What is the best way to paint old wood floors (steps & hall)?

Question

My house is 95 years old ---the wood are wide pine boards---I just want to paint the hall and steps. They have been painted before, but it has been 50 years. I just removed the carpet. Do I have to prime? Do I have to use oil base (the smell makes me sick). :>)

Answer 1

I'm doing the same thing in our 100+ year old house.  So far I've pulled up the old carpet, sanded the boards to get rid of the old carpet padding and to remove some of the poly that was put on there by an idiot who had no clue.  My next step was to sweep well and wipe the wood down well with a soft, every so slightly damp cloth to get the last of the sanding dust off.  I'm using a water based primer (Zinser Bulls-Eye 123) and a latex paint.  But then we are putting a runner carpet down the middle and the steps and hall floors won't really be walked on.  If you're not putting down carpet, then I'd go for a water based enamel but I don't see why you would have to use an oil based primer, especially if it makes you sick!  Talk to the folks at the paint store; they know!

Answer 2

I also have an old house and the floors upstairs are painted, as they were when the house was originally built. It's very authentic and can look GREAT. In the olden days, they used less expensive wood to save money on stairs and second floors, and saved the good stuff for downstairs. But a lot of people now automatically think bare wood is beautiful. It's not necessarily true.

Anyway -- I read what MMT wrote, and I agree with all her prep advice. What I've used on my floors is a tough acrylic paint called Breakthrough. It's very long-wearing, but it smells terrible while it's wet. (Fortunately it dries fast.) Usually oil-based paint is recommended for bare floors and stairs, for durability. If you really want to use latex, use a very good brand. If you go to an actual paint store, you can get advice from an expert. If Benjamin Moore or Pratt and Lambert make a floor or porch paint in latex, it's probably okay to use. Keep in mind that the higher the gloss, the harder the finish. Glossy paint actually looks very good on floors. Don't be scared when it's newly applied. It'll start out very shiny, but will dull down a lot in the first 2-3 weeks.

When I paint floors, first I cut in around the edge with a brush. Next I do a 2-foot wide strip with a roller.and then quickly and lightly go over it, dragging a wide brush in one direction. Thus takes away the roller texture and any bubbles. No pressure applied, just a smooth sweep with the tips of the bristles.

Do use a primer at least on the very worn areas. I always use a primer all over the floor, just to assure the paint will last.