Checkerboard floor

Transform an old painted particleboard floor into a classic checkerboard design simply using Resene Waterborne Sidewalk.

Checkerboard floor

Weekend DIY with Mark Rayner - Project 14

Difficulty level: Challenging

You will need: Low tack masking tape, Paintbrush, Paint roller and tray, Pencil, Resene Quick Dry, Resene Waterborne Sidewalk in Resene Alabaster and Resene Black, Ruler, Sandpaper, Set square

Top tip: Mark painted the steps with Resene Waterborne Sidewalk (Resene Alabaster) and the banister with Resene Enamacryl tinted to Resene Dairy Cream.

Other ideas: For a dizzy psychedelic effect, try a checker board design using Resene Chaos and Resene Wellywood.

How to paint a checkerboard floor

Step one
Prepare the floor, removing any loose paint or other debris and then lightly sand. Apply one coat of Resene Quick Dry and allow to dry for two hours.

Step two
Apply two coats of Resene Waterborne Sidewalk (Resene Alabaster) to the floor, allowing two hours for each coat to dry.

Step three
Measure out a series of 40mm parallel strips across the floor using the set square.

Step four
Mask off the 40mm strips, as shown, using low tack masking tape.

Step five
Repeat steps three and four, laying the strips of masking tape in the opposite direction, as shown. Use the set square to ensure the masked areas are at ninety degrees.

Step six
Paint alternate 40mm squares with one coat of Resene Waterborne Sidewalk (Resene Black), as shown and allow two hours to dry.

Step seven
Apply a second coat and remove the masking tape before it dries. Allow two hours to dry.

Step eight
Using the painted black squares as a guide, mask off the alternate squares with low tack masking tape, as shown, and repeat steps six and seven. Allow at least two hours to dry.

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