How to paint, stain or coat a floor

Q. I have sanded some Rimu floors in our kitchen/dining/entry area and am looking for a golden matte finish. What is the best product to use?

A. Resene Qristal Clear Satin would be a good choice. This product is however designed for low foot traffic but has a warm golden hue when dry.

For a higher foot traffic area, Resene Qristal ClearFloor 2K is the best option. This is a true clear and does not provide a golden hue. You could use this in conjunction with Resene Colorwood to get a stain finish followed by the clear finish.

We generally recommend a satin finish or higher on a floor as a matt/flat finish tends to hold onto more dust and debris.

November 2023

Q. I'm about to begin staining/varnishing my house which is almost entirely rimu flooring. I am not sure what product to use to get the look and protection desired. We're looking to go for a reasonably natural wood look, so nothing that would change the colour too much, could you advise the best product for this?

And will I need specific coatings for wet rooms e.g bathrooms, as opposed to dry areas, to achieve ideal protection?

A. To stain you need to remove all the existing coating, then stain with a product such as Resene Colorwood, then apply protective clear coats, such as Resene Qristal ClearFloor (waterbased satin finish). The wood stain can rejuvenate and enhance the timber colour. Or if you want to just protect the floor, you can just apply the clear finish. A stained finish lets the wood grain show through. Because of the natural grain and variation in the timber, it helps to hide marks and dust because they tend to get camouflaged by the wood grain – very helpful in a busy household! For colours most choose a stain colour close to the original colour to keep the look authentic.

For wet areas however, we only recommend you use Resene Polythane as this meets most council requirements for wet rooms. You can use this product throughout. It is a high gloss finish.

November 2023

Q. I have removed old carpet to expose unpainted pine stairs that I want to paint. I have sanded them and filled the nail/staple holes, and wondered if the Resene Wood Primer solventborne primer is the right primer for the job? Or is there something that should go on there first? Then once the primer has dried is the standard low sheen acrylic strong enough for the job or is there a better paint for stairs. They are in a high traffic area in a residential setting.

A. There are a few different options you could do.

Option 1 - easy to apply, durable but will wear more than option 2. Easy to touch up. Apply one coat of Resene Wood Primer. Allow 24 hours to dry with adequate ventilation. Apply two coats of Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen.

Option 2 - harder to apply, very durable and wear and tear will take longer. Harder to touch up. Apply one coat of Resene Quick Dry. Allow 24 hours to dry with adequate ventilation. Apply two coats of Resene Uracryl 402 or Resene Uracryl 404 according to the data sheet. Resene Uracryl is a two pack product that has strong solvents.

Option 3 - easy to apply, durable and some slip resistance. Can be harder to touch up due to layers. Apply one coat of Resene Wood Primer. Allow 24 hours to dry with adequate ventilation. Apply two coats of Resene Walk-on. Allow 24 hours to dry. Apply one coat of Resene Concrete Wax.

November 2023

Q. We have fully sanded back our old tiny floors (previously they had a polyurethane seal on). They were quite orange in colour, now we have sanded them back they are a lot lighter. What polyurethane can we use to ensure it keeps its natural lighter colour?

A. Timber naturally changes colour – usually yellowing/darkening with age when a clear coat is applied as they do not have many UV stabilisers to block the light.

Applying a waterborne clear coating will not add a yellow/golden hue when applied as waterborne clears are clear when dry. I recommend you use Resene Qristal ClearFloor (single pack for low traffic areas and two pack for high traffic areas).

You could blonde the timber using Resene Colorwood Rock Salt or Resene Colorwood Whitewash prior to applying a clear coat to lighten the timber. Adding artificial colour can assist with keeping the natural yellowing at bay.

November 2023

Q. We're redesigning existing toilet blocks in industrial premises. The existing floor is concrete, but we want to treat it with a very durable but easily cleaned lightly coloured surface. What product would you recommend?

A. Diamond grind to remove existing coating and to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping.

There is no scratch proof flooring system to withstand heavy objects getting dragged across the painted surface.

Our best system would be to apply a seal coat of Resene Armourcote 510 thinned 15% with Resene Thinner No.6 and then a full coat of unthinned Resene Armourcote 510 to achieve a dry film thickness of 125 microns and finish with two coats of Resene Uracryl 403 to achieve a dry film thickness of 100 microns. The paint system is best applied by an experienced applicator. This is a two-pack solvent paint system.

Alternatively, there is a waterborne two pack system. Diamond grind to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping. Then apply a seal coat of Resene ArmourBond, and finish with Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

Painting the floor may not comply with slip resistance codes for your area/building. You can add industrial grit to both options. This will help slip resistance but will make it harder to keep clean.

September 2023

Q. We have a new boat shed with a tanalised ply floor. I am looking at two coats of Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path. Should I have an undercoat of any sort?

A. Yes, a primer is required if the ply is bare. We recommend one coat of Resene Wood Primer, followed by Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path.

August 2023

Q. I have a raw plywood floor in a tiny house and would like to know what paint to use to give it a durable finish. It is made of pallet ply and has not been treated.

A. Prime with one coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat, then leave for 48 hours. Next, the most durable topcoat option is an industrial two pack water-based urethane. We call this Resene Uracryl 802 (semi-gloss).

Otherwise, for a single pack topcoat we can offer Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss, which is a semi-gloss waterborne enamel. It won’t be as durable but is easy to recoat and is often used on doors/trim and furniture.

August 2023

Q. We are wanting to apply a coating to our toilet block floor, it's been painted previously and needs a little TLC. The floors are concrete, used by visitors and staff. The product needs to be hard wearing.

A. We recommend Resene Aquapoxy, this is a waterborne two-pack epoxy coating. Any hard wearing two pack coating will require the floor and existing coating to be diamond ground prior to application.

August 2023

Q. Can I use Resene SpaceCote enamel on floor tiles in my bathroom, and over well sanded floorboards in the same bathroom?

A. Resene SpaceCote waterborne enamel can be used, provided the correct primer is used for each area and water does not pond on the surface or if left to pond on the surface for a prolonged period of time. In saying that, a semi-gloss like Resene Lustacryl waterborne enamel is more popular as the slightly higher gloss level makes the surface easier to clean. There are sheen-level boards in all Resene ColorShops if you wish to see how each look and compare.

August 2023

Q. I have got rid of carpet in two rooms and would like to protect the tongue-and-groove radiata pine flooring. I am competent with DIY. Once sanded, which surface is best to apply? Is there a stain which works well with pine I could apply first? My overall goal is to protect the surface and at the same time have a finish which is not too yellow.

A. A waterborne varnish is best in the fight against yellowing as this won't yellow over time like oil-based enamel does. Please note the timber itself will yellow regardless of a clear coat or semi-transparent stain, but this will happen at a much slower rate because of the added UV protection in the products.

We have a range of fully penetrating interior stains called Resene Colorwood which can then be overcoated with Resene Qristal ClearFloor satin finish varnish.

Alternatively, we have a tinter to tint the above varnish that we sell separately called Resene Colorwood Enhance, which is available in a whitewash colour. All Resene ColorShops have examples of these finishes and stain options in store. It’s definitely worth having a look to see which option suits the aesthetic you are picturing.

August 2023

Q. We have an old cork board floor, we want to refresh it and mute the current gloss finish. Can you get tinted matt finished that would work? It’s a high traffic floor area so we need something durable.

A. We do have a satin varnish that can be applied by DIYers called Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1K. You can add a tinter that we call Resene Colour Enhance into the varnish to give it a tint. This is available in five colours.

Prep is required, sand to degloss the current surface and create a mechanical key and then thoroughly clean with Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner (it comes in a concentrate and can be mopped, then rinsed).

A professional painter would be a good option for a high-traffic area. Especially when it comes to sanding and dust management, a fast application for the floor can be back in use as soon as possible.

Resene has a ‘Find a Painter’ free service that helps put painters in touch with customers to quote for jobs.

July 2023

Q. I have tiles on the floor surrounding my fireplace. It's a small area, but I'm taking up the carpet and polishing the concrete floors in the house and the colour of the tile clashes. I want to paint them a grey to complement the floors. They look like they have a low sheen clear coat on top. Could you tell me what if any primer I need, and whether Resene Lustacryl is the right topcoat? Also could you make a recommendation of a nice grey to complement polished concrete floors?

A. Clean with Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner or a household cleaner making sure to remove all residues thoroughly and allow to dry (especially the grout). Apply one thin coat of Resene Waterborne Sureseal, the thinner the better. Leave for 48 hours. Apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel in your desired colour. Semi-gloss is the happy medium sheen level not too shiny but easy to clean. Low sheen is also a popular substitute if you prefer.

Be gentle with the paint system a further five days while it finishes curing. During this time it will be susceptible to chemicals and scratches.

Please note this paint system will not replicate the same hardness properties as the original tiles. Please be mindful of the air removal and the temp the tiles are if painting over winter.

For the colour, some of our most popular greys for an area like this are - Resene Stack, Resene Raven, Resene Grey Chateau and Resene Chicago.

July 2023

Q. We are looking for a floor ’varnish’ to apply to new timber boarding - Oregon. We understand that water based varnishes will be less likely to yellow. Can you advise about Resene Polythane - whether it causes yellowing with time?

A. Waterbased varnishes stay true to their 'clear' (can hint to a shade of yellow) over their life span. The timber underneath however, will change colour over time as clear finishes interior do not have high UV resistance. Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1K or Resene Qristal ClearFloor 2K will be good options for a waterbased option, ensuring the moisture content of the timber is not high.

Resene Polythane is solventbased, starts in a golden hue and will get more of a honey colour with age as well as the timber colour changing over time. Resene Polythane is the hardest clear for interior timber floors.

New timber can move slightly and cracks start to appear.

July 2023

Q. Does your whitewash paint seal floors against water damage?

A. Resene Colorwood Whitewash will add a layer of protection against water and spills, as it is a surface forming waterbased wash varnish.

It is not a waterproofer, so it will not hold against significant water or water on the surface for a long period of time, nor water coming up from the underside through the timber and the back of the coating.

July 2023

Q. We are looking for a suitable paint for a plant room floor. The substrate is plywood.

A. Our recommendation for plywood is one coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat, followed by two topcoats of Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel, or two topcoats of Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen provided there is a lot of natural sun to help with curing.

