I dont think you should use an exterior paint indoors. I could be wrong about that but I would read the label on the can. I assume the porch paint is exterior paint. Using paint that is meant for outside can lead to respiratory problems. Google.

As for using latex wall paint on the floor, I think that is fine. I have done that before on both wood and tile files. As a sealer I would use several coats of polyurethane for maximum durability but that will cause some yellowing. If the yellowing is an issue for you then use polycrylic. Polycrylic is not as durable as polyurethane.

If you were to redo the floor please do not purchase gallons of paint in all those different colors. Just get some sample cans of paint mixed to the color you want. They cost about $5 a can and contain plenty of paint to complete your project.

The idea that "outdoor" paint can lead to respiratory problems when used indoors is absolutely ludicrous. Completely clueless assertion.

Polycrylic is totally unsuitable for use on floors, Minwax even says so in their instructions for use. It's fine for furniture, cabinets, etc., but not at all for floors. Plus, it requires at least 3 coats, with sanding between each.

As long as you top coat your floor, you'll be fine. The top coat determines how well it wears.

Water-based polyurethane may--may--give a slight yellowish cast, but it's a tough, long-wearing finish that's made for floors. If you want a gloss finish, use gloss. If you want a matte finish, use gloss first, with a matte top coat. Gloss polyurethane is tougher than matte, so get the protection from the first coat(s) of gloss.

Test it on a scrap board painted with what you used and see how you like it first.

Tatts, Google is your friend.......

Yeah, I know all about Google and I know that it will lead you to a lot of incorrect information as well as good. That's why I say it's a ludicrous assertion. Acrylic paint is acrylic paint--indoors or out.

tatts, you're saying to just apply a coat of water based polyurethane? Not to sand it down and apply porch paint? I just want to make sure I do it right this time.

The chemicals used to make the paint are different. Fungicides, mildew inhibitors, etc. But you keep on doing what you are doing. Perhaps it will all work out in your favor.

Roll of the eyes...

Dang that's gorgeous. Love how you mirrored the window. Don't you dare redo it!

I'd coat it with polyurethane and let it be. It's a style that will look okay with a little wear. If the poly STICKS (and it's critical you get one that will stick to latex), it will protect the floor just like it would protect a hardwood floor. Eventually it will wear off and have to be redone but if you don't have dogs or stiletto shoes, it could be 20 years or more.

HI -- Part of the charm of painted floors is when it wears off a bit . If that doesn't work for you then get someone in like a pro painter and have it sanded clean and then just seal the wood . That will last much longer then . Less fuss and less dated feature .

Karen: Yes.

The benefit of porch and floor paint is that they are very durable. But even they need poly on top in high-traffic areas.

All you're doing with the poly is protecting the paint underneath; it doesn't matter what kind of paint it is. The poly becomes the wear layer, protecting the paint.

One word of caution: To get the best results, you need to apply the additional coats within the time period in the instructions. Water-based poly won't adhere well to poly that's been allowed to cure too long. Solvent-based finishes slightly soften the underlying coat and bind tightly as a single thicker coat. Water-based poly can't do that if you wait too long to apply the next coat (but you can improve the bonding with a light sanding or scuffing with green sanding pads).

As Fori said above. You did a fabulous job painting that floor. Wow. I'm so impressed.

Don't listen to people who advocate "less fuss and less dated features" when clearly, you gave your all to create that unique floor. For sure it's worth trying to save it. (And I'm saying this as a confirmed modernist and minimalist, lol!)

I suggest you go to a SW or BM store and ask for expert advice. What Poly will work with Latex. Visit several stores and ask a variety of people. Some of the employees will just be hired help and be clueless, some will have tons of experience and knowledge and will steer you in the right direction. Just make sure you get at least a second opinion. And read the instructions!

Best of luck!

A number of paints are now being marketed as interior/ exterior. PPG's Breakthrough, Behr Premium Plus and Sherwin Williams Solo for example. Some interior paints and interior caulks contain 'mildewicides/ fungicides'...esp. kitchen & bath specific products.

The floor looks really nice, Karen. I love it.

