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All that really matters is what you think :-) Personally I don't like that type of floors but I'm not sure how paint will hold up it, you might be better off installing new flooring. Some things you could probably install over top of that rather than having to rip it all up.
I'm too dumb for chess, I've tried. Hop Scotch might work! I could keep the floor if it were in an energetic room, like kitchen or bathroom, but not a bed room where I want to relax.
I cannot do the floors right away.
I cannot do the floors right away.
I cannot do the floors right away.
I cannot do the floors right away.
I must fix the steep rutted driveway that people cannot get up, and the roof needs serious work.
I plan to eventually put down ceramic tile which is the norm here, but I cannot do that right away!
I got a good suggestion from someone on the DIY site----
Since this is a "temp" fix - go ahead adn try the paint, but cleaning and perhaps etching will be needed to get a good bond. If it is asbestos/asphalt tile, sanding will be high risk. If it is CVT (which is what it looks like), good luck getting anything to stick, but it's worth a try; see if KILZ will stick - try a small spot, let it dry for a couple of days, then try to scuff it up with your feet/shoes. If it holds, use KILZ as a primer, then paint whatever color you want on top.
But fix the roof first. Plywood is often nailed to the rafters, then composition shingles over builders felt (tar paper) is nailed to the plywood.
Just plywood, amazing, naked plywood. The previous owner never spent $150 every three years to have a watertight roof, owell!
the floor:
I've decided to go with new linoleum over the old, but a small community doesn't have a big Home Depot with lots of guys to do the work. A project for me. In a small place, you ask around. Get business cards from the little paint store. I'll be careful, and OK.
Thank you everyone for your comments and replies.
Melissa, aka, molamola, a really wierd looking ocean fish
Years ago, Armstrong dealers would supply a stiff paper with 1" grid printed on it that you could use to make an exact 1:1 template of your room. After completing it, you would spread the new vinyl upside down on a driveway, invert the template and mark the cut lines. If it did not fit, they would guarantee the replacement of the material.
I redid an "L" shaped kitchen floor, but did not buy the Armstrong brand, so my son and I used some craft paper to make the template - worked perfectly. Allowed for all the appliance cutouts, etc. Found a remnant from a roll at a large flooring dealer in LA - saved 1/2 the cost.
Actually, I have given up on the paint idea. I'll just cover it. If I can find installation help. Most folks here use ceramic tiles, which are out of my price range at the moment.
I've seen Goof-off, and Goo-be-gone. But only in tiny cans.
I've always like the diagonal lay-out of black and white tiles in the kitchen and bathrooms, expecially in older houses.
In I historic house-museum we found pressed cork dust and linseed oil linoleum painted with circus scenes - very funny.
A friend of mine bought inexpensive, wood-look vinyl peel&stick panels for her kitchen floor. They come in 4" or 6" widths by 3ft long. She put them over her existing linoleum. She likes how it turned out and she did it herself. I checked out the flooring at our local Lowe's. Not bad looking for fake wood. You can find the stuff on the web also. There are several manufacturers and a wide range of prices. We're thinking about doing the same thing in our kitchen. My kitchen floor has two layers of linoleum over oak flooring. I'd like to choke the people who covered the oak floor with linoleum, twice!
We can cover the kitchen floor (160 sq.ft.) with the vinyl panels for about $300. Haven't decided yet. Ironically, I've always liked the black and white tiles in a kitchen. I think they are appropriate for our 100 yr. old house.
I personally dont like it , I have seen it tasefully used in a kitchen, but not sure it can get tastefull in a bedroom.
Paint isnt going to stick well - its going to be time wasted. It will provide a quick but very short term fix, im guessing less than 6 months before its looking terrible.
If you do decide to paint - dont spend to much time doing it cause you wanna save your energy to install something over it.
carpet is another option - its cheap, not clean, but cheap, A cheap wall to wall carpet can be purchased for .50 - .80 cents per sq ft , you can skimp on the padding to save money - and throw it down yourself which is very easy and save more. It should last a couple of years or longer, untill you have the money to uprade...or even a couple $40 throw rugs might help ya deal with it for a little longer untill you can get up the money to cover it.
2 of the bedrooms in my house had something similar to you vinyl - but in much worse shape , I ended up putting in laminates by pergo that i would normally never think of doing - but i found it on clearance so i was able to do each room at around $100, and it has held up exceptionally well- definately keep a eye out for deals. The big box stores have alot of laminate and vinyl options for under $2 per sq ft that are very easy to install yourself, if you wanna go cheaper - theres also at least a dozen options- still very DIY freindly that are around $1.50 per sq ft. Trust me if you can paint - you can put down these floors.
Overall - i think you woulod be better off funnelling your time ,energy and money into covering the floor with one of those options.
try the goof off on it. Scrub it real well rinse it real well and wax it. This kind of floor looks really good waxed, however, you almost need a buffer to keep it shiny.
Agree that I could handle black and white tiles on a kitchen floor, at least for a while, but in all three bedrooms? Wow. But since you can't afford to redo for now, and since painting the floors sounds like a somewhat expensive and time-consuming and questionable lasting project, why not try large areas rugs or smaller coordinated rugs tied to the colors in each bedroom or to the color/colors you eventually would want to put on the floor? Larger area rugs might cost a bit but wouldn't go for the best or most expensive - just something that works for the time being and probably cheaper option in the long run. Could look at places like Cost Plus World Market or Ann'a Linens or Target or Bed Bath & Beyond. Could actually be a fun project. Would love to see what you come up with so please post with picture again.