July 2023

Q. We will be doing a total refurbishment of a retail store. This client has asked for a white floor which will have foot traffic. Would I be correct in selecting Resene Walk-On flooring and paving paint? The client wants a clean, bright white finish after we remove and grind the old tile glues and grout.

A. Personally, for white I would-use Resene Lustacyl semi-gloss as a topcoat for cleanability. Though being a semi-gloss, slip resistance is a consideration as is glare. Resene Lustacryl is usually sold as door/furniture paint, so can take knocks. Many of our stores have Resene Lustacryl on their floors in the kitchen area.

Resene Walk-on is a great option, but I would highly recommend adding a coat of Resene Concrete Wax to the surface to help cleanability and easy maintenance.

Any paint coating on a floor will require frequent maintenance.

July 2023

Q. We have Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path paint on our laundry floor. The girls are wondering how to clean it because of dirt and black trolley wheel marks. Can they scrub it or is it prone to water damage?

A. Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path is scrubbable once cured (four weeks after application). To help remove black marks we recommend Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner concentrate, which can be added to water.

Prolonged exposure to water that is ponding on the surface can damage the coating so be sure to remove any excess so it can dry faster.

July 2023

Q. I’m looking at painting a wooden tongue-and-groove floor in a hallway and bathroom. It’s got paint coated on it already. What would be the best product and application?

A. We won’t be able to give any long-term assurances due to not knowing the existing coating.

We recommend cleaning then abrading the surface. Resene Quick Dry can be used as the primer/undercoat provided there are no bare patches that have gone back to bare timber. If there are bare patches of timber showing the primer will depend on the type of timber. For Pine, Totara and Matai; Resene Quick Dry is recommended. Do a complete coat over the entire surface. For Rimu, Cedar and Kauri; Resene Wood Primer is recommended. Do a complete coat over the entire surface.

Once dry, apply two topcoats of Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss in your desired colour.

May 2023

Q. We have a granny flat. A washing machine leak caused a flood. We removed the carpet and under carpet. There is vinyl in the hallway and in the kitchen area. There is varnished particle board in the bedroom and the sitting room. Between the vinyl and particle board areas there are gaps which will need to be covered.

I would like to paint the vinyl and particle board in one colour and fill the gaps between the vinyl and particle board and where there have been nails removed from the particle board. What is the cheapest and quickest way to do so?

A. We have a system that is suitable for varnish. For the vinyl this same system has been successful but occasionally depending on the material make-up of the vinyl there are issues. Often customers cannot tell us the make-up of the vinyl they have, so we recommend trailing a test patch first.

Nail holes can be filled with a filler like Contract Filler, sanded smooth and dusted.

Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease and pay particular attention to high-contact areas. Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow it to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before overcoating. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness or give opacity, the thinner the coat the better. Then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until a full cure occurs. In the early stages, the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion, as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

Note that the painting will not reproduce the original features or hardness properties of the original flooring.

Maintenance will be required over time.

The cheapest way to join the two areas, especially if there is a height/level difference is a piece of floor trim.

You can sand the varnished areas and skip the primer if the sand thoroughly abrades the surface. The primer does help control some variables around this, which is why we recommend it. The primer is absolutely necessary for the vinyl as there is no other method to prepare the surface available to you.

May 2023

Q. What kind of paint should I use to paint my kitchen floor which is made of industrial rubber. Also, if I want to coat my wooden floor which has been varnished, do I need to sand it first?

A. We have a system that may be able to tackle both areas. We would recommend doing a trial on the rubber vinyl area to be sure of adhesion before continuing, as this type of flooring is not intended to be painted.

I’ll add the system below and then talk about some limitations.

Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease. Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Sureseal and allow it to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before overcoating. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness or give opacity, the thinner the coat the better.

(After 48 hours check your trial area and lightly try and remove the coating. If it has stuck you can proceed).

Then apply two topcoats of Resene Lustacryl in your desired colour.

The paint system will take at least five days to develop adhesion and harden, and a full cure requires a month. Within this time the paint system will be susceptible to scratches and chemicals.

The painted surface will not have the hardness properties of the original flooring substrate.

Adding a paint layer to a walking surface is not a long-term solution and will require regular maintenance. Paint is a good temporary solution to making the best of an old floor before one day replacing and can be maintained easily.

May 2023

Q. We have just put down a new Oregon floor in our sleepout. We plan to paint the boards (1:3 mix of Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen Spanish White with water) to get a white washed effect (and reduce the orange-ness of the timber) but someone suggested that painting Oregon wasn't a good idea.

Can you advise me on this?

We also plan to use a non-shiny urethane on top to protect it. Would Resene Aquaclear be best for this?

A. To paint we recommend priming with Resene Wood Primer, followed by two topcoats of Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss (this is a waterborne enamel so no need for an acrylic varnish over the surface).

If you prefer to use Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen, we recommend Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1K satin finish over the surface.

Otherwise, Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1K satin for flooring can be tinted using Resene Colour Enhance, which is available in a white colour, if you would prefer to use a tinted varnish rather than paint.

May 2023

Q. We have laminated wooden floors that we want to refinish in black. We don't like the flooring as it stains and marks easy. It appears to be glued down so replacing it is not an easy option. Hence, we would like to refinish in a durable black finish. Is there a product you recommend? We also have gaps around the edge that need filling as the installation was poor so need a paint compatible sealant also. The floor is in very good condition. It’s in the main walking area inside.

A. A paint system will always require maintenance, though with a water-based system adding an additional coat when needed is fairly easily.

The following paint system can be used for painting laminates such as you have. The floor needs to be very clean. Scrub down using a cleaner such as Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, Resene Paint Prep and Housewash or Jif® and remove all residues. Wet sand with 400 wet and dry sandpaper taking care not to unduly scratch the laminate surface. Rinse clean and allow to dry then apply Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer (this only needs to be a thin coat and will not achieve opacity over the laminate colour). Allow to cure for at least 48 hours then undercoat with Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl. For the best result roll the topcoats using a Resene No.1 roller sleeve.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until a full cure occurs. In the early stages, the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion, as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

Note that the painting will not reproduce the original features or hardness properties of the original flooring.

Maintenance will be required over time.

In regard to the gaps, a paintable gapfiller is best. Personally, I like to use masking tape to help give me straight lines

May 2023

Q. We just removed old carpet in our living room which revealed what I think to be pine floorboards. The timber has not been coated/sealed previously. We've hammered all existing nails into the boards and filled in all the holes and now we are ready to sand and stain them.

I really like Resene Colorwood Mid Greywash and Resene Colorwood Whitewash but am not sure which stain would look best in comparison to the high timber ceilings (which will eventually be stained to match). I’m also considering the timber floorboards throughout the rest of our house (which look a bit yellow). Which stain colour would you recommend to use?

For the sealer, we have two large dogs that are constantly scratching the floorboards so we would need a sealer that is durable and can withstand heavy traffic. Would you suggest Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1K or 2K? How many coats of the stain and sealer would you recommend we use and what is the best method to apply the stain and sealer?

A. If you are staining both the ceiling and floor to match then I suggest the Resene Colorwood Whitewash might be effective - unless you like the idea of a grey ceiling. It is advisable to do samples, so you can practice with the wash - if you have any off cuts of timber you can source, even better.

We recommend using on the floor Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1K, four coats for high-traffic areas.

Rolling is the preferred option with an extension handle and a #10 waterborne clears roller sleeve.

For the ceiling when you come to complete that we recommend using Resene Aquaclear as your finish clear in whichever sheen you prefer gloss, semi-gloss or satin.

The greywash and whitewash options are a tinted varnish styled product, rather than a fully penetrating stain. There is no need to stain prior to applying the greywash or whitewash.

May 2023

Q. We are preparing a clean room for our workshop. I'm after a hard wearing, easy to clean gloss. There are a few dents in the concrete, so something that would give us a smoothish finish would be a bonus. There will only be foot traffic in this room.

A. We think this floor needs a diamond grind to prepare. Then due to oils etc being used into the area we recommend the following system: diamond grind, apply one coat of Resene ArmourBond epoxy sealer followed by three coats of Resene Uracryl 403 gloss in your desired colour.

This gives you more durability and cleanability than a decorative paint coating with the added benefit that it is trafficable. I know a trafficable system is not needed but the system above does allow for that, if that ever changes in the future.

A diamond grind is usually a professional job as they can prepare to the right grit and remove the dust.

May 2023

Q. Do you have a paint system to recolour interior ceramic floor tiles?

A. Before I make my recommendation, I'd like to note that tiles such as these are made without the intention to paint. Any paint layer to these tiles is adding a layer of maintenance and wear and tear. Paint will not reproduce the hardness and cleanability properties of the original tile.

Many customers do go ahead and paint tiles like these and the system we recommend is:

Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease.

Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Sureseal and allow it to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before overcoating. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness or give opacity, the thinner the coat the better.

Followed by two topcoats of Resene Walk-on, followed then by Resene Concrete Wax.

Or alternatively, if you are happier with a higher semi-gloss sheen level, simply use Resene Lustacryl. This will be more slippery than the Resene Concrete Wax in the previous option.

March 2023

Q. I would like to paint the concrete that was under carpet in a second bedroom. Ideally, I would like to be able to clean the floor with a steam mop, and have a satin/slightly textured surface to obscure slight imperfections in the floor.

A. Unfortunately, we do not have a suitable paint system that you can use a steam mop with, as the steam mop forces moisture vapour into the coating. Please note adding any paint coating will add a level of maintenance and will not replicate the hardness properties of the original concrete.

Does the concrete have a curing membrane on the surface, a good way to test is to drop water onto the surface if it beads on the surface there is a membrane if it sinks in straight away there isn’t. This will indicate the preparation that is needed.

We do have options that can be used if you are happy to consider another method of cleaning.

March 2023

Q. We have been affected by the floods. We have lifted carpet from our floors which are concrete. It will take some months to get new carpet laid so we’d like to seal the concrete floors to stop the dust and allow us to use the rooms. The concrete is 20 years old in good condition. It is not polished. What could we apply to the surface? Also we will seal and paint our garage floor while we are at it. What do you recommend for that?

A. I am sorry to hear you have been affected by the floods.

We recommend the use of Resene ConcreteSeal 3 in 1 (pale grey colour) or Resene Cemseal (clear finish) as a dust coat.