I've painted a few outdoor signs with various acrylic / latex paints and they are holding up well with a water based polyurethane top coat. They aren't being walked on, but experiencing extreme weather. I also used water based polyurethane on my indoor wooden stairs. The finish is over a stain, but again, the stairs have held up well and they get a lot of use. I would be sure that the any chairs / table legs have good floor protector pads on them and change them when they start to show wear.

You have done a lovely job!

That is one gorgeous floor! Definitely worth fussing over :-)

Karen, take deep breath. Internet advice is suspect and full of false information. Correct you used the wrong base paint.

"The top coat determines how well it wears."

"All you're doing with the poly is protecting the paint underneath; it doesn't matter what kind of paint it is. The poly becomes the wear layer, protecting the paint."

^False and incorrect. The first layer of any painting project is as import as any subsequent layer. You could put down ten layers of any sealer topcoat and possibly later peal it up like a thin sheet of plastic. An artist that does not properly prime their canvas could loose their artwork painted on top of a weak prep layer...etc.

The good news is the advances in all paint quality be it wall paint or floor paint and so on. Failure still happens all the time depending on temp and humidity. More often its human error skipping a step or cutting corners.

It is possible that your wall paint made a good bond to your floor boards and a top coat sealer will bond and protect your hard work. You cannot sand down veneer. Just not enough of a wood layer before you hit the plywood.

You really do not have many options as whats done is done. I would probably go ahead and seal it and do a wait and see. Plan a near future big area rug where the most traffic pattern occurs if it does start to wear off. No one walks along the one foot perimeter of a room so that should hold up to a lightly damp mop and a vacuum just fine. (fingers crossed)

Attempting to strip off the wall paint layers with a safe soy based stripper would be yet another option but yuck, what a mess. That could actually delaminate the veneer.

My 1880 saltbox beach house has wide pine floors that we sanded and painted 20 years ago and still looks great. Some rooms we painted with floor&patio and some just a clear coat.

A co-worker put in a new hardwood floor a year ago and the finish is coming off in the high traffic areas and looks horrible. The wood must have absorbed a lot of moisture during the renovation causing a weak bond. Or somebody cut corners.

Good luck and hope all goes well if you decide to seal it as-is.

Hi Karen,

Another option is to look for a floor finish that is "water white" and matte. I don't know if it will stick to paint, but the two I'm going to suggest are usually sold at specialty shops where the staff should know. Vermeister Velvet and Loba 2K Invisible Protect are both 2-part finishes to look into. A less durable option would be a Dead Flat Varnish like the one sold by Modern Masters or Polyvine.

These are just a few ideas to check out. I have used Modern Masters on small projects to protect a raw weathered finish, but I have never tried to do what you are doing, so please don't take this as sage solutions.

Cute art floors. That must of took a lot of time. Latex paints are basically latex plastic when dry. If you let an old bucket of latex harden,it will come out as a big ball of plastic like substance. It unfortunately scratches more than the enamels or oil.

Chances are high the will keep scratching or even with clear coat. But, before going over your hard work. i would try to seal it with a matte clear coat to give it a chance. Try brushing on with a foam roller on a far corner of artwork. If it starts to lift or smear the color stop. if not 1 light coat, dry 48 hours, repeat. If it smears then tape off around & spray can seal matte sealer. Worse case scenario, it does not work, Best case it does & do the rest of floors. At least you try to save the art.

I would do some test runs on boards of wood to experiment with the process until you find the best products. Do exactly what was done on floors, then try testing. Then do floors.

Here's a link more info on painting floors

https://www.profloortips.com/hardwood/painting-wood-floors/

Hope it works out in your favor.

sanding the paint off off plywood with sanding through the veneer is next to impossible. Seal it up.

Acrylic on floors tends to lift off if stuff sits on it for a while, or if can’t breathe, like you placed a sheet of plastic over it to protect it. Expect you will probably have to do periodic touch ups esp if you are dragging chairs over it. Oil is definitely both more hard wearing and smelly while curing, and it can take a long time to dry. But acrylic paints have toxic substances in them too.

