ArcaMax

Not all wooden floors are meant to be painted; those in good condition can be refinished to bring out their natural beauty and good looks. But wood floors made of mismatched planks pieced together, or those already painted, can be transformed with a good primer and paint for an attractive facelift.

For a fast fix, choose a solid color or let your creative spirit take over and stripe a floor in contrasting shades. To accentuate a floor and make it the focal point, paint it a bold color. Or for a fanciful finish, strike off the room in a checkerboard pattern with masking tape, and paint the squares in contrasting colors. Your imagination is all that limits the possibilities.

A painting contractor will charge $1,014 to prepare and paint a 12-by-15-foot wooden floor, but you can do the job for $141, the cost of the paint, and save 86%.

For the best looking results, make sure the floor is clean by giving it a good washing, and remove any wax. If there’s a high-gloss finish on the floor, scuff sand it with medium-grade sandpaper. Use paint, such as Rust-O-Leum Home Floor Coating, designed for floors, and outline the room with a brush, then use a fine-nap roller on the floor surface. For the best results, two coats of paint are better than one for a good hard surface.

Pro Cost: $1,014 — DIY Cost: $141 — Pro time: 1.4

DIY Time: 2.5 — DIY Savings: $873 — Percent Saved: 86%

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To find more DIY project costs and to post comments and questions, visit www.diyornot.com and m.diyornot.com on smartphones.

©2026 Gene and Katie Hamilton. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.