How to prime a floor

Prepare your wooden floors for painting with this guide on how to prime them.

Level of difficulty

Level 1: Beginner

What you need

• Safety mask
• Safety goggles
• Synthetic paintbrush
• Primer
• Medium-grade sandpaper
• Buckets
• Jars
• Roller
• Paint trays

The steps to follow

1. Wear safety mask and goggles. Open all windows for ventilation.
2. Sand the floor surface with medium-grade sandpaper, down to the bare surface. Sanding the surface not only smoothes the surface but it also helps the coat of primer adhere to the floor's surface.
3. Sweep or vacuum clean the floor to remove any dust and debris.
4. Wash the surface with a mild detergent and let it dry.
   
   Note:
   • For stained floorboards, you'll need to apply oil or latex based primer to prevent the stain from showing through  the new paint layers.
   • Spot prime the stained floorboards. After sanding, apply a thin layer of oil or latex based primer with a synthetic paintbrush.
    
5.  Let the primer dry and lightly sand the area for an even surface.
6. Apply a topcoat to ensure a smooth finish.

Note on different types of primer:

Oil and latex based primers are intended for a glossy instead of a mat surface.

A high hiding primer is used when a light colour is painted over a dark colour. Tinted primer is used when a dark colour is painted over a light colour.

Related articles

• How to paint wooden floor
• How to sand a floor
• How to wax a wooden floor

Don't want to DIY? Get recommended flooring specialists for your home improvement job.