How to Paint Linoleum Floors

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Okay ya’ll! It’s here! My first phase in my laundry room makeover is finally here! I have been dying to share this with you all since I am so happy with the results so far. As you may already know, one of the trends that’s really hot right now (and frankly I don’t see it going away any time soon) is the use of cement tile paired with farmhouse decor. In my “before” post I shared a couple of my inspirational photos. Since I didn’t have the budget or the time to install new cement tile in my laundry room, I decided I should go ahead and paint it instead.

Say what!?!?

Yes. I know what you’re thinking…. that’s crazy!

Maybe.

But I did it and I LOVE it!

So in this post I am going to show you how to paint linoleum floors to look like cement tile with the use of a stencil. (As you know it’s not my first rodeo with a stencil since I already did a whole accent wall in my last house.)

But first let’s check back to see what it used to look like.

Yep!

Old cabinets, ugly blue countertops and stained linoleum floors.

But not anymore!

So here is how long it took and the materials I used. Everything was provided by Sherwin Williams, but I chose everything I needed for this project and the application process was created by yours truly.

I was going for a costal farmhouse theme in the laundry room… actually that’s what I am going for, for my entire house. I love everything Chip & Joanna Gaines, but I love the coastal feel since after all I am from Puerto Rico. We don’t live on the beach, but our neighborhood has its own private lake, so that will do! Ha!

UPDATE: Since posting this I have come across a new paint specifically made for painting floors and I have a complete tutorial on my Youtube channel explaining how to use it. Go HERE to check it out! 

PROJECT: How to Paint Linoleum Floors to Look Like Cement Tile

Time: 2 Weeks
Difficulty: Advanced

Materials:
Extreme Bond Primer
SuperPaint Interior Latex Paint
Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel Paint
Polycrylic Satin Clear Coat
Purdy Ultra Finish Roller 9″
Premium XL Polyester Tight Spots Brush
American Line Pro Mini Roller Tray
HANDy Paint Pail & Liners (my favorite hand pail because it has an adjustable strap to fit any size hand)
Foam Mini Rollers (4″)
Purdy Standard Paint Tray & Liner
Stencil – I got my stencil here
Frog Tape
Latex Gloves
Cotton Rag
Paper Plate
Simple Green Cleaner
Lift Off Latex Paint Remover ***Best cleaner for stencils (use along with a small gentle scrub brush)***

Paint Colors Used:
Pure White 7004 – Floors
Pediment 7634 – Walls
Mindful Gray 7016 – Stencil Pattern
Watery 6478 – Cabinets
Extra White 7006 – Trim

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STEP 1:
Clean the floors thoroughly – this is very important to get as much grime and dirt off as you can. Make sure to use a degreaser like Simple Green. Wipe with a clean rag and let dry. Then tape off baseboards and any cabinets in the room.

STEP 2:
Prime the floors with Extreme Bond Primer. Use a 4”inch roller to apply 3 coats. Follow the instructions on the can, make sure to allow each coat to fully dry before putting on the next application.

Here are the floors after 3 coats of primer. You can still see the dots, but that’s okay because the primer is mainly to make sure the paint sticks to the vinyl. I also used SuperPaint when applying my actual paint. It is a mix of paint & primer and they went almost completely away with just one coat of paint – so no worries!

STEP 3:

Paint the floors. Since I was trying to achieve a cement tile look, I used white paint for the base, letting each coat dry before the next. Here is the floor with 2 coats of paint

(As you can see the cabinets are painted, I’ll go over that quickly in the end since I already have a full tutorial here). 

STEP 4:

For the stencil application use the same process as in my previous tutorial for the stenciled wall.

Make sure you wipe the floors and center the first tile. You can also follow the pattern that was originally on the floor as well which is what I did.

Use painter’s tape to secure. Apply a small amount of paint onto a foam roller and remove any excess on a paper plate. Then roll the paint over the stencil.

Using the guides on the stencil start working your way around the room, making your way towards the exit.

Once you complete the entire stenciling process, touch up any mistakes with a small artist brush.

STEP 5: Seal the floors with Polycrylic so that your stenciled floors will last. The product recommends at least 3 applications. I used a 2 inch brush for this. I do NOT recommend using a roller since the solution tends to bubble when you do. Just use long strokes and keep them all going in the same direction.

STEP 6:

You can also choose to add more character to your laundry by painting the cabinets a fun color.

For this, make sure to remove the cabinet doors and take off the hardware. Sand both the doors and the frames. Wipe them clean with a damp cloth.

Next, prime with Extreme Bond Primer. Apply 2 coats.

Then paint with your desired colored. Apply 2 coats, then seal them with Polycrylic just like the floors (3 coats).

Finally put the doors back on, add the hardware, accessorize and enjoy your new laundry room.

Eeeeeek!

I love how it all turned out! Here is the little sink after!

It was such a simple cheap cabinet, but by painting it, adding new hardware and giving it a good cleaning, it looks like a new custom piece.

I will go into more depth in a future post about what I did to change the look of the cabinet below. Changing out the countertop made a huge difference!

Now, I will admit that touching this up with a small artist brush was tedious, but I made sure to focus on the tiles that were going to be exposed. I didn’t do too much to the ones that we’re going to be under the washer and dryer. After all, how often do you move those after you put them in place, right????

Seriously, save yourself the pain!

Eventually I plan on adding floating shelves like these extending from both ends of the wall above that counter, but I must pace myself. ?

Related: How to Stencil a Wall and Build Floating Shelves for a Farmhouse Look 

The upper cabinets came out great as well and now I can finally wash in my new laundry! We were using the second laundry area in the basement, which was a wonderful alternative during this time, but I was ready for my washer and dryer that I missed so much.

Here is another shot of the floor! I seriously can’t get enough. They came out better than I had imagined! And if you are wondering how the painted floor handled the installation of the washer & dryer, as you can see it didn’t get scratched or smudged or torn at all!

I will say that we did put stick-on felt pads under the washer/dryer drawer feet, but still, with the weight and pushing it back and forth, it didn’t make any marks. 

I hope that this tutorial on how to paint linoleum floors is having you consider painting yours! It really is a great alternative!

 

 

And that’s it! That’s how to paint linoleum floors to look like cement tile.

I would love to hear what you think about this transformation and if you have any questions, please post them below! And if you like this, please pin to Pinterest!