How To Remove Paint From Wood Floors
Wood floors are a great accent to your home decor. They provide a warm and durable solution for your floor coverings. Another thing to note is if you have wood floors, they can be expensive. So, the thought of paint being on them permanently is a frustrating thought. Is the solution to attempt to remove…
Wood floors are a great accent to your home decor. They provide a warm and durable solution for your floor coverings. Another thing to note is if you have wood floors, they can be expensive. So, the thought of paint being on them permanently is a frustrating thought.
Is the solution to attempt to remove with harsh chemicals, using a putty knife or at the extreme sand them down and re-stain them. All of these solutions are time-consuming and can be expensive.
Contents
To know how to get rid of paint on your wood floors we need to know a few things about the paint to help remove it safely and without damaging your wood floors.
Know Your Paint – Oil or Water Based
If you know the type of paint you are using it makes it easier to remove. Is the paint oil-based or water-based? If you are unsure, here is a simple test you can use. Take a cotton cloth and put some rubbing alcohol on it. Attempt to rub off some of the paint. If the paint comes off it is water-based. If the paint doesn’t come off then most likely it is oil-based.
Methods for Removing Paint From Wood Floors
Now you know what type of paint you are dealing with, let’s look at several different methods of safely removing paint from your hardwood floors.
Water-Based Paint – How To Remove Paint Wood Floors With Soap And Water
Materials
Step-By-Step Method
Step 1 – Start with mild soap and warm water.
Dip a cotton cloth into the warm soapy water and make the cloth damp. Be sure to not have a lot of soap water just make it damp to apply to the dried paint.
Step 2 – Wait For Paint To Loosen
Once the paint has absorbed some of the soapy water, begin to rub the paint slowly as it loosens. Slowly remove the paint ensuring you dip your cloth into the soapy water cleaning every so often.
Step 3 – Scrape With Plastic Putty Knife
Carefully use the plastic putty knife and scrape the remaining paint from the wood floor.
Tip: Don’t angle the putty knife too sharp so as not to mark the wood flooring. Start with the putty knife at a horizontal angle and then remove the paint.
Step 4 – Clean Up
Clean up wood flooring with a damp cloth. If needed use a wood polish to seal the wood to protect flooring.
Water-Based Paint – How To Remove Paint Wood Floors With Rubbing Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol is very effective in breaking down water-based paint. This is also an effective method for removing the paint from your wood floors.
Materials
- Rubbing Alcohol
- Lemon Juice
- Cotton Cloth
- Srubbing Brush
Step-By-Step Method
Step 1 – Remove Excess Paint
Attempt to remove the excess paint with a cotton cloth. This will ensure the rubbing alcohol will penetrate the water-based paint when you apply
Step 2 – Apply Rubbing Alcohol
Using a mix of 3 parts rubbing alcohol, 1 part lemon juice, apply to the paint on the wood floor. This can be done with a cotton cloth or a spray bottle. Let sit for approximately 5 minutes to allow the solution to penetrate the water-based paint.
Step 3 – Remove Paint With Plastic Putty Knife
Carefully remove the paint from the wood floor with the plastic putty knife. Be careful not to mark the wood flooring.
Step 4 – Clean Up
Clean up wood flooring with a damp cloth. If needed use a wood polish to seal the wood to protect flooring.
Oil-Based Paint – How To Remove Paint Wood Floors With Paint Thinner
Materials
Step 1 – Remove Excess Paint
Attempt to remove the excess paint with a cotton cloth. This will ensure the paint thinner will penetrate the oil-based paint when you apply
Step 2 – Apply Paint Thinner
Utilizing the recommended odorless paint thinner, pour on the cotton cloth and rub the paint on the wood floor. Continue to rub with the grain of the wood until the paint has been removed.
Tip: Be careful not to rub too hard. Rubbing too hard will damage the finish on the wood floor.
Step 4 – Clean Up
Clean up wood flooring with a damp cloth. If needed use a wood polish to seal the wood to protect flooring.
Conclusion
If you are painting and want to remove the paint from your wood floors the best time to remove it is when the paint is wet. Whether the paint is oil-based or water-based it is best to get rid of the paint from your hardwood floors when wet. If dried, as mentioned above there are several methods you can use to remove.