Are The White Washed Floors Right For You?

White washed wood flooring was once the option chosen by the people who couldn’t afford paint. However, recently this trend was diverted and such floors have become hugely popular, mainly because they have a feel of heritage and a look of age to them and add a special charm to the whole interior.

Traditionally, white washed wood look was achieved by using a mixture of calcium hydroxide and chalk, and applying it onto wood, thus making it look distressed, as if it was worn. White washed wood flooring is in vogue again, making interiors look airy, light and stylish. It is usually combined with creamy shades and off-whites and paired with some stars and stripes or union jacks. This style makes interiors sophisticated, calm and relaxed.

Whitewash cures to a hard paint throughout a few days and usually an oil or varnish finishing is applied, so as not to lift off the surface of the wooden floor. Such wooden floor looks really stunning, all the more so, because such treatment by far enhances the grain of the wood, thus making it more distinctive and giving it a nice texture. In other words, such look extremely enhances the overall appeal of any interior which is both relaxed and elegant. It is true to say that you can do it yourself achieving a white washed look, yet this can turn out to be a daunting task if you’re supposed to tackle a whole big room.

Whitewash cures to a hard paint throughout a few days and usually an oil or varnish finishing is applied, so as not to lift off the surface of the wooden floor. Such wooden floor looks really stunning, all the more so, because such treatment by far enhances the grain of the wood, thus making it more distinctive and giving it a nice texture. In other words, such look extremely enhances the overall appeal of any interior which is both relaxed and elegant. It is true to say that you can do it yourself achieving a white washed look, yet this can turn out to be a daunting task if you’re supposed to tackle a whole big room.

But, if the interior you would like to redo is rather small, go for white washing, as it isn’t that difficult in this case. First, you will need to sand the wooden flooring back to its initial state. Then, clean it, removing any dust or dirt particles that are left. To get the appealing white washed look, get a watered down paint. To make it look weathered, put it on with a rag across the entire flooring, moving on along the grain of the wood. While doing this, make long strokes and watch out for knots in the wood –take your time to apply the paint into the knots, which will stress their real appeal.

Bear in mind that you will need to apply a few coats, depending on what final effect you would like to get. But anyway, don’t forget to ensure that each coat has dried thoroughly before applying the next one. Further, once you’ve found that you overdid with the paint effect, simply sand some of the paint away, which will give the floor a perfect distressed look. If you’re finished, do remember to seal the floor. For this purpose, you can use a polyurethane sealer.

Last, but not least, if you’re planning on buying a new floor and you can choose white washed wood floor from the product range of the flooring manufacturer, there should be plenty of various options for you to choose from. You will have a choice from among solid or engineered wood floors. Moreover, you will be able to get a white washed look, no matter if you go for oak or a walnut base.