DIY: Painting A Checkerboard Floor (Tips + Products I Used)

As of final evening, I’m about midway completed with portray a checkerboard ground within the studio. Right here’s the way it appears thus far…

I’m actually happy with the way it’s turning out thus far. The principle room, which is about 19.5′ x 21′, is about 2/3 completed. So now I’ve to place protecting paper down on this completed space, transfer my massive rolling work tables and different objects to this aspect of the room, after which begin on flooring in the remainder of this room, the again entry, the storage closet, and the lavatory.

The ground on this room is pink oak hardwood flooring, and since it is a studio the place I’ll be utilizing paint, resin, alcohol inks, and so on., I wished a ground that might very simply be spot sanded and retouched once I drip issues on the ground. Paint appeared like the plain reply. So let me present you ways I did it.

I began by sanding the ground to present the earlier end some “tooth”. Hopefully this may give the paint and primer extra sturdiness than it could have had I painted proper over the slick water-based polyurethane ground with out sanding first.

Some flooring most likely wouldn’t must be sanded fairly that a lot, however I used to be additionally attempting to eliminate some water harm and different imperfections within the ground, so I did a little bit extra sanding than was most likely crucial (as a result of I’m a perfectionist).

Then I gave the ground two coats of Zinsser B-I-N Shellac-Based mostly Primer. This was solely my second time utilizing this product, however after getting used to the skinny consistency, I used to be very happy with the way it carried out the primary time I used it (on my entrance porch ceiling), so I made a decision to keep it up on this challenge as effectively.

After which I gave the ground two coats of paint, which I rolled on utilizing a 3/8-inch nap curler (these are those I exploit). And since the ground is a really giant space, I used an ordinary curler than you’d use to color a wall. The paint I selected to make use of is Behr Porch and Patio Flooring Paint within the low-luster end. I began with the darker colour, which is Benjamin Moore Basic Grey, which I had them colour match within the Behr paint.

So as soon as the cupboards have been in place, I measured and marked the middle of the center cupboard utilizing my tape measure and a pencil, after which continued marking the remainder of the ground utilizing that very same measurement, utilizing a straight edge (a framing sq.) till I had a line drawn perpendicular to the middle level on the center cupboard.

Subsequent, I used my sq. sample (I used a leftover FLOR carpet tile as my sample, however you may reduce a sample out of cardboard, poster board, and so on.), and lined up two factors completely alongside that line near the cupboards, and traced the sq..

Then utilizing the opposite two factors on the sq., I used these as my information to measure and mark a line equidistant from the cupboards that ran parallel with the cupboards. Once more, it was extra necessary to me that the checkerboard design seemed proper with the cupboards relatively than it being completely centered within the room. Rooms are nearly by no means completely sq., so if the design was barely off in one other space, it could be approach much less noticeable than it could be if the design was off with the cupboards on the principle focal wall of the room.

As soon as I had that line drawn parallel with the entrance of the cupboards, I then used my sq. sample (the carpet tile) to proceed the sample on that parallel line.

As soon as I had the squares traced on the middle perpendicular line and the all throughout the parallel line, I went again and simply fill in the remainder of the squares utilizing my sample.

After I had all the squares traced, I used painters tape to mark off all the squares that will be painted my distinction colour (Behr Polar Bear), after which I started taping off the squares to be painted. It’s not environment friendly to attempt to tape off each single sq. to color them unexpectedly. It’s a lot simpler to tape off each different one and paint these, after which when these are dry, to return and tape off the remainder and paint these.

Earlier than I may paint, I first wanted to eliminate any pencil marks. Pencil marks will bleed by way of paint, so it should prevent an enormous headache to eliminate them as an alternative of attempting to color over them. And don’t ever attempt to erase them with a pencil eraser or perhaps a high quality artwork eraser. These will simply smudge the graphite on paint, and depart you’ll a large number. I all the time eliminate my pencil marks utilizing a Magic Eraser. They work so quick and make simple work of eradicating pencil marks. And I didn’t simply take away the pencil marks going by way of the center of among the squares, just like the one you see right here…

However I additionally eliminated the marks alongside the taped edges. That approach I can eliminate pencil marks and burnish the tape in order that it’s caught rather well to the ground multi function fast step. You possibly can see how effectively the Magic Eraser eliminated the marks from the identical sq. pictured above…

After which I did yet one more step earlier than portray the squares. Whether or not portray a checkerboard ground or portray stripes on a wall, I like to make sure that the perimeters of the distinction colour shall be excellent by sealing the tape with the unique colour (Basic Grey) earlier than portray the distinction colour (Polar Bear). By portray the ground first with Basic Grey, after which sealing the tape with Basic Grey, that implies that if any of the paint used to seal the tape bleeds below the tape, it should simply mix proper into the unique colour and received’t be noticeable. However because it dries, it’ll seal the perimeters of the tape.

The marking, taping, erasing pencil marks, and sealing the tape are all of the time-consuming elements of portray a checkerboard ground. By the point all of that’s completed, the precise portray goes in a short time. I gave the squares a primary coat of paint, after which allow them to dry for about 40 minutes.

Then I rolled on a second coat. Instantly after portray the second coat, and whereas the paint was nonetheless very moist, I eliminated the tape. You possibly can see how completely crisp the perimeters are…

I let that first set of squares dry for about 24 hours, after which I taped off the remainder of the distinction squares and repeated that very same course of — eradicating the pencil marks, sealing the perimeters of the tape with the primary colour…

Adopted by two coats of the distinction colour, and eradicating the tape whereas the second coat was nonetheless very moist.

And there it’s! My new painted checkerboard ground in my studio. I do know it’s a model new painted ground, and it hasn’t even totally cured (I feel full treatment takes about 30 days), however I’ve already been very impressed with the sturdiness of this paint.

Cooper has even been in right here (my hyper 100-pound canine who received’t let me contact his ft, so I can’t clip his claws), and the ground held up completely to his craziness.

I don’t plan to do a transparent coat on the ground as a result of that will simply complicate the touch-up course of, and would defeat all the goal and my reasoning for having a painted ground within the first place. In order that implies that as soon as I get the remainder of the pencil marks off of this aspect of the room (the pencil marks that have been hiding below painters tape), I’ll be able to put protecting paper over this aspect of the room, get all of my stuff moved over to this aspect, and get began on the remainder of the ground. It’s been a sluggish course of, however at the least I’m making progress! And reality be informed, whereas portray a checkerboard ground is a prolonged course of, the issue degree is kind of low. It’s been a enjoyable and satisfying DIY challenge to tackle.