Paint that is made for under foot traffic must be tougher than a wall paint. Floor enamels must be hard and yet flex enough with the wood they are applied to. One of the easiest to use floor enamels is made by Sherwin Williams Co. and is called “Porch and Floor Enamel”.
Some great features of this product are that it is self priming, can be used on cement or wood floors, can be used inside or outside and you can get the enamel is colors, you are not stuck with just gray. I use it for painting floors and steps.
Painting New Wood Floors or Steps
Exterior wood will weather if exposed to the elements and turn gray, The gray dead wood cells need to be removed, this can be done by sanding with a orbital sander down to fresh wood. Remove sanding dust or soil dust with a shop vacuum.
Apply two coats of the floor enamel. The first coat acts as a primer, penetrating into the wood and sealing it. The second coat is the final finish coat and will be uniform in sheen and color. Let the first coat dry for four hours before applying the second.
Shark Grip Additive
I always use H & C’s Shark Grip additive with the floor enamel. The Shark Grip additive is a very fine slip resistant additive, much finer than conventional sand additives. Put the Shark Grip into the final coat only, apply the first coat without the additive. See Shark Grip Pdf.
Previously Painted Floors or Steps
Floors on post-1978 housing (**see footnote at bottom of page)
If the floor has already been painted, it will need to be clean, dull and dry before repainting. Dull the floor with an orbital sander. Use a vacuum attachment and dust shroud for dust free sanding.
Vacuum (HEPA filtered) any sanding dust and soil dust. Clean the floor with a pre-paint no rinse cleaner or use Krud Kutter. Spray or mop it on, and wipe clean. If the previous floor was painted with latex, you may be able to clean and degloss using Gloss Off and a scouring pad - all in one efficient step.
Once the floor is clean and dull, allow it to dry completely and paint with two coats of the floor enamel, using the Shark Grip in the final coat
Painting the Floor in an Interior Room
Plan the painting
When painting a floor, you have to remember not to do the proverbial "paint yourself into a corner". Plan your way of exit from the room, paint from the opposite end of the room and work your way toward the "exit".
Cut in at the wall with a brush
Cut in the floor paint at the wall first and then roll out the floor. You can cut in the whole floor area prior to rolling on the first coat, but the second coat may look better if you cut in a section and then roll that section, and then cut in the next section, and roll that section out etc.... This method (keeping a wet brushed in edge) will prevent a "framing" or lap mark from showing around the perimeter of the room.
Use a roller and extension pole
Use a four foot or six foot extension pole with your roller, this will save your back, as well as make the job go faster.
The roller cover should be a latex cover with a medium nap length (3/8" - 1/2").
Painting an Exterior Wood Porch
Make sure your surface preparation is good. Snow and rain will sit on top of the porch for extended periods of time which will reveal any poorly prepared areas (evidenced by the peeling of the paint which will ultimately occur). You won't get away with bad surface preparation on an exterior floor or porch decking.
You must use the Shark Grip additive or a sand additive on an exterior porch, steps or floor. There will be snow and water added to the equation on the exterior making things all the more slippery. Use the additive.
Painting a porch is really the same in terms of technique as painting an interior room floor with the added caution for rain and correct temperature range for proper application. Don't paint the porch if rain is expected. Unlike freshly painted siding, which the rain will run off, a rain water will puddle up and sit on top of your newly painted porch.
Repairs
Wood fillers usually don't work well on exterior wood, they will not flex with the rest of the wood as it swells and shrinks and moves with temperature changes. For this reason, you will have better results if you replace any damaged or rotted boards. If you replace the boards with pressure treated lumber, you will need to wait for the lumber to dry out before painting. Usually, the recommended time is anywhere from one month to six months, then you will need to sand the wood to a clean fresh surface before painting. A moisture meter will tell you when the wood is dry enough for painting. Generally, the meter should read the same for the pressure treated piece as it does for the rest of the deck. This should be somewhere under 15% when adjusted for wood species and temperature. You may find it simpler to use a non-pressure treated, alternate kiln dried lumber, and then back prime all sides (except the top) of the new wood piece to seal the lumber. This will allow you to paint the new wood immediately and you will still get good weather resistance.
**WARNING! Removal of old paint by sanding, scraping or other means may generate dust or fumes that contain lead. Exposure to lead dust or fumes may cause brain damage or other adverse health effects, especially in children or pregnant women. Controlling exposure to lead or other hazardous substances requires the use of proper protective equipment, such as a properly fitted respirator (NIOSH approved) and proper containment and cleanup. For more information, call the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD (in US) or contact your local health authority.
Please read lead paint warning if your house was built before 1978
How to Paint Basement Steps
Paint the sides (stringers) and fronts (risers) of the steps first. You can start at the top of the stairs and work your way down.
Next you will paint the steps (treads) themselves. In order to prevent yourself from being painted into the basement, unable to come back up until the paint dries, I would suggest you start at the bottom of the stairs and use a long handled mini roller.
You will stand on the step just above the tread you are painting. So you will start standing on the second step, while painting the first step or tread. The long handled mini roller (use a short extension pole if necessary) will allow you to paint the lower step without having to bend over it. The mini roller (with a fabric covered end) will enable you to paint the tread without having to use a brush to "cut it in".
Work your way up the stairs painting one step at a time. Allow everything to dry and recoat. On the second coat you will paint the stringers and risers and then add the Shark Grip to the paint for the final coat on the treads. Paint the treads in the same manner as you did the first coat, from bottom up to the top.
Painting Wood Floors, Porches and Steps
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