniture or cabinet maker what they use as they get this sort of affect when doing there shabby chic stuff

 

[Nige F]

I know a furniture restorer Paint it with Vinyl Silk emulsion - Rub it off when wet to achieve the distressed effect - let it dry and wax it That`ll last you a year unless you walk about in hobnailed boots

 

[Aulus]

Thanks, will give it a go!

 

[joe-90]

Rub it off when wet

I get good results mixing matt emulsion with acrylic varnish.

 

[Aulus]

Rub it off when wet

I get good results mixing matt emulsion with acrylic varnish.

Interesting - how do you do this? I've not heard of it. Sounds quick, which is what I need!

 

[opps]

I think that Joe means that he adds a little white emulsion to the clear varnish and then applies that.

I would recommend dilute emulsion, brushed on and wiped off immediately, followed by acrylic floor varnish. You would need to try out dilutions on a test area first until you are happy. As the surface has been belt sanded it may be quite rough and thus more porous. It may be helpful to get someone to follow you with the rag whilst you apply by brush as you want to do full planks without a break. When you apply the floor varnish use a mini roller and a brush to remove any orange peel but do not be aggressive with the brush as the first coat will reactivate the emulsion and you risk "washing" it away.

When using floor varnish wear suitable clothing. Fibres from dark jumpers etc that fall onto the wet varnish will stick out like a sore thumb

 

[Aulus]

That sounds like it may be quicker.

I had at one point thought maybe a coat of diluted white undercoat, then polyurethane varnish on top? Or would that fail?

 

[opps]

Provided that you wait a day or two before using the OB varnish it should be fine but with the WB floor varnish you can do 2 coats in one day and walk on it within hours, and it will be tougher, won't yellow or stink out the whole house.