Painting Stairs, Floors, and Linoleum with Chalk Paint®.
When it comes to linoleum, although some of you have the awesome ability to tear tile out and gut a bath, there are many of us – who sadly, are just not as talented as you. That- or some of us- just want a quick fix to change the look of what we have till maybe we budget for someone else to come an do the job, correctly.
An example of changing the look of something you have in your home via an untraditional way- is painting it. Specifically, paining old linoleum flooring.
The Purple Painted Lady was impress by the amazing job Cindy did!
Here is what she shared, “First, I cleaned the floor well with non-phosphate TSP but I have since heard it can take up to days to completely dry but that’s usually with furniture. (Some now some are using Simple Green.)
Most important, The Purple Painted Lady wants to add regarding cleaning: **Make sure to thoroughly rinse the floor after cleaning with any product though! Any residual cleaning agent will cause the paint to NOT adhere.
Next, Cindy put on 1 coat of the Old White straight from the quart. I recommend giving this first coat 24 hours to really set up before doing your next step.
Then she mixed 1 part Old White to 3 parts Coco for the stenciling project. She purchased a spray adhesive specifically for stencils, I think off Amazon. (she sprayed it on stencil outside; so it was easy to lift up and move to another area without leaving any residue and could move several times before having to spray again.)
She then put on 2 coats of Annie Sloan’s Lacquer (non-yellowing). It is important to always use 2 thin coats and apply with a foam/ sponge roller.
Annie’s Lacquer is meant for high traffic areas and is water repellant, but not water proof. That means if you have water sitting on it for long periods of time, it can effect it. Annie Sloan Lacquer is a clear matte water based varnish for painted floors or heavily used furniture items, particularly for those painted with Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan (as in Cindy’s case). It is a strong penetrating Lacquer meant to be used over wood or concrete floors painted with Chalk Paint® that are interior floors only. This Lacquer is NOT intended to be used outside. Again, this is for INSIDE use only. Note- this is not recommended for outdoor use.
Whether the paint is applied as a wash or applied solidly with a foam roller, this robust Lacquer will seal it perfectly. It dries quickly – but allow your floor or furniture piece to cure overnight. It will slightly darken the color beneath it with a matte finish that has a slight sheen to give it strength.
Often customers will state after the first coat they see some slight lines in the Lacquer if using a roller, but after the second coat is applied- it looks wonderful. (just sharing this so you do not panic)
There is no need to sand in between either! The Lacquer will slightly darken the paint beneath it. Something to keep in mind…is that Graphite (and dark Chalk Paint® colors) are notorious tattle talers! Meaning if the Lacquer is too thick- it will appear to be streaky or cloudy. It is the flattening agents in the Lacquer that give it its matte sheen create a cloudy or milky effect when the Lacquer is applied too thickly and this is more noticeable over darker colors. I hate to write this- but often repainting and then thinner layers of Lacquer applied with a sponge roller or brush is the correction. So, since you are reading this- I would hope that you would not apply it too thick.
Applying Lacquer:
Some people will sometimes take a wide sponge brush or bristle brush to even out the rolled out Lacquer immediately after rolling it – as so to make sure it is thinned enough. Also- it is important – to make sure that the Lacquer was incorporated well before using it. Again- this is done either by stirring- or- tipping it upside down and rolling the container in your hands.
The varnish is quick drying, non-toxic, low odor, and non-yellowing. The Lacquer will give you a very durable scuff resistant finish. Note though, it is not recommended in areas where there will be a lot of water. Annie’s Lacquer is ring resistant- meaning it can tolerate hot cups. It is also resistant to alcohol spills, which if using wax as a top coat- is not.
The liter will cover approximately 107 square feet (depending on how porous the surface and how thickly the Lacquer is applied.) Two coats are recommended for areas of high traffic (never substitute one thick coat if in a hurry- it will not dry uniformly and you will just have issues- this rule applies to paint and for that matter – ANY product on the market!) I applied it on the top of a heavily used dresser and it was dry to the touch within minutes!
DIRECTIONS:
Add about 10% water into the first coat.
Let dry 2 hours and recoat with full strength Lacquer (still a thin coat).
Let dry overnight.