For the garage, since this will likely have cars driving in and out of it, it will require diamond grinding followed by a two pack primer called Resene ArmourBond followed by three coats of Resene Aquapoxy semi-gloss. Otherwise Resene ConcreteSeal 3 in 1 can be used as a dust coat.

March 2023

Q. What should I use to paint over lino on the floor of my bathroom?

A. The following system has been used for painting hard lino: After degreasing, apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and leave to cure for at least 48 hours. The Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer is not designed to give high wet film thickness or opacity. The thinner it is, the better for adhesion.

Then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl waterborne enamel semi-gloss. Leave for 48 hours before heavy use.

The full system will take 2-3 weeks to fully harden.

Given the varying types of lino flooring, we cannot give a guarantee that the paint system will achieve a long term system. The painted surface will not have the same hardness features as the original lino flooring.

March 2023

Q. I have torn up the carpet on my concrete floor and would like to repaint it. There is an existing coating of a crystal seal waterproofing slurry on top of the concrete in mostly good condition (some small areas of flaking). It’s like a Permacolour product.

I’d like a water-resistant coating to put down before I topcoat as the floor is in the basement and got damp during the floods.

A. Usually products like the Permacolour slurry are unpaintable. We would recommend it be diamond ground.

Then apply Resene HydraBlock is a good option followed by Resene Uracryl 802 (can add grit for non-slip) for a pigmented colour. Otherwise depending on the moisture levels, you may be able to use Resene Aquapoxy for the topcoating.

March 2023

Q. I have a basement concrete floor slab that I have diamond ground. I intend to apply Resene Concrete Wax for an exposed aggregate finish. Can/should I put Resene Aquapel on before applying Resene Concrete Wax?

A. We don’t recommend the use of Resene Aquapel before applying Resene Concrete Wax. However, we do recommend if the floor has been ground, mop it with water to remove residual engrained dust and thin the first coat of Resene Concrete Wax by 30% with water.

March 2023

Q. We would like to paint over the floor tiles in our hallway and laundry. They were here when we bought the house so we don't know exactly what kind they are but most likely ceramic.

A. Ensure the glazed tiles are thoroughly cleaned. Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before over coating. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness or give opacity, the thinner the coat the better.

Apply two coats of Resene Walk-on and finish with a thin seal coat of Resene Concrete Wax.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

Note that painting will not reproduce the original features of the tiles.

January 2023

Q. I am after a paint to put over a home concrete garage/workshop floor.

A. We recommend the below system on a diamond ground floor – one coat of Resene ArmourBond, followed by three coats of Resene Aquapoxy semi-gloss (SRG grit can be added for extra slip resistance).

December 2022

Q. I have a chipboard floor that needs revarnishing. It was new two years ago and varnished with a matte finish, unsure what product. It has worn and discoloured in high traffic areas. Will I need to resend it or just give a good clean? What product would you recommend for a long lasting matte varnish finish?

A. We recommend to use a solvent product called Resene Polythane. This is a high gloss product but it very hard wearing and suitable throughout the home. This means however, we do not have a matt finish. If you were to go ahead with the gloss finish, a full sand is required to ensure our product will adhere to the surface.

December 2022

Q. I am renovating a shed. I need to prep, seal and paint the concrete floor then pair the walls and ceiling. I want to know which products to use on the floor please.

A. First we recommend a moisture test to determine if there is moisture present or if the surface is able to be painted.

The plastic sheet method (ASTM D4263) should be used to check concrete floors for moisture content prior to painting. Tape a segment of clear plastic sheet (0.1 mm thick) to the concrete floor using duct tape, making sure all edges are sealed. Allow the plastic sheet to remain in place for at least 16 hours and after the allowed time examine the underside of the sheet for the presence of moisture. If any water has condensed on the underside of the plastic sheet then application of Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring is not recommended. At least one test is required for each 50 square metres of floor area. While the plastic sheet method is not a quantitative measure of the moisture content of the floor, it is a suitable test to make a decision on whether painting can be undertaken.

We recommend Resene Aquapoxy two-pack waterborne epoxy for garage floors, the preparation required is a professional diamond grind.

If there are any cracks, we recommend filling with Resene Epox-o-Bond.

A primer coat may be required, depending on the moisture test.

If there is a low level of moisture present and you choose to proceed, we would recommend sanding the Resene Epox-o-Bond to get adhesion. Usually you just need a light sand with 80 grit sandpaper. Then apply a coat of Resene ArmourBond. If there is no moisture no primer is required, just thin the first coat of Resene Aquapoxy by 10%.

November 2022

Q. Is Resene Qristal ClearFloor 2K suitable to recoat a previously sealed concrete floor with a similar product?

A. Without knowing the exact product used originally, we recommend sanding the original coating to degloss, applying a test patch of Resene Qristal ClearFloor 2K, leaving for 48 hours and doing a scratch test to check adhesion. After this, if it has adhered to properly, you can continue to apply additional coats.

October 2022

Q. I have a brush box floor in an extension and plan to pull up carpet and cork in adjoining rooms, The older area of the house is cypress pine floorboards. Can you advise if I can do anything which would successfully ‘blend’ the cypress pine into the brush box floor, or do you suggest to lay floating floor over the cypress pine. The house is not coastal, so whitewashing the cypress pine is not an option.

A. The only way to match the cypress pine to the brush box flooring would be to stain the pine to match the brush box flooring colour. This will require trialling of stain colours using Resene Colorwood stain. You will still have a grain pattern difference between the two timbers even if you can achieve a match in colour.

After sanding the timbers to a smooth even finish and assuming that you can match the pine to the box brush colour, apply three coats of Resene Aquaclear waterborne varnish (note this excludes the Resene Aquaclear Natural finish).

June 2022

Q. I have just sanded old pine floorboards and I want to stain them. However, I don't want the horrible yellow/orange colour that clear stain produces. I either want a soft blonde/whitish colour or caramel brown (not dark). Which products do I need to achieve either result? Do I use the whitewash finish? I have read that putting grey on first and wiping it off immediately, then adding walnut can work because blue balances out the yellow.

A. If you can get a piece of pine that matches your flooring, try applying a Resene Colorwood stain before making a colour decision. For blonding we recommend Resene Colorwood Rock Salt. If you want to increase the level of whiteness add Resene Colorwood Enhance White to one or more of the Resene Aquaclear varnish coats (note that Resene Aquaclear Natural is not suitable for flooring). Or you could use Resene Colorwood Whitewash.

June 2022

Q. Can you recommend a product for the floor of a small 2 x 2 m bathroom with an original Matai timber floor. It is discoloured from water leaks but we would also like a very durable clear satin finish that is non slippery. Is there such a product?

A. Matai contains a natural inhibitor to the drying/curing of solventborne varnishes such as Resene Qristal Polyurethanes. For Matai you need to apply either a waterborne varnish, a two pack polyurethane or a moisture cured polyurethane. For a wet area the best is three coats of Resene Polythane.

June 2022

Q. I am looking in to paint the walkway in the factory on a concrete floor. Could you please advise on what type of paint I need?

The concrete has already been painted before with a special paint. The water does stay on the concrete because of the current paint. We have been marking with tape, what I want to do now is to actually paint the inside of the walkway with a yellow colour maybe.

A. I think that your floor has probably originally had a curing membrane applied to the floor. We use the water splash test to confirm this, the same would apply to a floor that had been clear coated.

To apply a paint system wash the concrete using Resene Heavy Duty Paint Cleaner and Oil Remover diluted and used to label direction, then diamond grind to achieve an even surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper.

Then for the areas to be painted apply a coat of Resene ConcreteSeal 3in1 and follow with two coats of Resene Uracryl 403 yellow.

To add an extra level of protection, apply a coat of Resene Uracryl 400 Series Clear over the pigmented Resene Uracryl. The clear coat can be any of the Resene Uracryl 400 Series gloss levels.

June 2022

Q. A sealer is required for a basement concrete floor prior to laying stick on carpet tiles. The concrete surface is quite dusty and powdery although still sound. The room we are sealing is quite dry but has no windows so something non-toxic is preferable.

A. Remove as much of the concrete dust by vacuuming then wiping down with a damp sponge. Then apply two coats of Resene HydraBlock. Thin the first coat 10% with water. This is the only coating we recommend for this application.

April 2022

Q. I have painted a wooden floor with Resene Lustacryl White. Is there a protective product that I can put on top?

A. We have two water based clear coat options for interior flooring:

• For a satin finish, I recommend Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1K
• For a semi-gloss like the Resene Lustacryl or a full gloss finish, I recommend Resene Aquaclear

April 2022

Q. I used the non-skid deck and path paint on the floor of my sunroom. I wanted a non-slip result, but it is a bit tough walking barefoot, or even with socks on it. I want to put another paint on top of it to smoothen it, while keeping it strong. The sunroom has a strong UV exposure, and intensive use. What product do you recommend?

A. Apply two coats of Resene Concrete Wax over the Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path.

April 2022

Q. I need a filler and a white-ish stain for a timber floor with dents in it. The filler is a bit like dark coloured crayon.

A. We have a range of wood filler that comes in different colours and an interior tinted varnish called Resene Colorwood Whitewash.

April 2022

Q. I am completing a house project with internal wet areas (bathroom, kitchen, laundry) which are on a RibRaft slab. We wish to polish the surface and seal with a clear finish if possible. A light sanded treatment before sealing for non-slip may be considered. Can you please let me know if you have a product which you could recommend?

The concrete floor will be inherently watertight. It is a raised floor system on polystyrene waffle system with a dpc underlay, so there will be no rising damp. There is no retaining, so the walls also will be protected. The polished concrete will be smooth. Then probably a very very fine grit sanding before your product is applied. If that is a problem, we would still like your recommendation, and consider other non-skid answers such as non-skid mats.

A. You can’t sand concrete to profile, proofing can only be achieved by diamond grinding.

Adhesion to a smooth polished concrete surface can be difficult, in a bathroom the elevated temperatures and huminites also play a role in the adhesion of a coating system.

If you are looking to use an alternative way to achieve slip resistance, such as non-slip matting then you could use Resene Concrete Clear.

This will give a liquid water resistant surface, applied to the data sheet, as E3 requires but will not change the water tightness of the substrate. If you proceed to council for consent the latter must be emphasised.

April 2022

Q. How do I paint over very old vinyl flooring tiles in our hallway?

A. Unfortunately there are so many vinyl flooring compositions that painting will always be a challenge to successfully achieve. Ideally, we would recommend that you apply a small test area of the adhesion primer to verify adhesion but we don’t sell testpots of products only colours.

