How to Paint Floors with Jolie Paint

Painting floors is an easy, inexpensive way to transform a space. To help your project go as smoothly as possible, we've pulled together some of our best tips and tricks for painting floors. Whether your plan to paint your floors a solid color or do something more decorative, we recommend reading this guide in full before getting started.

When refinishing floors, we recommend using Jolie Floor Varnish. This clear, water-based topcoat creates a durable finish with a satin sheen for added strength. Use it on surfaces that have been painted with Jolie Paint or raw wood. Jolie Floor Varnish is easy to use and dries quickly.

Open your Jolie Floor Varnish and stir well, making sure to stir down to the bottom of the can, before and during use. This will ensure that the contents are evenly distributed throughout the can, prevent separation, and redistribute any matting agents that may have settled at the bottom. Do not shake as it can cause air bubbles to form in your finish. For larger surfaces, batch multiple cans of Jolie Floor Varnish together in a larger mixing container to ensure a consistent sheen throughout.

Test on a small painted area first as results may vary depending on the original finish of your surface. The Floor Varnish is a strong penetrating varnish and may pull tannins out of open-grained woods. If you notice stains from your wood, apply up to two thin coats of clear shellac over the entire surface. This is especially recommended for white finishes, as anything that is pulled up by the varnish will appear as a yellow or pink stain. We strongly recommend doing test spots first, particularly on oak and pine floors.

Thin your first coat of Jolie Floor Varnish with a small amount of water (10-20%) in a separate mixing container if applying to fresh, uncoated wood. If the wood has been previously coated, you can apply the Jolie Floor Varnish at full strength. Cut in your edges with a Jolie Flat Brush before you apply your first coat. The first coat of Floor Varnish should be thin and applied with a high quality, shed-resistant, medium-napped roller. If Jolie Floor Varnish is applied too thickly, it may result in a cloudy finish which is particularly noticeable over darker colors. Allow the coat to dry for eight hours.

Apply a second coat at full strength (no water added) with a high quality, shed-resistant, medium-napped roller in the opposite direction as your first coat to produce an even sheen and minimize roller and brush marks. Cut in edges with a Jolie Flat Brush. You can apply additional coats if you’d like: multiple thin coats are better than a single thick coat. Allow the final coat to dry overnight before walking on your floor.

To maintain your finished floors, mop surface with biodegradable cleaners and avoid harsh chemicals. Jolie Floor Varnish is not suitable for outdoor use or areas of high water use.

Wash Flat Brushes and rollers thoroughly with soap and warm water immediately after use.