Moving Furniture Over A Floor With Lacquer:
Lacquer dries quickly – but again, allow your floor or furniture piece to cure overnight. It will slightly darken the color beneath it with a matte finish that has a slight sheen to give it strength. If using on your floor, do not start “dragging” pieces of furniture across it. In fact, for a period of time- have someone help you and lift and carry pieces to place them.
Often customers will state after the first coat they see some slight lines in the Lacquer if using a roller, but after the second coat is applied- it looks wonderful. (just sharing this so you do not panic) No need to sand in between either!
Cannot stress this enough…..Something to understand when using Lacquer is that it does not want to be back stroked.
Confident strokes in one direction for an even sheen is extremely important because varnishes do not like to be back brushed. This can cause flashing…meaning an uneven finish.
The Lacquer will slightly darken the paint beneath it. Something to keep in mind…is that Graphite (and dark Chalk Paint® colors) are notorious tattle talers! Meaning if the Lacquer is too thick- it will appear to be streaky or cloudy. The flattening agents in the Lacquer that give it its matte sheen create a cloudy or milky effect when the Lacquer is applied too thickly and this is more noticeable over darker colors. I hate to write this- but often repainting and then thinner layers of Lacquer applied with a sponge roller or brush is the correction. So, since you are reading this- I would hope that you would not apply it too thick!
Some people will sometimes take a wide sponge brush or bristle brush to even out the rolled out Lacquer immediately after rolling it – as so to make sure it is thinned enough. Keep in mind the comment above about stroking it too much! Also- it is important – to make sure that the Lacquer was incorporated well before using it. Again- this is done either by stirring- or- tipping it upside down and rolling the container in your hands.
The varnish is quick drying, non-toxic, low odor, and non-yellowing. The Lacquer will give you a very durable scuff resistant finish. Note though, it is not recommended in areas where there will be a lot of water. Annie’s Lacquer is ring resistant- meaning it can tolerate hot cups. It is also resistant to alcohol spills, which if using wax as a top coat- is not.
If the floors are oak or some other sort of open grain wood- note that in the drying action of the Lacquer- it could pull up tannins through the new paint layers. Annie Sloan Lacquer is a penetrating varnish, meaning that it gets its strength by penetrating through the paint layers and attaching itself to the substrate. As it dries, the water in the varnish evaporates and the remaining materials shrink or pull tight to the surface, again another reason for its great strength.
However, the varnish pulls from both directions (think about how clothes shrink- in all directions) and this action can pull the tannins up if they have not been sealed with shellac prior to painting.
The same problem would occur if the floors had been previously stained with a non-colorfast stain. The only solution is to shellac, repaint, and reseal.
NOTE- Lacquer does NOT adhere over oil-based products.
Annie Sloan Lacquer dries to a matte sheen with just a hint of shine for durability … it is not glossy. Annie Sloan Lacquer can also be sprayed, but most apply with a sponge roller or a “bouncy” bristle brush.
Again, with most spray systems it will most likely need to be diluted with some water. My experience with working with the Lacquer has shown that the sheen level diminishes a bit with the addition of water … the more water added the more matte it becomes. With either product, try not to exceed adding more than 20% water.
**** If you brush it on – have confident strokes- since Lacquer does not like being over played with.
The liter will cover approximately 107 square feet (depending on how porous the surface and how thickly the Lacquer is applied.) Two coats are recommended for areas of high traffic (never substitute one thick coat if in a hurry- it will not dry uniformly and you will just have issues- this rule applies to paint and for that matter – ANY product on the market!) I applied it on the top of a heavily used dresser and it was dry to the touch within minutes!
How To Use Lacquer:
Before use, turn the container upside down for about 1 to 2 hours since all the “good materials” that may have sunk to the bottom get well incorporated again to the top and is well dispersed.
DO NOT SHAKE since this will cause bubbles to form in the varnish which you do not want to happen! It is best to gently mix the Lacquer by rolling the containers around in your hands or pouring the contents into a bucket to stir.
Apply the Lacquer with a high quality sponge/foam roller and using a sponge brush to cut in at the edges.
Apply two THIN coats for areas of high traffic such as a hallway, stairs, or sitting room but only one for a bedroom for instance. Again- it is best to apply two thin coats rather than one thicker one. You never get a head taking shortcuts!
An average coating needs to dry 1- 2 hours before another coat can be applied. Leave it overnight to “cure” before walking on it. Wash brushes/sponge rollers thoroughly in water.