The only system we can offer is to ensure the flooring is clean and free of grease/oil then apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before over coating. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness or give opacity, the thinner the coat the better. Then apply two coats of Resene Walk-on and finish with a seal coat of Resene Concrete Wax.

October 2021

Q. I'm building a new house. My concrete contractor will achieve a burnished slab finish with a trowel machine. I'm interested in using your Resene Concrete Wax product on the 165m2 interior slab. Will your product work with this finish? If so will I need to seal the concrete or grind beforehand?

A. There is no need to seal the concrete before applying the Resene Concrete Wax clear system. However, the finished concrete must be sound, free of dust/laitance and not have a curing membrane applied. Check using the water splash test for the presence of a curing membrane, water splashed onto the concrete should immediately darken the concrete and be absorbed. If the water is not immediately absorbed and the wet concrete does not darken then this indicates the presence of a curing membrane.

If there is a membrane applied, diamond grinding is the usual prep. However, do not grind using fine grinding discs to produce a gloss finish. Areas of scratch marking can be wet sanded back to a sound feathered edge and Resene Concrete Wax applied.

October 2021

Q. I have old rimu floors - they have a little borer but not too bad. I've used Resene Qristal ClearFloor 2K on my rimu floors in a former home and am into the matt finish. I'm keen to whitewash (but only ever so slightly) so as to minimise the yellow/orange. Is it possible to mix the whitewash into the 2K so that I can use less of it, or do I need to whitewash first?

A. Sorry, the whitewash cannot be added to a two-pack product cannot be done as components of the colourants react with the hardener.

You will need to whitewash first, using Resene Colorwood Rock Salt stain. Apply the Resene Colorwood stain and leave to sit for a few minutes, until the wet look starts to disappear then wipe excess stain from the surface using a lint free cloth. Stain absorption never is even as the absorption varies with the hardness of different areas of the timber. Allow the stain to dry for 48 hours before applying the two-pack clear.

September 2021

Q. What should I be specifying for coating of interior structural steel portals where the base is sitting on concrete plinths below the floor within an enclosed subfloor? The property is within 20m of breaking surf. We think we may hot dip galvanise.

A. If you do galvanise, apply Resene Armourcote 510 to the bottom section to achieve a 300 micron dry film thickness.

August 2021

Q. How do I paint over a varnished particle board floor?

A. Ensure the floor is clean and free from grease/oil and sand to profile for recoating, dust off and apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry followed by two coats of Resene Walk-on in your topcoat colour. Finish with a seal coat of Resene Concrete Wax.

August 2021

Q. I'm preparing a formerly carpeted, interior concrete floor to seal with Resene Sureseal pigmented sealer and then paint with two coats of Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen. What is the best way to remove a soft glue that has been used to secure the carpet underlay joins? It's like a contact adhesive.

A. Scraping with a wide flat scraper then wipe the adhesive areas down using Dissolve It.

August 2021

Q. What clear finish can I use for a timber floor in a toilet (approx 90 year old house)?

A. Ensure the timber is clean and sanded to a smooth finish and apply three coats of Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1K.

August 2021

Q. Which product will seal a concrete basement floor to stop damp rising where there is no polythene DPM under existing concrete?

A. Use Resene HydraBlock applied in two coats. The concrete must have porosity and m no existing coating. The best preparation for the floor is to diamond grind to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping.

August 2021

Q. I am painting pictures using Resene testpots, onto concrete pavers (approx 40cmx40cm). They are quite porous. What would the best finishing coat be to apply in order to make them weather proof and durable?

A. For the future I recommend that you seal the pavers with a coat of Resene Sureseal as this will reduce the concrete porosity. Suggest that you apply a good coat of Resene Concrete Clear.

August 2021

Q. We are removing carpet and restoring native matai timber floor in a 1960s home. We are using Resene Colorwood (English Walnut) before adding a clear coat. We need help determining which clear coat product to use. This project includes the whole house with kitchen, bathroom and laundry. We want very good durability as we have a large family working from home all the time, plus a dog and cat who could potentially scratch the floor.

A. After sanding to achieve a smooth uniform surface finish, remove sanding dust and wipe down with a damp cloth.

Matai timber inhibits the drying/cross linking of traditional single pack solventborne varnishes. For this reason, waterborne varnishes are used. For all areas outside of bathroom/wet areas, use Resene Qristal Clear can be used, minimum of three coats. For bathroom/wet area floors Resene Polythane is our recommended clear system. This is based on strong solvents so care during application is required and good ventilation to vent solvents released from the coating to exterior. Resene Polythane cures via reaction with atmospheric moisture and the curing is not affected by drying inhibitors present in the Matai timber. Resene Polythane is only available in a full gloss as this gives the highest resistance to liquid water.

August 2021

Q. We have some water seeping through the concrete floor of our utility room in a 1905 villa. The floor is lower than the rest of the house and probably wasn’t enclosed in the original building. I assume it doesn’t have any water membrane being so old. Would Resene X-200 be suitable to paint over this surface (it has no cracks) and if so can we then tile on top?

A. Resene X-200 is not the product to address this situation. Resene HydraBlock is a better option, must be applied to bare concrete and best applied during drier months of the year.

July 2021

Q. Can you let me know the best product to use on natural slate roof tiles that have been installed on my floor? They are throughout the house.

A. The best clear would be Resene Concrete Clear, but not for a shower floor. Apply a thin coat of gloss by brush, brush out deeper areas of the surface to remove excess wet film then finish with two coats of the clear, to maintain film clarity. Do not use the flat for overcoats. The same requirement applies to avoid accumulation of excess wet film in deeper areas of the profile. We do not have a non-slip additive that can be used in this product so there will be a reduction in wet slip resistance post clear coating.

June 2021

Q. We are sanding and revarnishing our twenty year old eucalyptus floor. It is very soft wood and has gone an unusual gold colour. The original colour of the wood was a pinky beige. We get lots of sunlight. Can you advise what Resene product to use on the floor to try and stop it turning gold again?

A. Colour change of the timber under a clear system is expected. This can be modified but depends on the coating product selected. If a waterborne product is selected then using ProSelect SunBlock (order via a Resene ColorShop) would be the best approach to slow down the colour change. Or you could prepare back to the bare timber and stain it with Resene Colorwood interior wood stain, which can help to hide the gold look.

May 2021

Q. I have painted my rough sawn timber floors with Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen paint. I had heard that it is a good idea to put a coat of Resene Concrete Wax over this paint to make it last longer. Is this a good idea?

A. Yes, a coat of Resene Concrete Wax can be applied over the Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen base paint.

May 2021

Q. What would you recommend for painting our cork tiles in our kitchen and dining area? They were clear coated 35 years ago, so there are some worn sections. We would like to paint with a solid colour or close to solid. We are thinking a whitish colour.

A. Ensure the flooring is clean and free from grease/oil. Thoroughly sand to profile for recoating, dust off and wipe clean with a clean damp cloth or mop to remove ant fine sanding dusts. Apply a primer coat of Resene Quick Dry followed by two coats of Resene Walk-on and finish with a seal coat of Resene Concrete Wax.

The completed paint system will take 5-7 days to reach final cure so care will be required re wear during that time.

April 2021

Q. We're going to paint the new concrete floor in a changing room/shower area with a non-slip paint. Would Resene Walk-on or would Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path be the best option?

A. We recommend Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

February 2021

Q. I have a room that had lino sheet flooring that had a bad smell. I have pulled up the lino and the smell seems to be from the glue. I have removed the glue and sanded the floor (chipboard). Our builder has recommended we try sealing the floor rather than pull up the flooring since it is in good condition (there is still a residue smell which we want gone before putting the new covering down). Which sealer would you recommend for chipboard?

A. A full coat of Resene Polythane would be our best recommendation. However, we can’t give a 100% assurance that it would block the odour release.

February 2021

Q. What paint would you recommend for a college ply wood stage (floor)? It’s a new build floor would have a flat black finish (low sheen possibly more durable)? The stage will be used for music performances.

A. Prime with the darkest Resene Varishade Grey (Acrylic Undercoat) then apply two coats of Resene Lumbersider Black and finish with two coats of Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield Flat. Allow the Resene Lumbersider basecoat paint to cure for at least 48 hours, then wipe/mop down with fresh water and allow to dry before applying the Resene Uracryl Clear coats.

December 2020

Q. Our budget is blown so we are going to need to refinish the existing (old) particle board floors in our house. The boards are partially painted and flaky in spots. We thought sanding and polyurethaning would work best - please could you advise us what system of Resene products might work best to give use 2-3 years before we can replace the particle board?

A. You will need to remove all existing paint residues and sand to achieve a sound surface. The best clear to use would be Resene Polythane.

December 2020

Q. I'm getting someone to grind the concrete floors and I want to seal them myself. It’s my own place and I want them to be glossy and show off the concrete when sealed. I've done it before with your products many years ago but I can’t recall what I used, only that it was a two pot system you mixed together. Can you please advise the best products to use?

A. The system would have been Resene Uracryl 400 Series Clear. After grinding, apply a saturation coat of Resene Solventborne Aquapel and leave to cure for at least 48 hours with ventilation. Then apply a seal coat of Resene Uracryl 403 Clear thinned 10% with Resene Thinner No.8 and finish with two more coats of unthinned Resene Uracryl 403 Clear if you want a full gloss finish.

December 2020

Q. What product should I use on a new concrete floor in a factory bathroom (with shower) to provide slip resistance?

A. Apply Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring, diamond grind to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping. Apply a seal coat of Resene ArmourBond and then follow with the Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring System.

December 2020

Q. I have had professionals apply the Resene Concrete Wax. The builder has made scratches. I have read the specs that this product is easily repairable but can’t find any instructions on how to do this?

A. For best results wet sand the scratches using 400 grit wet and dry paper to achieve a levelling off of the scratch then re-apply the Resene Concrete Wax. Seamless repair depends upon how deep the scratches are.

November 2020

Q. We have kitchen flooring that has asbestos in it. It is in good condition. But it's a dated look, so we want to add new vinyl to the floor (without disturbing the current asbestos flooring). What should we do?