As long as you top coat your floor, you'll be fine. The top coat determines how well it wears.

@tatts: Now who’s the one making an “absolutely ludicrous, completely clueless assertion?”

You’ve received some very helpful information, particularly from sleevendog and artistsharonva (who beat me to it with that link to painting wood floors!)

Good luck to you; it is a beautiful floor. :)

If it were my floor, I’d use a water based poly to avoid yellowing. I’ve used the brand Varathane diamond pro floor satin finish. You could use gloss for the first three coats for more durability. My husband did 5 or 6 thin coats 2 hours apart using an artificial sheep’s wool applicator from Home Depot, similar to this photo. Stir periodically, never shake the can. Maybe a pro knows of a better brand, I’ve seen the brand Bona posted several times. Fine scratches will show over time but I’m ok with imperfection.

And Karen-please let us know how you proceed and show us the result.

No useful suggestion, just want to say your floor is beautiful! I love it when people do what they want instead of what the trend machine tells them to do.

Sleevendog and Sammy: I never said that what she did was the right way to do it, but what's done is done. And since sanding it all down and doing it over is, for all practical purposes, out of the question (given the substrate and her 65-year-old knees), poly is a fine solution for a dining room, which, I assume gets light use. The poly will give the protection she needs for what she has.

My stairs were refinished with water-based polyurethane 15 years ago (Varathane, I think--three coats of gloss), and despite constant use still look perfect. There's no reason to think that 3 coats of poly on that floor won't protect her paint just as well.

Now, whether her paint will adhere well to the substrate is a completely different question, but that's not what I was addressing.

Topcoat with PPG's Breakthrough Clear?

A versatile, ultra-durable water-borne acrylic, Break-Through is formulated to bond to some of the most difficult substrates including fiberglass, laminate, and many plastics. The interior/exterior satin finish offers very fast dry and outstanding early block resistance for increased productivity with less down time. BreakThrough provides hardness similar to or better than standard alkyds with a low VOC formula, but maintains flexibility to endure extreme bends and deformation without cracking and peeling. Break-Through is ideal for doors, windows, cabinets, shelving, hand rails, fixtures, trim, wood and concrete floors.

I've just started using Breakthrough paint. First project was for a closet...painted the doors and drawers with it. Second project was painting the concrete floor in a tiny laundry room. I have not used the clear version yet.

Breakthrough Clear

I'm listening. I haven't heard of it before. I'm going to see if I can find any reviews for it. Has anyone here used it? Thank you so much for being interested in my problem. I know it isn't fine art but it sure took a long time.

I painted a black/white checkerboard floor 34 years ago. It was in my very small entrance hall. I'm have no memory of what paint I used, but I did use a water-based poly top coat - I think I put two coats on. It lasted very well until a pipe in a bathroom above burst and the entire ceiling fell into the front hall. But that was when the floor was about 15 years old.

You did a great job - you're very talented. Enjoy it and just let it be after doing that poly top coat.

Karen, you did mess up by using latex wall paint but you did a lovely job. Do not polyurethane over this. I would lightly sand and reprime and use an actual floor paint product such as BM floor paint. It comes in two sheens and is water clean up. I have used their oil base and water base floor paint on floors and it holds up very well. You do not seal it. Let it age naturally. You can add your stencil pattern to the perimeter of the space with your acrylic paints as before. These should adhere fine and won’t get much wear anyway. Don’t add the middle painted carpet though:(! It may not hold up!

BTW, I used this in a couple beach cottages that got lots of use, much abuse and sand and salt! Held up great!

There is no point in "lightly sanding" the existing paint. You'll just be priming over the paint. If the existing paint isn't going to stick to the wood, then putting primer on top of it accomplishes nothing. That's like painting over rusted metal; it doesn't fix the rust.

If the existing paint is sticking to the wood well, then priming on top also accomplishes nothing.

If adhesion is an issue (which I don't think it is), it has to be sanded all the way down to the bare wood. That's just common sense (and physics).

Karen - very pretty and original work. Love it! You could call BM or SW headquarters and ask (or google) if they have a helpline. Most do. Maybe the store people are just salesmen with limited info but the people on the helplines should give you more detailed help. Good luck! You are very talented!

