If you live with other people, the floor is something you must take serious care of, as busy traffic will deteriorate it very fast. With the floor looking not up to the par, your house’s condition also looks worse for the wear as it is a big part of your house’s overall aesthetics. But you can solve this by using the best floor paint.
There are great differences between different brands of floor paints. But as with anything and any product, there are certain standouts. That’s why we’ve taken the initiative to provide you with a list of the top five best floor paints so that you’re more able to choose one that suits your needs and preferences.
Without further ado, let’s get to our list.
See also: Paint Sprayer Reviews And Buying Guide
Reviews of the 5 Best Floor Paints for Old Wood
1. Best For Concrete and Garage Floors: KILZ L377711 1-Part Epoxy Acrylic Paint
Editor Rating: KILZ has been a trustworthy name among homeowners for decades and is considered one of the top paint brands out there. This 1-Part Epoxy Acrylic Paint is a living proof of the brand’s consistency and competence.
If you have a concrete floor, this acrylic paint from KILZ will give you a nice satin and epoxy finish that is modern in aesthetics and durable in construction. It will provide great protection and resistance against most kinds of stains and damage from chemicals, oil, or gasoline.
For concrete surfaces, there’s no better option for beautification than this paint from KILZ. KILZ’s 1-Part Epoxy Acrylic Paint is carefully formulated to last in hard-to-clean areas such as the basement and garages where there’s a lot of traffic and activity, a lovely characteristic that many homeowners will surely love.
What also sets it apart from other paints is that one gallon of this paint will cover 400 to up to 500 square feet on smooth surfaces, and 300 to 400 square feet on rough surfaces. This will ensure that your painting process will go smoothly with no interruptions or fear of paint running out.
Pros
- Optimal for concrete surfaces
- Highly durable
- Resistance from stains and chemical damage
- Covers 400-500 square feet for smooth surfaces, 300-400 square feet for rough surfaces
Cons
- More difficult to apply fully
Read late: Kilz Over Armor Textured – The Best Deck Paints Ever!
2. Best For Wooden Floors: INSL-X CTS39989A-01 Tough Shield Paint
Editor Rating: INSL-X’s products are known to be extremely durable, and this Tough Shield paint is another continuation of that tradition. In terms of floor coating for interior surfaces, it can’t really get any better than INSL-X’s Tough Shield.
If you want a rugged, worn but clean look for your wooden floors, this Tough Shield paint is what you should get. It will give them a durable satin finish that stands the test of time, with good abrasion resistance to deter any damaging effects from detergents, oils, greases, and scrubbing. Both natural and artificial elements are no match against this paint.
As brown is one of the more famous colors for home floors, you can use this paint for most floor applications, both residential and light commercial uses. So even if you buy this paint for purposes other than painting the interior floors, such as painting your decks, it will still be fantastic. In fact, with its quality and color, it might be the best deck paint for old wood.
Like KILZ’s paint, this paint covers quite a large surface, from 350 to up to 450 square feet per gallon. There are no worries at all about the color running out mid-usage.
Pros
- Suitable for wooden floors, including wooden decks
- Durable satin finish, resists wearing
- 350-450 square feet coverage
Cons
- Have to be applied when air temperatures are above 50 degrees F
3. Best For Outdoors: Rust-Oleum 206999 Marine Topside Paint
Editor Rating: The best outdoor paint on the list might be this one from the famous paint brand Rust-Oleum, the Marine Topside Paint. This paint uses an oil-based formula, which offers great flexibility and can be applied easily with excellent leveling.
Oil-based paints deal with humid weather conditions very well, so Marine Topside Paint can be the best choice if you want to paint outdoor parts, with it offering solid protection against all weather, especially if you live near the coast. Your porch and patio floors will look excellent after being applied with the Marine Topside Paint.
What makes it great for the outdoors is its durable coating, which offers a self-maintenance mechanism that helps it resist abrasion and extreme weather conditions. What’s more, the coating also protects against long-lasting UV, which outdoor parts of the house are too often exposed to.
This paint is ideally used not just for wood but also for metal surfaces or fiberglass. With superior gloss retention and smooth finish, the paint can maintain its beauty and elegance after being applied on the surface for a long time.
The Marine Topside Paint can make itself useful quickly as it dries to the touch in as little as one or two hours and can cover up to 100 square feet.
Pros
- Oil-based formula for outdoors durability
- Superior weather resistance
- Dries fast
- Superior loss retention and smooth finish
- UV protection
Cons
- Not slip resistant
Can you like: Who Makes The Best Exterior Paints?
4. Best For Glossy Floors: Rust-Oleum FBA 230031 Varathane
Editor Rating: If you’re not afraid of spending a little more for your home refurbishments, Rust-Oleum has another paint in store for you, which is the FBA 230031 Varathane paint. Its price tag is slightly higher than other options on the market, but this is justified as it delivers superb service worthy of a premium floor paint.
First of all, this paint will give you a varathane diamond interior finish, which is great if you want your floors to look glossy. Especially if you have hardwood floors, this water-based finish can be an excellent choice. The pain also offers other applications such as for painting cabinets or fine furniture.
Using Rust-Oleum 230031 Varathane paint, your floors will have a dressing of elegance and grace. But the aesthetic isn’t all there is to this premium floor paint. In terms of durability, it surely qualifies as one of the most durable paints there is, with superb durability, abrasion and scuff resistance.