A. A saturation coat of Resene Sureseal would be the best to use to encapsulate the asbestos, but the use of this would have to be checked with the vinyl layer to confirm that the adhesive to be used to lay the vinyl is compatible with the sealer. If Resene Sureseal is suitable then you can topcoat in Resene Walk-on and apply a final coat of Resene Concrete Wax for extra protection.

November 2020

Q. I have streaks in my hardwood floor after applying 1K polyurethane. The floor didn't seem to be clear coated previously and was sanded using a drum sander (run along length of floor boards), edger (for edges) and finished with a 120 grit orbital sand.

It was then vacuumed and lightly mopped and left to dry before applying clear coat (cut in with brush first and then rolled the length of floorboards.

Could this have been caused by the mopping or possibly the cool temperature yesterday? Or is it more likely some kind of reaction, I wondered if it might be blooming?

A. Based on what you have said it is likely that you have areas that received a high wet film thickness and while the surface has lost water and dried this has not occurred through the bulk of the film in these areas. When there is water entrapment the development of a clear finish is impeded as water needs to be lost from the entire wet film.

Suggest you carefully sand these areas and leave to dry and see if the streaking disappears then brush coat a couple of coats to these areas.

November 2020

Q. I want to paint an unsealed particle board floor in a large room that we built several years ago but hardly used. Can I use Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat to undercoat and seal it, and then use Resene Walk-on for the topcoats? What should I use to fill in the cracks between the boards and over the nailheads? When should I fill it? After I paint with the Resene Quick Dry (and before the topcoats), or before I undercoat it?

A. Resene Quick Dry can be used to prime particle board flooring, there may be some irreversible fibre swelling but a waterborne primer is the only primer for this substrate. Filling nail holes is not an issue but crack filling maybe but this depends upon the width of the crack. Fill then prime. The best filler would be RepairCare Dry Seal SF Filler, this comes in a cartridge and you need a sealant gun to extrude the filler. Extrude the amount needed and thoroughly mix (the cartridge contains a 2 component filler) then flush fill. The cured filler is not easy to sand hence the need to flush fill.

Then apply Resene Walk-on in two coats. When used for interior flooring a coat of Resene Concrete Wax is required over the two coats of Resene Walk-on.

November 2020

Q. We are looking to paint the concrete floor for a restaurant. What should we use?

A. Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring is our only possible system. Diamond grind to remove existing coatings and to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping. Apply a seal coat of Resene ArmourBond and finish with the Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring system. The system is only suitable for interior where there is little or no UV falling onto the painted areas. You will need to allow at least 7 days for preparation and painting.

September 2020

Q. I want to paint over a chipboard floor previously finished with a thinner based single pack moisture cured polyurethane. Can you please advise if you have a product that would be suitable?

A. Degrease and thoroughly sand to profile for recoating. Apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry and leave the primer to cure for at least 48 hours then apply two coats of Resene Uracryl 802.

September 2020

Q. What product would be best to seal a concrete floor to lay carpet on? I’m not 100% how much, if any, moisture comes up through the concrete at all. There are things stored in there and there doesn't seem to be any signs of moisture from the concrete there.

A. We recommend two coats of Resene HydraBlock, each applied at 10 sqm/L.

Check using the water splash test for the presence of a curing membrane, water splashed onto the concrete should immediately darken the concrete and be absorbed. If the water is not immediately absorbed and the wet concrete does not darken then this indicates the presence of a curing membrane.

If there is a curing membrane present, diamond grind to remove the existing curing membrane and to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping.

September 2020

Q. I want to paint an already painted, internal chipboard floor. The paint is worn and marked but not chipped or peeling.

A. Sand the existing paintwork to profile for recoating, then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry followed by two coats of Resene Walk-on and finish with a seal coat of Resene Concrete Wax.

September 2020

Q. My timber floor was due for a repaint so I applied Resene Walk-on. I understand it contains anti-slipping stuff since it's also used for outdoor paving, but that also means it captures more dirt making it harder to clean. Is there something to help with this?

A. Apply 1 or 2 coats of Resene Concrete Wax.

September 2020

Q. We would like to lay a new cork floor in our bathroom and paint it. We're aware of some commercial pre-finished options but it might not be cost-effective for our small space. Is it practical to paint cork tiles as a DIY option and what products are required?

A. For a bathroom apply two coats of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Lusta-Glo.

September 2020

Q. I have a photography studio with a concrete floor. I want to paint the floor pure white. The concrete has a rough finish, with a few old bolt holes where machinery was anchored to it. Nothing major. I just need a long lasting white finish which will bind to the concrete. I will be painting over the top of it, rather than cleaning it - as it needs to be pure white for each photoshoot. I'll be using waterbased ceiling paint for this. Will your product fill in the small holes and the concrete expansion lines ok?

A. Paint cannot be applied over dirt/oil/grease/dust etc and a shiny concrete surface. We normally recommend cleaning down using Resene Heavy Duty Paint Prep and Oil Remover diluted and used to label directions then diamond grinding to achieve a surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper. You could the use Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen as the paint coating for this application as wear resistance is unlikely to be an issue.

September 2020

Q. We are looking for a recommendation for our dance floor. We will be using 12mm MDF panels. We will need to seal the underside also. The floor finish needs to be durable, clear semi-gloss, sprayable and affordable. We don’t want a non-slip surface.

A. Resene Aquaclear semi-gloss would be the easiest product to apply and touch up. The only other option is a two pack solventborne polyurethane clear, but it is harder to apply and also high in VOC content.

August 2020

Q. I am after some black or mid grey walk on paint for a painted wooden floor that needs to be a flat finish and withstand the shows.

A. If the existing paint finish is waterborne, clean down to remove surface contaminants and sand to profile for recoating. Apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry and two coats of Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen Black. Allow the black paint to cure for at least two days then mop down with clean water (rinse mop often) and allow to dry then apply two coats of Resene GraffitiShield Flat. The Resene GraffitiShield gives wear resistance and a flat finish.

August 2020

Q. I am painting the floorboards in my living area in the colour Resene Rice Cake. I asked in store for advice on which products to use. I asked about using a urethane product on top of the paint for a more durable finish. I have urethane on top of whitewash in my kitchen which has been very durable. Whitewash was not an option in our living area due to a mix of floorboards and MDF. I was advised to use Resene Lustacryl as the topcoat. I am very happy with the finish but am nervous about the durability. Can a urethane be used on top of Resene Lustacryl or do you feel Resene Lustacryl will be tough enough as a topcoat?

A. Resene Lustacryl is a waterborne cross slinking waterborne enamel paint and has much better wear resistance than a conventional waterborne paint. It’s not as hard as a traditional solventborne varnish but is suitable as a flooring finish.

If you want to apply a clear to the Resene Lustacryl pigmented coating then apply a coat of Resene Concrete Wax. If the Resene Lustacryl is more than four weeks old you will need to lightly sand prior to application of the clear.

August 2020

Q. I have a new concrete workshop floor to be painted concrete grey. What should I use?

A. For best results diamond grind to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping. Then apply Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

June 2020

Q. I have attic space with chipboard flooring which has become smelly from condensation. I want to paint the floor but am unsure what primer would be best on chipboard from further moisture and to seal in the smell. Could you point me in the right direction?

A. Treat the floor with Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label instructions. Wipe/mop down the floor using fresh water, allow to dry then apply two coats of Resene Quick Dry primer undercoat. The Resene Quick Dry has a powerful anti mould package and as long as the exiting mould and mould spores are killed by the mould treatment then the Resene Quick Dry will help to inhibit further mould growth. Then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl Kitchen & Bathroom.

June 2020

Q. We are planning on using Resene Uracryl 402 Semi-Gloss over a concrete floor for a new honey processing shed. Do you think this product would provide suitable slip resistance for a working environment?

A. Unmodified, no. There is also an issue with propolis attack on a coating, the best coating we have for propolis resistance is Resene Imperite 413. You will need to add an aggregate to achieve any degree of slip resistance.

June 2020

Q. We have a concrete floor in our ensuite. We will be putting tiles on it. The concrete seems a little damp to the touch. We are drying the room out with a dehumidifier. Is there a Resene paint product (e.g. a sealer) I can apply before the tiles go on?

A. The only product we would suggest is Resene HydraBlock but you will need to check with the tile installer if this is compatible with fixing the tiles.

June 2020

Q. We are whitewashing our fully sanded matai floors with Resene Colorwood Whitewash. Do we have to seal with Resene Aquaclear once the floor is dry. Or can we just use Resene Colorwood Whitewash?

A. Apply Resene Colorwood Whitewash straight onto the floor, then apply three coats of Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1k over to protect it.

June 2020

Q. Is it possible to paint kitchen and bathroom floor tiles please? And if so what product do you recommend? They are glazed terracotta.

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, pay particular attention to hand contact areas.

Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before over coating. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness or give opacity, the thinner the coat the better. Then apply two coats of Resene Walk-on and finish with a thin seal coat of Resene Concrete Wax.

This paint system is not suitable for the floor of a shower lining.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing. Note that painting will not reproduce the original features of the laminate.

June 2020

Q. What paint do I need to use to waterproof the underside of my shed floor which is marine ply?

A. We have no waterproofing system for timber but if you apply two coats of Resene Wood Primer and topcoat with two coats of Resene Super Gloss enamel this will give a layer of paint with low moisture vapour transmission.

June 2020

Q. We have bought a house and we have a range of flooring to update. Please give us lots of ideas of what we could do. Most of them are wooden.

A. Wooden floors are easy to stain or paint but staining will usually require more preparation to get the floor ready for staining.

Staining

To stain you need to remove all the existing coating, then stain with a product such as Resene Colorwood, then apply protective clear coats, such as Resene Qristal ClearFloor. The wood stain can rejuvenate and enhance the timber colour. Or if you want to just protect the floor, you can just apply the clear finish. Stained or clear finished wooden floors are very popular in villas and traditional homes, but are also becoming popular in modern homes. There is a real trend to bringing nature indoors and authentic timber floors achieve this well. A stained finish lets the wood grain show through. Because of the natural grain and variation in the timber, it helps to hide marks and dust because they tend to get camouflaged by the wood grain – very helpful in a busy household! For colours most choose a stain colour close to the original colour to keep the look authentic or opt for a black stain or a whitewashed look. It's rare to see a coloured (non neutral) stain used for general flooring in a home.

