Jan 16 2007
Faux painting on walls has been a hot design trend for several years, but now this popular decorating technique is being taken to a new level -- floor level, that is.
Hardwood floors offer homeowners a unique new canvas for expressing their individual style. In fact, during recent years, the hottest trend in wood flooring has been customization through options such as borders, medallions and in-lays, but for homeowners hesitant to commit to a permanent customization that they may tire of in a few years, faux painting offers the perfect solution.
If you love the look of marble in-lays, borders featuring exotic species, or even intricate medallions, but hate to remove "perfectly good wood floors" to install them, consider faux painting these and other accents directly onto the wood. You'll get the same beautiful customization effect at a fraction of the cost and with minimal mess and disruption to your home. Best of all, if you want to add to your design at a later time, you can do so quickly and easily, or if you decide to try something totally new, you can simply sand off the old design and start again with a fresh, new canvas.
Faux painted wood floors require minimal maintenance when properly finished with a professional-grade urethane. Routine maintenance requires sweeping regularly with a soft bristle broom or dust mop to remove surface dirt and debris. If your floor contains beveled edges, using a vacuum with a soft bristle brush attachment to remove dirt and debris from between the floorboards is recommended. Then, every few months, clean the floor with a commercial wood floor cleaning product that has been recommended by the flooring manufacturer or your installer.