Since the floor boards are strips of oak veneer plywood, you can't go backwards.

Trying to sand or scrape it will end up blowing through the veneer.

Trying to use paint stripper would be an expensive nightmare. Stripper and softened paint will collect in the gaps and be impossible to remove.

This is a dining room so most likely a low traffic area.

I would topcoat it with several coats of a water-based product---most of which are easy to renew down the road with a light scuff sanding and another layer or two of finish.

And call it good. See how long it holds up.

Because the floorboards are veneered oak plywood, I expect other problems to crop up before the paint & finish fail. Problems like the veneer splintering off and the gaps between the boards making it very difficult to clean.

Tarts, the only reason she needs to lightly sands is because the pattern of the acrylic paint will telegraph through! That’s a fact!

Sorry, autocorrect Tatts.

I know that, lynartist, but you miss the point. Painting primer over a coat of other paint serves no purpose if the problem is the underlying coat of paint. It's pointless. And if there's no problem with the underlying coat of paint, the primer serves no purpose.

Why would you do that? What are you trying to accomplish?

If Karen decides to repaint the floor sanding the areas were the decorative painting is done with acrylic should be done as it will show through. I myself would also prime those areas . If don’t wish too that’s your call but thirty plus years of decorative painting has fought me to always ere on the side of caution!

Karen, if you do decide to paint over your lovely artwork you may want to consider doing a canvas floor cloth. This way it will save your knees and you can still have a piece of your art on the floor! Here are some examples of some I did many years ago when my knees were better too!

lynartist, those are gorgeous! Far beyond my capabilities. I have looked into them. If I go that route, I will have to stencil them as I certainly couldn't paint free hand. After the floor cures awhile longer, and if the sealer seems to bond well with the sample board, I will apply several coats of Varathane waterbased sealer. I haven't bought a can yet so I am not sure if I have to sand before it or not. Yes, I know what you are saying about possibly having to sand down the border. I didn't like the placement of the border in one place and painted it out without sanding and you can see it a little.

Ci-lantro mentioned "Breakthrough" Sealer but after checking it out it appears that people spray it on. I will have to either brush my sealer or use a roller.

If worse comes to worse, I believe I will sand the floor lightly and put on a new coat of primer and follow that with porch paint. I will be limited to just using two colors though because I believe porch paint only comes in gallons. Or I will do the porch paint as a base and make a painted canvas rug as lynartist suggested.

We had second thoughts when it was too late about putting the gaps between the planks. Everywhere I looked on the internet people were spacing their boards a penny's width apart to resemble an old floor. Not so smart to have done that. Live and learn. I don't think this oak veneered plywood is a fragile as some people seem to think though.

I hope you'll keep this floor until it wears out, and not give up on it until it actually fails.

Good luck with the Varathane!

Karen: The problem is not that the oak veneered plywood is fragile, but that the veneer layer is very, very thin, so it would be easy to sand right through it by accident.

Sherwin-Williams has a product that comes quart-sized:

Protect and enhance the appearance of porches, patios, basement stairs, laundry areas and more with Porch & Floor Enamel Interior & Exterior Latex Paint. When it comes to keeping concrete and wood surfaces looking newer longer, this formula is a proven performer in tough conditions. It delivers exceptional block resistance as well as resistance to dirt – particularly in high-traffic areas.

• Ideal for both interior and exterior high-traffic surfaces — porches, patios, basement stairs and floors, workshops, laundry areas, storage rooms and more.
• Great washability maximizes the life cycle of the coating.
• Compliant with the low-slip rating required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• Stands up to even the toughest household chemicals.
• Meets the most stringent VOC regulations.
• Available in satin sheen and completely tintable in many colors — including today’s popular bold accents.

SW Porch & Floor Enamel

Lowe’s also has one available in quart-sized:

• Durable, scratch-resistant finish for wood and concrete floors
• Fast drying
• Soap and water clean up
• Weather resistant

Valspar tintable satin porch, floor and patio latex paint