Prep for painting

Prep time is usually quicker if you are planning to paint the floor. Depending on the existing floorboards, you can often just clean them and paint direct. Otherwise if the existing boards have a very hard solventborne finish the existing boards may need sanding and a primer or sealer first before topcoating. Time wise for the painting, it's not much different to painting a wall. The prep to paint a floor is usually faster than staining a floor, because when staining a floor you need to go back to bare floorboards for the stain to work. For paint you just need to go back to a sound surface that the paint can stick to.

What to choose

Most wooden floors can be painted or whitewashed – it really comes down to the look you are trying to create. Generally speaking if the timber floor is very uneven in colour and not that nice to look at, painting is usually the best option. If the floor has a nice wood grain effect then whitewashing is likely a better option as you will still be able to see the woodgrain.

Most products are now waterbased and can be easily applied by home decorators. If you're comfortable with painting a wall, then you could easily tackle a floor yourself.

Painting a floor can be a very easy way to bring it into a colour palette, or sometimes it's the ideal stopgap measure while you save up for a whole new floor. Painted finishes can be whatever colour you choose, though generally we recommend avoiding white, or very light and dark colours, as they tend to show up dust more. You can also get creative with multiple colours – e.g. each floorboard or section or floorboard in a different colour – this is a creative option used on stairs or in children's rooms.

Older floors

For older or damaged floors, or floors such as concrete or old lino, where you need to hide the existing finish, then a painted finish using Resene Walk-On is recommended with a clear coat of Resene Concrete Wax. The Resene Concrete Wax gives extra scuff resistance.

Whitewash, greywash and blonding

Whitewashed, and more recently greywashed, looks are very popular for flooring, embracing a Scandi style look. These work well teamed with white, grey or blue grey walls for a timeless, yet relaxing and well weathered look. We're seeing this look for everything from city homes to casual beach baches – it's the perfect antidote to busy city life. Resene Colorwood Whitewash and Greywash may be applied over an existing clear finished floor, without the need to strip right back to bare timber.

Often decorators will consider blonding their floors to lighten the timber. Blonding is the same as staining. The reason it is called blonding is because it adds a blonded stain look (e.g. Resene Rock Salt) whereas most people thinking of staining as being more woody colours. Whitewashing using Resene Colorwood Whitewash is easier because the white is already in the product so you only need to use one product. For blonding you need to get the floor back to bare timber, then stain with Resene Colorwood Rock Salt and then clear finish with Resene Qristal ClearFloor.

Resene Colorwood Whitewash and Greywash have the tinter in the product so you don't need a separate staining coat, so it can save you a little application time. Simply apply the Resene Colorwood Whitewash or Greywash to your prepared floor. Both capture the scandi trend. Traditionally the whitewash look has been very popular but we are finding that the greyer tones of the Resene Colorwood Greywash are perhaps a little more forgiving in a home of marks and dust because the colour of the floor tends to hide a little more than the whiter finish.

Resene Colorwood Whitewash and Greywash are easy to apply you just need to take care with application that you don't end up with thin and thick patches. Paint is more forgiving because you can always do another coat to even up the colour.

Concrete floors

Concrete floors are also growing in popularity. Most of these tend to be natural coloured but they still need to be looked after. A regular coat of Resene Concrete Wax helps keep the surface protected so it is easier to keep clean.

Garage floors

Remember to paint your garage floor too. A nicely painted garage floor is easier to clean and much nicer on your feet than unfinished concrete is.

Hiring a professional

Staining a floor is a job you might want to call in a professional if you are not comfortable operating a floor sander (you can hire these). Also staining a floor takes more care as you need to wipe the stain and ensure you don't get lap marks where the stain is darker because it has built up. The clear finishes most decorators use are waterborne and can be easily applied. As long as you have allowed enough time to prep properly, stain and apply the clear coats, staining a floor can be easily done by a home decorator.

However if you are opting for a very hard finish, like Resene Polythane, the very hard finish is achieved through a solventborne finish and this gives off stronger solvent odours. Generally we recommend if you want to use this product as the clear coat, that it's best to hire someone to do the job.

If you have a busy family and pets and limited time to get the project done, you might be best to call in a professional and stay a few days with friends so you don't have kids and pets walking through the area while the job is in progress.

Stencilled/patterned floors

We are seeing more decorators create a stencil pattern on the floor – e.g. creating a tiled look or a repeat pattern using low tack masking tape and just using paint for the contrast. This can be a much cheaper option than tiling and allows you to be creative with the design and colour.

June 2020

Q. I have some slate floor titles to paint as you walk in the door. I want to use the colour black. What paint do I use?

A. Ensure the tiles are clean and apply a coat of Resene Concrete Clear Gloss and finish with 2 coats of Resene Lustacryl Black. For each and every coat, brush out wet paint from valleys in the profile.

May 2020

Q. I'm planning to remove the vinyl on my kitchen floor and seal the bare concrete floor underneath with Resene Concrete Wax. How long would it be before I could walk on the floor again?

A. With good ventilation you should be able to walk on the floor the next day. After removing the vinyl you may have to get the concrete diamond ground. Check using the water splash test for the presence of a curing membrane, water splashed onto the concrete should immediately darken the concrete and be absorbed. If the water is not immediately absorbed and the wet concrete does not darken then this indicates the presence of a curing membrane. If there is a curing membrane present then diamond grind to remove the existing curing membrane and to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sand paper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping.

May 2020

Q. I want to use a Resene paint in order to paint an older wooden pine floor which has originally been coated with linseed oil (30 years ago approx). This is in a bach with often quite a high volume of foot traffic. I would like to use a white tone to lighten the whole area and would prefer a semi-gloss rather than a matte finish.

A. Wash down to remove dirt, grease and general grime. Sand the floor using 220 grit sandpaper. Then apply a coat of Resene Wood Primer and finish with two coats of Resene Lusta-Glo.

May 2020

Q. I have a concrete floor in a café that I want to paint. It looks like it has a clear finish on it. Which product should I use?

A. Best prep is to diamond grind to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping, then apply Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

April 2020

Q. I have a coloured cork bathroom floor, in good condition. I would like to repaint it. Can you please tell me which products I need to do this?

A. Thoroughly sand the existing clear floor to degloss and profile for recoating. Dust off and apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl Kitchen & Bathroom or Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Kitchen & Bathroom. Neither finish will give wet slip resistance but I assume that this would also have been the case with the existing varnished tiles.

April 2020

Q. I am painting my kitchen floor using your Resene Walk-on paint plus testpots for the arty bits. I want to seal the floor once painted what do you recommend I use?

A. Apply Resene Concrete Wax.

March 2020

Q. Can Resene Aquapoxy flooring paint be painted over already painted concrete floor?

A. Yes as long as the existing coating is a waterborne epoxy.

February 2020

Q. I have Rimu floorboards and we are sanding them all back. I don't like the true yellow /orange colour of the Rimu even with just a clear matt finish. What do you recommend to give more of an ash finish if possible?

A. If you mean a white ash style finish then you could apply a coat of Resene Colorwood Rock Salt then overcoat with a polyurethane varnish.

February 2020

Q. We are building a new home with a concrete floor. We want to paint the concrete floor with a whitewash effect and then seal it with a matte finish sealer. We were thinking of using your Resene Walk-on product but it says it can't be diluted. We've gone ahead and tested a couple of Resene testpots and found the colour we like. We tested this on the concrete floor diluted 50% and 25% and really like the way it looks with the 25% dilution. Is there any reason we can't go ahead with this approach, using standard paint that is diluted on concrete? And can you recommend a sealer product?

A. We don’t usually recommend diluting paint as this leads to application of a reduced film thickness.

However in this case a 25% dilution could be used to give you a wash effect. The Resene testpots contain Resene Lumbersider so you could use Resene Lumbersider diluted for your floor. As long as the concrete has a degree of porosity this will allow the paint to grip onto the surface. Resene Concrete Wax could be used as the clear sealer.

Check using the water splash test for the presence of a curing membrane, water splashed onto the concrete should immediately darken the concrete and be absorbed. If the water is not immediately absorbed and the wet concrete does not darkens then this indicates the presence of a curing membrane If the splash test indicated a curing membrane then diamond grind to remove the existing curing membrane and to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping.

February 2020

Q. I would like to paint a tanalised plywood floor in a craft studio. What to use? The colour is to be black.

A. Apply a prime coat of Resene Wood Primer then Resene Acrylic Undercoat tinted to the darkest grey possible and leave the undercoat to dry for at least 48 hours before applying two coats of Resene Uracryl 802 Black.

February 2020

Q. We have pulled up old carpet and sanded the wooden floors beneath. I now need to seal the floor but I want to avoid darkening them. The sanded wood has a beautiful light honey tone that I'd like to keep if possible.

A. Application of a clear will result in some colour change, gloss solventborne clears will see the largest colour change. Suggest that you look to use Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1K. The lower gloss and being waterborne will give the least amount of colour change.

January 2020

Q. How do I paint an unsealed indoor concrete floor in a lounge area? We intend to put a very large rug over the area with 500mms of concrete showing around the edges of the room.

A. Most simple system given much of the floor won't be walked on is:

Thoroughly clean floor down prior to painting. If oil and grease are present use Resene Paint Prep and Housewash or for stubborn grease and grim use Resene Heavy Duty Paint Prep & Oil Remover. Follow pack instructions.

Then apply one coat of Resene ConcreteSeal 3 in 1 and two coats of Resene Lustacryl. Allow Resene Lustacryl to dry for 5-7 days prior to normal foot traffic etc so that coating cures well.

January 2020

Q. Are you able to advise which of your products would be best to paint and polyurethane new cork flooring tiles for use in a kitchen?

A. Stain with Resene Colorwood stain and then overcoat with three coats of Resene Aquaclear (satin or semi-gloss). Suggest you try staining a separate piece of the cork flooring to see what the colour will be before undertaking staining the full floor. Cork can uptake a good quantity of stain which may result in a darker stain colour. That’s why it is best you check this before doing the whole floor as once the stain is on it cannot easily be removed.

January 2020

Q. We have just put done a 20mm strand floor (chipboard) floor and probably need to varnish it to protect it. One guy has told us you shouldn't varnish it but their website says you can.

A. It depends upon what the floor area will be subject to. If the floor is subject to heavy foot traffic we recommend three coats of Resene Polythane.

