How to paint wooden floorboards

Safety first! Make sure you’re painting in a well-ventilated room. Remove any furniture from the room and seal any built-in cupboards or wardrobes with masking tape so the dust doesn’t seep in.

Sand your floorboards with a medium-grade sandpaper to remove any bumps and surface shine – this will ensure that your new coat of paint sticks well. Give your floor a good clean with a vacuum cleaner and mop with warm, soapy water.

Time to start painting. You’ll want to use a good quality synthetic bristle brush (it’s best to use one almost as wide as the boards themselves) and a specialist floor paint.

Paint along the full length of no more than two boards at a time to ensure you don’t get overlaps. Apply a second coat if required, leaving at least three hours between coats.

It can be tempting to move your furniture back in straight away but to make sure the paint has time to dry properly, it’s best to wait at least 48 hours. Then, sit back, relax and admire your gleaming new floor!