Does your house need new floors?

If you're buying a house with hardwood floors that are too damaged to refinish, and are contemplating renovation, consider painting them white. Floors painted with white enamel deck paint can hold up to normal, day-to-day wear and can add a clean, bright, open feeling to your space. Marks, gouges or water damage will disappear under two or three coats of white paint, and your floors will look beautiful and feel clean and new. White floors not only brighten the interior, but also, with modern furnishing, create a loft-like ambiance.More bang for your buckSanding and refinishing floors can cost thousands of dollars. Replacing damaged wood, bleaching out stains, filling in gouges, sanding, cleaning and applying numerous coats of clear finish takes time and costs money. Floor paint, on the other hand, is relatively inexpensive, and you can paint one room at a time and keep expenses under control.No messPrepping a floor for painting is much less messy than having a power sander spray dust all over your home. Usually all you need to do to prepare your floors is to wash them to make sure they are clean so that paint will adhere to the wood. In some cases you might want to lightly sand an area but prep time is minimal as is clean up time.Quick resultsOne of the negatives of having hardwood floors refinished is that the sanding and refinishing process may take weeks until completed; this is so the floors are able to thoroughly dry between each sealer coat. If you choose to paint your floors instead, you can start walking on the floors within a few hours, providing you stick to wearing socks only until the floors are cured, which usually takes about 24 hours.ConvenienceIf you have your floors refinished, it's necessary to remove all the furniture from the area; nothing can be in the room. After the sealer is applied, you won't be able to walk on the floors until they are completely dry, which can take days. If the finish is even slightly tacky, it can easily be marked, scuffed or damaged. If you paint your floors, you can move furniture from one side of the room to the other rather than having to clear out an entire room. You can stop and start painting without leaving any noticeable lines indicating where you left off. You and your pets can stay in your home during the painting process because you only have to block off a small area at a time for just a few hours at a time.Style and beautyAll hardwood floors are not created equally. Some old floors are made from beautiful hardwoods and truly deserve to be refinished to their natural beauty. However, many hardwood floors were made from softer woods that have no luster, character or inherent beauty. These are the floors that, even if refinished, add little style or sophistication to your home.Painted floors are trending everywhere and are good for every type of home. From modern high rise apartments to beach homes and cottage-style capes, painted floors are hot and are featured in many interior design magazines and books. The clean lines and shine of a painted floor will showcase furnishings, add style, and bring light into the darkest room.ColourAlthough most designers are sticking with white or off-white painted floors, you can choose other light colors if you wish. Other popular choices for painted floors are light blues, greens, pinks and yellows.Easy carePainted floors are easy to care for and are pet friendly. Just dust mop or vacuum your floors, and use a mild soap and water solution to wash away stains. WarningOnce you paint your floors, it is next to impossible to remove all of the paint if you decide you want to have natural wood floors again. Only paint floors that are so damaged they need to be replaced or floors that you intend to replace at a later date with a quality hardwood floor.