December 2019

Q. We have a new house with timber solid floors in bathrooms – Leyland Cypress treated to H1.2. Which product should we be using to seal the bathroom timber floors?

A. We recommend three coats (minimum) of Resene Polythane.

December 2019

Q. I have a rental flat. How can I make a positive difference to the flooring, without spending a fortune?

A. If you have timber flooring that isn’t in the best condition (e.g. natural timber look is past it’s best and it’s unlikely you could get it looking really good again) then you could opt to paint the floor with Resene Walk-on. This is especially good for entrance type areas inside and out.

We have many customers now painting floorings, often a white or light colour, which also helps to reflect more light into dark spaces.

For a concrete floor, you can maintain it using Resene Concrete Wax – if you regularly maintain it, it means the coating takes all the wear and tear rather than the floor.

You can also opt to stain timber floors with products such as Resene Qristal ClearFloor. While we also have heavier duty polyurethanes, they can tend to leave a strong solvent odour, so we recommend opting for Resene Qristal ClearFloor which will give a durable clear finish on timber without the unwanted solvent odours.

If flooring timber is looking faded but is in otherwise good condition, you could consider a whitewash finish such as Resene Colorwood Whitewash or you could rejuvenate the timber colour with Resene Colorwood wood stain and then finish in the Resene Qristal ClearFloor.

Another quick and easy option which suits some homes are cork file tiles which can be purchased natural and then stained with Resene Colorwood also, then clear finished.

December 2019

Q. My kitchen/dining and bathroom have varnished cork tile over wooden floorboards. My options are to rip up the cork and redo the floorboards, or to paint over the cork. If I was to paint the cork, what do I need to do for prep and which products would I need to use? These are obviously high traffic areas with potential water spills. Is an overcoat needed also?

A. Ensure the existing clear is free of oil/grease then sand to profile (180 or 220 grit paper). Dust off then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat followed by two coats of Resene Lustacryl. Leave the Resene Lustacryl to cure for at least 48 hours after application of the second coat then apply a seal coat of Resene Concrete Wax.

Q. I have a particle board floor in a mid-80s Lockwood house. I want to paint it a light colour to offset the pattern/colour of the wooden walls and cathedral ceilings. The floors are now carpeted but have been sealed sometime in the past. What would you recommend re sealing, paint application and polyurethane protection?

A. The polyurethane will need to be sanded to achieve a uniform smooth finish then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl. If you want to increase the wear protection apply a coat of Resene Concrete Wax over the Resene Lustacryl.  Allow the Resene Lustacryl. to cure for at least 48 hours before clear coating.

Q. Can I have a Resene Concrete Wax specification for a new concrete floor, please?

A. Check using the water splash test for the presence of a curing membrane. Water splashed onto the concrete should immediately darken the concrete and be absorbed. If the water is not immediately absorbed and the wet concrete does not darkens then this indicates the presence of a curing membrane.

If the splash test indicates the presence of a curing membrane then diamond grind to remove the existing curing membrane and to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping.

Then apply multiple coats of Resene Concrete Wax, following the data sheet information.

Q. I need to paint the concrete floor of my food chiller. I have already degreased the floor but I need to know what type of paint to use.

A. The chiller would have to be brought up to and maintained at room temperature for paint application and curing.

For best results diamond grind to remove existing coating and to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping. Then apply a seal coat of Resene ArmourBond and finish with three coats of Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

The full system cure will require five days, maintain the chiller at room temperature and good ventilation for this time frame.

Q. I would like to whitewash a wooden floor. It probably has been oiled some years ago (old shipping container).   Can I use your whitewash for interior and what prep would be needed?

A. Ensure the existing clear coating is grease free and thoroughly sand to profile for recoating. Ensure an even wet film thickness is applied to avoid overlapping marks.

Then apply Resene Colorwood Whitewash and over coat with two coats of Resene Aquaclear. Ensure an even wet film thickness of the Resene Colorwood Whitewash is applied to avoid overlapping marks.

Q. Which product would you recommend for sealing an oldish concrete floor (in a barn conversion) prior to laying carpet, please? The floor was laid prior to waterproofing requirements.

A. Diamond grind to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping. Then apply three coats of Resene HydraBlock, thin the first coat 15% with water.

Q. I have a small area that has a concrete floor. I would like to make it Food Safe as I need to manufacture in this room. What product would you recommend that are food safe?

A.  We recommend Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring. If wet slip resistance is not required omit the addition of the Resene SRG Additive to the second coat, This will also make cleaning easier.

Check using the water splash test for the presence of a curing membrane, water splashed onto the concrete should immediately darken the concrete and be absorbed. If the water is not immediately absorbed and the wet concrete does not darken then this indicates the presence of a curing membrane.

If the water splash test indicated the presence of a curing agent then diamond grind to remove the existing curing membrane and to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping.

Q. Can Resene Colorwood Whitewash be applied direct to polyurethaned timber flooring?

A. Resene Colorwood Whitewash can be applied over an interior existing clear varnish if the existing clear is sanded to profile.  Then you can coat it.

Q. We are about to move into a 1978 house with very old carpet laid on a concrete slab. We are going to remove the carpet on day 1, but it may be some months before we finish renovations and get new carpet down. We were therefore considering painting the concrete slab to keep any dust down. Is that necessary? Could we use ordinary paint given that it is only an interior temporary solution? Would anything we put down have an adverse reaction with the new underlay and carpet?

A. My experience is that it shouldn't really be necessary however if there is a dust problem when the carpet comes up you could simply apply Resene Cemseal as a dust coat. This is easily applied by garden sprayer.

Keep in mind you should clean the surface of all dust and contamination before applying Resene Cemseal.

Q. We are looking for a clear coating that is non-skid to go over a wood floor. Do you have one?

A. We have a slip resistant finish for interior hardwood flooring only. The system is Resene ProSelect - application is by trained flooring applicators only.

October 2019

Q. I have a smallish existing carpeted basement room that has an unsealed concrete floor. To the best of my knowledge, the concrete pad was poured at the time of construction of the house (1986) directly over earth with no waterproofing lining. I would now like to apply a sealant over the concrete floor to mitigate any chance of rising damp. What is the most appropriate Resene product to use: Resene HydraBlock or something else?

A. Check using the water splash test for the presence of a curing membrane, water splashed onto the concrete should immediately darken the concrete and be absorbed. If the water is not immediately absorbed and the wet concrete does not darken, then this indicates the presence of a curing membrane.

If the water splash test indicates the presence of a curing membrane, diamond grind to remove the existing curing membrane and to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping. Then apply two coats of Resene HydraBlock.

October 2019

Q. Can you paint over old and worn clear coated cork tile flooring? What would you recommend?

A. Degrease thoroughly and to profile for recoating. Apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry then apply two coats of Resene Walk-on and finish with a seal coat of  Resene Concrete Wax.

Q. I need to seal a particle board floor, prior to carpet being laid.  Information about your product, Resene Particle Board Sealer, indicates that this product must be overcoated - is this still a requirement if the floor is to be carpeted?

A. Resene Particle Board Sealer has been replaced with Resene AquaLAQ Quick Dry Sealer. If the sealed surface is to be carpet covered, then it should not need to be overcoated. I would stay away from carpet glue however, as we have not looked at this application for the product.

Q. We have interior concrete floors that have been painted a multitude of colours over quite a few years, before we moved here.  One load of paint is epoxy covered, with a vinyl paint in some places that peels off when it gets wet. Some parts are bare.

Tomorrow we are getting a concrete grinder in to remove all the paint so we can start afresh. What do you recommend we use to repaint? It is garaging for two cars which go in and out reasonably frequently.

A. We recommend Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

Q. Can I seal a concrete floor and also put carpet down? If it's sealed and the carpet fitters glue down the underlay, will this affect the sealing?

A. Check using the water splash test, for the presence of a curing membrane, water splashed onto the concrete should immediately darken the concrete and be absorbed. If the water is not immediately absorbed and the wet concrete does not darken, then this indicates the presence of a curing membrane. If there is curing membrane present then diamond grind, to remove the curing membrane to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sand paper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping.

Apply two coats of Resene HydraBlock epoxy coating at 10 square metres per litre per coat.

Q. Could you advise product to seal and protect tanalised flooring grade plywood?

A. We recommend Resene Wood Primer.

Q. I want to whitewash my matai floorboards. Which products do you recommend?

A. Apply Resene Colorwood Rock Salt stain then overcoat with 3 coats of Resene Aquaclear. You can add 1 pottle of Resene Colorwood Enhance White per litre of Resene Aquaclear to one or more coats of the Resene Aquaclear to get an increase in the depth of whiteness.

Q. We have glazed terracotta tiles throughout the living areas of our home, stairs, bathroom and toilet areas. Is there a paint that will adhere to tiles that is hard wearing and doesn't chip easily?

A. Ensure the glazed tiles are thoroughly cleaned. Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before over coating. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness or give opacity, the thinner the coat the better.

Apply two coats of Resene Walk-on and finish with a thin seal coat of Resene Concrete Wax.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

Note that painting will not reproduce the original features of the tiles.

Suggest that you initially undertake a small room to check that the system will meet your requirements.

Q. We are planning to redo our wooden flooring but don't know what options there are that might suit. Can you please give us some advice?

A. Wooden floors can be rejuvenated and maintained using a range of Resene products. For timber floors that have lost their colour, sand back to the timber then apply Resene Colorwood wood stain, in your choice of colour. Then topcoat in Resene Qristal ClearFloor. This will bring fresh new colour to the floor, while still allowing the timber grain to show through. For very high wear and tear areas you can use Resene Polythane in place of Resene Qristal ClearFloor. For a more scandi style look, and to save yourself sanding back to bare timber, you can choose to apply Resene Colorwood Whitewash or Resene Colorwood Greywash. These are a clear finish with a small amount of white or grey in them, which adds a whitewashed or greywashed look to your floor. Both are available in testpots so you can try them out on an inconspicuous part of the floor first to check this achieves your desired look.

If your stained floor is beyond saving, the best option may be to paint over it. Resene Walk-on comes in a wide range of colours and is suitable for interior use, and for exterior use on areas such as porches. If you do decide to paint, it's best to avoid straight white, as an all white floor tends to show up marks, dust and dirt more than a lightly coloured floor does.

June 2019

Q. We have particle board floors in the upstairs of our new build. We want to seal these prior to carpeting to minimise potential formaldehyde and chemical leaching. What do you recommend?

