How to paint the basement floor

Basements were used for storage by the ancient Persians, Hittites, and Phrygians. Ancient Greeks and Romans appreciated a basement and were willing to pay more for houses that had them, as they served as both storage and a way to stay cool. In the Renaissance, servants' quarters kitchen and laundry rooms, and now, basements are found in every home. This article provides a guide to painting the basement floor.

Preparation

You need to paint the basement floor in order to give it a lift of a finished floor. - First of all, you need to test the floor to see it if needs to be sealed before painting. The basement floor paint will not stick to a wet floor. - Determine whether the floor is wet by taping a plastic bag on a small section. Check beneath the bag 24 hours later. If that section is wet, then you will have to seal the floor before painting it. - Clean the floor carefully in order to make sure that there is no grease or dirt. Let the floor dry completely before continuing. - You need to ensure that the floor is level. Level the floor, if it is not, by using a
self-levelling cement. Let it dry before continuing. - Seal the floor with a concrete sealer that is available at your local building supply store or hardware store. Apply the sealer by spreading it thinly with a mop, making sure that you cover every inch. Let the floor dry before continuing.

The primer

- Use a roller to apply a coat of primer to the floor. Try to spread it as evenly and as thinly as possible. - Wait for the primer to dry so as to determine whether you need a second coat. You may find that you will have to apply two or three coats before continuing. - Let the paint dry completely before going on to the next step.

The paint

- Pick out your finish paint. Basement paint can be in different shades which allows you to use some creativity. - Paint the concrete so that it looks like wood, granite, or anything that you choose. Wait for the paint to dry before going on. - Use a roller to seal the paint with an epoxy sealer. Make sure that the windows are open as you do this step. - Apply the epoxy sealer thinly and evenly. Wait for it to dry completely before putting any furniture on it.