Has anyone ever pulled up their carpet and painted the concrete like on Trading Spaces?

Question

I bought a new home 3 years ago and made the mistake of choosing white carpet throughout the house. 3 years later after raising a rottweiler and mastiff inside, my carpet is trashed!! I can't afford to put down tile or laminate for a little while and I can't do linoleum with the dogs. My question to you....can I pull up the carpet and pad and paint the concrete floor like they do on television? Has anyone done this "successfully" and if so can you offer helpful suggestions as to how to go about it. I plan on putting down area rugs afterwards. HELP!!

Answer 1

You Can, But I've Seen It Done And It Doesn't Look That Great. It Can Also Get Expensive Since The Sealant Doesn't Always Work And Will Need To Be Painted A Few Times. I've Heard Of It Being Done Five Times 'Cause It Kept Peeling. I Would Just Keep The Crappy Carpet. Not That Comfortable Either.

Answer 2

We moved into a house where they once had dogs and apparently had trashed the carpet. The previous tenants had ripped up the carpet and left the bare floor. Some of the wooden stripping that holds the carpet in place around the edges of the wall had been pried up and it left holes in the concret from the nail holes; not just little nail holes, but holes about the size of a quarter all along the edges. Those holes have to be repaired before you can paint it. Then you do have to clean the floor and remove any and all dirt, grime, grease, oil, etc before painting.

The previous owners painted some of the floors before they moved out. Looks pretty good. Some of the floors have been left unpainted. That is a project I am working on now.

You can get really creative with the paint. You can faux paint and make it look like tile, marble, brick, etc. If you don't like the results, just simply paint over it. Not too expensive. And if you are going to use area rugs, it will be fine. Not to mention, painted floors don't hold in dust mites like carpet does. Healthier. Colder in the winter though.

There is a process called concrete staining which looks great, too. It is pretty costly I think. But if you do a search, it could give you some ideas with pictures of different outcomes.

Good luck. Have fun. Lots of ideas out there.

Answer 3

I don't know about an indoor room, but I painted my garage floor to make it easier to keep clean. The same results should apply to an indoor application.

First you can't use conventional latex or enamel paint, particularly with a large dog. His claws will scratch the paint, and typical latex will chip off.

In my garage application, I went a paint store....the kind that only sells paint. I used an epoxy based paint that dries very hard, and it has tolerated my car very well. It's a bit more expensive, but you can have it mixed in just about any color, so pick one you like.

It goes without saying that the floor must be very clean. Mop and vacuum repeatedly until you can't feel any dirt on it at all. Then paint it with a roller and brush, and wait for it to dry. Just be sure to keep the dog out.

Answer 4

I remember that episode. Fat Frank painted this floor and it looked like all the crap he does. Country folksy homey. Actually it was the regular underlayment plywood he painted but the idea was the same. It's not supposed to be painted in the world of normal people. I can't imagine a more cold an unfriendly floor. Go ahead and save up for something you will enjoy. Remember, if you add up the amount you will spend on paint and the time to do it to the price you will spend later on a real floor, it would be cheaper to just save up and do it once later. good luck

Answer 5

Concrete for floors in mild climate may be ok, but I'd shy away from and do the carpet routine.. Carpet is something one will replace about every 5-10 years anyway.. Budget for it, and if necessary buy the cheap stuff this go around, when you don't have the dogs anymore upgrade.

I have a Lab, I know the dog routine all too well. He's a sweetheart but a damned messy one.

Answer 6

You can paint your concrete floor with a concrete paint designed for heavy foot traffic. First you must apply a sealant that keeps out the moisture. A popular brand sold at HD or lowes is 'DRYLOK' (about $65 per 5 gal tub). After that dries you can apply an oil based paint that is suitable for concrete.

Answer 7

I've never tried it but when you are ready to put regular flooring down (unless you want it painted permanently) check for returned special order flooring (just ask the sales person). I got enough hardwood floors to do my whole living room, hall and have two extra boxes for $50 at Lowe's. It is real hardwood too, not laminate. I paid more for the glue to lay it then the flooring.

Answer 8

My neighbor paints her concrete floors every year a different color and design. She really likes the ability to change it and the variety of doing what she wants with it. When it is freshly painted it does look nice, but does not last long before it starts to peel.