You won’t have to worry anymore about stains and household chemicals damaging your floors; this paint will surely protect! If you’re eager to apply it, you can do so at a moment’s notice! This paint dries really fast, so even same-day recoating is possible.
Pros
- Varathane gallon gloss waterborne diamond floor finish
- Premium floor paint
- Superior durability, abrasion and scuff resistance
- Dries fast for same-day recoating
Cons
- Relatively expensive
5. Best For Kitchens and Bathrooms: Rust-Oleum 7860519 Paint
Editor Rating: Rust-Oleum is one of the go-to choices when people shop for paints, and indeed their products have stood the test of time, both figuratively and literally. Their catalog of paints has been an incredible source for many homes, with Rust-Oleum 7860519 Tub And Tile Refinishing Kit being another great highlight.
If you want to update your bathrooms or kitchens to a modern, fresh outlook, this paint is one to go for. It’s very affordable and can be applied effectively right away. It uses a 2-part epoxy acrylic formula that allows the paint to withstands all moisture and resists corrosion and will show results as soon as it’s applied. This is great for tubs, sinks, wall tiles and more.
This kit comes in two parts, which can be mixed separately then together for the best results. Take care to mix for at least 2 minutes; then, once the mixture is finished, you should use it within 6 hours of completion. This is to provide stronger, more rust-resistant layers of paint.
One kit of this paint will apply two coats covering up to 110 square feet. If you use it on your bathtub, allow it to dry out three days before exposure to water. After that, the tub will look fresh as new and without blemishes.
Pros
- Paint for kitchens and bathrooms
- Superb durability with 2-part epoxy acrylic formula
- Two coats covering 110 square feet
- High gloss finish
- Comes in a kit
Cons
- Needs thorough preparation
Read more: What Brand Of Paint Is Best For Kitchen Cabinets?
Buying Guide
There are a lot of things one must take into consideration before shopping for floor paints. Even if you know the best products to get, it’s still important that you know all the necessary information before proceeding further.
Paints for Wooden Floors
Depending on your needs, preferences, and the type of floors you have, choosing the correct type of paint can be the difference between long-lasting performance and a quick replacement.
For wooden floors, there are two types of paints: oil-based paint and latex paint. The latex one is more eco-friendly but not as durable as oil-based paint. In order to decide between the two, you have to take into account the number of members in your household as well as your personal preferences.
We recommend the Tough Shield paint from INSL-X for this job.
Paints for Concrete Floors
Paint for concrete floors might vary as the floors tend to differ quite a bit. But generally, if you shop for concrete paints, durability is what you should prioritize as concrete floors tend to be places which have lots of traffic.
There are three types of paints, which are latex, acrylic (water-based) and mixed one-part epoxy. These paints go from low to higher prices respectively, with epoxy paints being most expensive but also the most durable of them.
Among our list, KILZ’s 1-Part Epoxy Acrylic Paint can be the perfect choice for this operation.
See more: Kilz Deck Paint Review
The Type of Weather
Indeed, the choice of floor paints can depend a lot on where you live. For example, if you live where there’s a lot of sunshine, a paint that is UV-resistant will help tremendously in preventing color fading.
The tougher paints might sacrifice something else in return, but if there are many weather extremities where you live, it might be worth considering to get the more durable options. Similarly, if it rains year-round, paints with a good grip is a great choice to combat deterioration.
Moreover, you might want to take weather considerations even more seriously prior to the painting itself, as paints require warm temperatures and low humidity to dry well. If you live where cool weather is frequent, it’s best to wait for the sun to come out.
Durability and Toughness
The same type of paints will also differ in features, which mostly consist of the extra protections that they have. These can be water, stain resistance to UV-ray protection. Take into account all the prior factors and consider if the level of durability that your paint offers is necessary for you.
Different floors will also require a different level of toughness. More toughness isn’t necessarily always good, however. As the paints might sacrifice something else in return for its durability, if you give priorities for floor appearance or other aspects the most this is something you should take note of.
FAQs
What are the benefits of painting your floors?
There are lots of benefits, mainly the protection of your floors. Whether your floors have a lot of traffic or not, with time, they will certainly become worsened. And a bad floor is not a great look. So renewing your floors by applying a durable, quality paint is needed in order to keep your house’s condition and appearance superb.
Should I vacate or not?
Let’s face it, painting floors is a difficult task. Depending on the scale of your painting, you might want to clear out your furniture so that the process can go on its way smoothly and effectively. If it’s for a new house, it’s recommended that you paint your floors first before moving in.
How costly is floor painting?
It can be surprising to see how cheap it is to paint floors, but it’s true. What you need are essentially a gallon or a few gallons of paint, a primer and some other painting supplies, which shouldn’t cost too much collectively. The more challenging part most of the time is in the painting itself, not the purchasing.
Conclusion
Your house’s appearance can influence your living condition a lot. Nothing is better than a difficult day at the office, then coming home and resting your feet on a wonderful, refined painted floor that you work on your own.
But a good looking floor doesn’t exist without good paints. We hope that with our top list of the five best floor paints, including a guide, you will be able to reach a great purchasing decision.
Make your house a home!
Peter Levick
ArchitectI am a licensed architect who is passionate about all things home improvement industries, I have been doing DIY painting projects and have developed lots of experience around home improvement over the 10 years.