Note that Annie Lacquer is NEVER applied over waxes! However, you can apply Annie Sloan’s soft waxes over the Lacquer.
HOW DO I CLEAN MY FLOOR THAT HAS ANNIE’S LACQUER ON IT?:
We recommend a product called Fabuloso. You mix it water and you do not let it pool on the Lacquer. WalMart and other “fine” stores retail this cleaning product. It is also great to pour down a drain or even in your toilet bowl- and leave it for an hour. It will make your room smell like you cleaned it for hours.
Note that Annie Lacquer is NEVER applied over waxes! However, you can apply Annie Sloan’s soft waxes over the Lacquer. However, do NOT use wax on a stairs. It will become “buffed” due to use and make the surface too slippery.
Cindy purchased her stencil used on the linoleum through Cutting Edge Stencils Check them out here => http://www.cuttingedgestencils.com/
Here is another awesome example of painting floors…or in this case, a set of stairs. And I really love how Karen’s stairs turned out!
With a Southwestern theme going on in her home- she not only rejuvenated an old set of stairs, but added a “wow” factor too! Using Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan made it easy! First she painted her steps in Primer Red, then did a wash of Emperor’s Silk, added detailing, then applied 2 coats of Annie’s Lacquer.
This is another great floor project completed by Wood Junkies. Amber Brady McKee did a custom mix to create her pink. She used Emperor’s Silk, Barcelona Orange and Old White. Then she made a custom gray color using Graphite, Paris Grey and Pure White.
Carrie DiLallo:
Carrie wrote us that the project of painting her slate floor below “was actually very easy. Thoroughly cleaned a couple times and made sure to vacuum a couple times as well to make sure there were no pet hairs or debris. Used an artist brush on the grout with French Linen, painted the slate with Graphite. Let dry and sealed with two coats of Lacquer.”
Sherry Adelmann
In 2013, Sherry painted her floor with Duck Egg and Pure White for the top design using a stencil. She wrote us, “It’s held up for 3 years! I love it!”
Beth Norton
We love Beth’s floor cloth for her Messy Molly, that she painted in English Yellow and Graphite and everything else!
Sabrina Jean
Below, Sabrina painted three coats of Paris Gray Chalk Paint® as the base then did a dry bush of Pure White and Paris Grey mix over the top
Rhoda Vaughn did an amazing job with this faux carpet on her wood floors!
Linda Groom:
She painted the stairs below in her 1890 farmhouse with Coco and Pure White Chalk Paint® and then finished with Annie Sloan Lacquer. It only took me a weekend – very easy and pleased with the results.
The Purple Painted Lady sells all of Annie’s product on line! I really hope you give us the opportunity to do business with you!
I ship out every week day all over the US. I included a link below to my on-line shop below. We offer the lowest flat rate UPS shipping cost so if you are one town away or 10 states away- the shipping cost is the same. Also- it is my paint sales that keep me in business and allow me to be here to help you. (my shameless, but honest plug) wink-wink! Click HERE to link to Our On-Line Store => http://shop.thepurplepaintedlady.com/
: ) And I will be here to help you as you progress through your future project! And if I do say so myself- we offer the BEST customer service that you will ever experience!
Here is a little post about what I mean when it comes to what you should expect from us: http://www.thepurplepaintedlady.com/2014/02/why-buy-chalk-paint-from-us/
Lastly- If I was helpful to you- please consider leaving a comment on my business page sharing your experience or thoughts about The Purple Painted Lady. Here is a link to my Facebook page=> http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Purple-Painted-Lady/291882785710 This helps me too!
Thanks so much!
Trish
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Tricia Migliore Kuntz ~The Purple Painted Lady ~
Design/Consulting, Kitchen Cabinet Refurbishing, Custom Painted Furniture, Chalk Paint® & MMS Milk Paint Retailer & herRochester Blogger
PHONE: 585-750-6056
Come visit us:
At our MAIN STORE at 77 West Main Street in Macedon, NY 14502 OR
3200 West Ridge Road in Rochester, NY 14626 (The Shops On West Ridge) OR
Our Syracuse, NY location at 1 West Genesee Street, Baldwinsville NY 13207
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(How did I get that business name you ask?……I started the business in my 1885 purple painted Victorian – and I LOVE to paint – so the business name just fits perfectly!)