A. The best sealer for formaldehyde is four coats of Resene Polythane.

While the data sheet does not make reference to its use for the purpose you require, the Polythane system was used to block formaldehyde release from flooring composites many decades ago when the flooring materials at that time contained much higher formaldehyde levels than now exist.

The product is solventborne so needs good ventilation during application.

Q. I am looking for some paint to use a chipboard floor for two medium size bedrooms and a medium size lounge.  Can you recommend a product?

A. If new chip board, apply a primer coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

Q. What's the best process and products for painting wooden floors?

It's a 1970s house with unpainted chipboard in excellent condition all sanded and previously had carpets.  I am looking at painting all the floors in the house.

A. Apply a primer coat of Resene Quick Dry and then two coats of Resene Lusta-Glo (solventborne) or Resene Lustacryl (waterborne).  From a wear perspective, Resene Lusta-Glo will give a better wear profile.

Q. Can you paint over a polyurethane cork tile floor? What paint would you recommend for a whitewashed look?

A. Ensure the floor is clean and then sand (180 grit sandpaper) to profile for recoating. Then apply one or two coats of Resene Colorwood Whitewash. Care is required to avoid lapping (overlap), as there will be a more intense whiteness where overlapping occurs.

Q. We have new H3 construction ply on the floor and are looking to paint it. Can you please tell me the process? We are looking to avoid sealing with polyurethane. The floor will have very light foot traffic without shoe traffic. 

A. We recommend a seal coat of Resene Quick Dry and two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

The system will not give wet slip resistance. There may be a degree of irreversible fibre swelling depending upon the grade of ply used.

Q. I am looking for the right product to treat my rimu floor in the bathroom. I understand it has to comply with the NZS 3602, H3.1 level as a minimum (I am applying for building consent, and want to do the job myself). I want to demonstrate that the product I am going to use is compliant. Which product from Resene would do the job?

A. We recommend Resene Polythane, 3-4 coats.

Q. I would like to know if it is possible to paint existing creamy/beige kitchen floor tiles and medium dark brown bathroom floor tiles without having to remove and replace them. What product would change the floor colours?

A. Yes, you can paint out tiles but you will need to keep in mind that the paint finish will be susceptible to damage over time so may require maintenance.

Assuming they are glazed type tiles: ensure the tiles are clean and free of grease/oil residues then apply one coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer (this only needs to be a thin coat and will not achieve opacity over the laminate colour). Allow to cure for a minimum of 48 hours.  Then apply two coats of Resene Walk-on and one coat of Resene Concrete Wax.

The paint system will take at least five days to develop adhesion and harden, full cure requires a month. The painted surface will not have the hardness properties of the original tiled surface.

Q. I'm looking for a paint to go on a tiled floor area (about 1m x 1.5m area). It's the side internal entry of our house, and they're not glazed. Can you recommend anything?

A. Assuming the tiles are clean then apply a coat of Resene Sureseal and follow with two coats of Resene Walk-on.

Q. Can I paint bathroom wall tiles? What paint would you suggest I use?

A. Yes but not within the shower lining. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, pay particular attention to hand contact areas.

Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow curing without water contact for at least 48 hours before over coating. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness or give opacity, the thinner the coat the better. Then apply two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen or Resene Lustacryl.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

Note that painting will not reproduce the original features of the laminate.

Q. I'm interested to learn more about your Resene Cemseal product. I would like to seal my interior concrete floor for a basic concrete finish look. Would this suit?

A. While Resene Cemseal is a sealer/dust proofing treatment for concrete floors it must fully penetrate the concrete as the product film is relatively soft and easily damaged.

Resene Concrete Wax may be a better option for what you are trying to achieve.

Q. Which Resene Paint product is best suited for a high-traffic concrete floor, in an entrance way that is partially exposed to the weather?

A. Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path.

Q. I've been told by my painter that the Resene Colorwood Whitewash that I want to use on my existing floorboards cannot be guaranteed not to yellow. Can you tell me if this is the case, and if so what causes it to yellow?

A. Not sure where your painter got his info from but the resin system used to make the product is a non-yellowing waterborne resin.

Q. We are building a house with an internal concrete slab that will eventually be polished up for the kitchen/living area. Is there something that we can use to protect it from spills etc in the short term that won't make it difficult to grind at a later date?

A. A couple of coats of Resene Concrete Wax is probably the best option here as it's easy to apply. While the data sheet says to thin the first coat it may be best to apply it unthinned so it doesn't penetrate the surface too much.

Given that the floor won't be prepared prior to application, we can't give any guarantees on how long it will last and you may need to touch up in high traffic areas (easy to do this). Make sure the floor is dust free prior to applying.

Q. I am looking for a paint system that will adhere to commercial grade lino; it is for toilets in a town hall of moderate use.

A. Painting old lino can be a challenge and for commercial type situations, I would advise that you may end up needing to touch up or repaint the floor regularly as we can't guarantee adhesion of a paint system over old lino.

The best system we have is to apply a seal coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and leave to cure for 48 hours then apply two coats of Resene Walk-on followed by a seal coat of Resene Concrete Wax.

We'd suggest a test patch is done to confirm adhesion of the Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer. Ensure the lino is washed down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash diluted and used to label directions before priming.

Q. I sanded my native wooden dining floor and coated it with Resene Qristal Clear (solvent) but there is an area where it refuses to dry after several days. I have tried stripping and sanding back again, and cleaning before recoating but get the same problem. I'm going to strip it again. Is there some kind of primer I should use to prevent this happening again?

A. Solventborne clears and paints based on an enamel resin do not dry when applied to native timbers such as totara and matai. This is what I believe is the cause of your non dry outcomes.

 You will need to use Resene Aquaclear if you want a clear coat for these timbers.

Q. We have a large dance hall with an old wooden floor that needs redoing.

There aren't many options here for people who do flooring, so we are considering doing it ourselves. Is there any chance that you could recommend a correct varnish for the dance floor for us? We need a more slippery/quick floor surface as a result.

A. Suggest that Resene Polythane may be the clear system for this application. The floor will need to be sanded to remove the existing coating before applying the Resene Polythane.

 The size of the floor may be a challenge for DIY applicators to achieve the best outcome; you may be best to contact your local Resene ColorShop to discuss possible applicators in the area.

Q. Can I paint vinyl flooring?

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, and pay particular attention to hand contact areas.

Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow curing without water contact for at least 48 hours before over coating. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness or give opacity, the thinner the coat the better. Then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages, the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

However we cannot give any guarantee of paint adhesion as there are many variants of vinyl composition.

Q. Can I apply white paint over older cork tiles that have been polyurethaned?  They are in good condition as they have not been walked on much. What would be the process if I can? We are thinking this might be a cheaper way to modernise them.

A. Ensure the floor is degreased then sand to provide a profile for the new paint system, apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry then two coats of white waterborne topcoat paint.

Q. Will sealing new concrete make it a smoother slippery finish? I'm trying to achieve a floor to dance on and need a degree of slip.

A. Slip resistance and smooth finish are diametrically opposed. Increased slip resistance can only be achieved by addition of a slip resistance aggregate which increases surface profile.

Q. We are looking to stain timber stair treads in a hospitality situation (feature timber stair going up to a private dining mezzanine). We want as true a black as possible, while still allowing the grain of the timber to come through. Do you have a product/colour you could recommend?

A. Resene Colorwood Pitch Black will give you the blackest stain finish; the stained areas will need to be overcoated with a clear, such as Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1K. Resene Colorwood Enhance Black can be added to the Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1K to add a subtle increase in the intensity.

Q. What is a product for timber flooring in a wet area (bathroom), that is like a varnish?

A. We recommend Resene Polythane.

Q. I have sanded back the original old timber on our kitchen floor. It's so lovely I would like to just poly it or use something similar to protect it. Is this advisable in a kitchen area? I don't want to stain it.

A. If the condition is acceptable, use three coats of Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1K.

Q. I have a large kitchen floor covered with white-coated cork tiles. They were supplied already pre-coated with a white wash. The floor has been periodically coated with clear water-based urethane over 15 years, originally I think with Resene Aquaclear and more recently with Resene Polythane. The underlying white coating on the cork is now greying and is marked by cuts etc. What should I do? Can I add a white colourant to Resene Polythane to return the floor to its original white colour? Do I sand them right off and recolour them somehow, before then coating?

A. To avoid needing to fully strip the floor etc, using Resene Colorwood Enhance in Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1K may be the best option to bring the whiteness back. You aren’t able to use Resene Colorwood Enhance in Resene Polythane unfortunately. You would need to thoroughly abrade the surface prior to applying Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1k.

Q. We want to whitewash our original wooden flooring in a bathroom. The timber appears to be coated with a clear varnish. Can you please advise any tips and what specifics to use.

A. Degrease and sand to profile then apply a coat of Resene Colorwood Whitewash, then two coats of Resene Aquaclear.

Q. I have laid some interior plywood floors, what is the best way to seal and protect them? We are situated at the beach so would like something that is hard wearing and water resistant.

A. Our best recommendation would be for three coats of Resene Polythane.

Q. Looking for a timber floor finish, low VOC. Do you have a timber wax similar to the concrete wax?

A. We recommend Resene Aquaclear, a waterborne urethane.

Q. Your range of product is amazing. I do many renovations especially bathroom. Most have good tiling but very dated. I am after a paint solution that can cover floor tiles providing some grip, great adhesion and durability. Which product and system can you supply that would allow a refresh of all bathroom/laundry tiles especially the floor tiling allowing a colour change that gives a durable, some grip for safety, and allows a significant cosmetic change to my properties and my customer’s renovations without removal of existing good, but dated, tiles.

A. To follow is our standard system for painting glazed tiles where a colour change is required; this can be used for tiled bathroom floors but not tiled shower linings/floors. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, paying particular attention to hand contact areas.

Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow curing without water contact for at least 48 hours before overcoating. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness or give opacity, the thinner the coat the better. Then apply two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen or Resene Lustacryl.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

Note that painting will not reproduce the original features of the tiles or provide wet slip resistance.

Q. I'm looking at painting my floorboards white and I'm looking for some advice as to what primer I should use with your 'walk-on' paint for best results and to prevent tannin.

I'm unsure what kind of wood I have in my 1960s house, half of the lounge has been stained (from what seems like an oil varnish) and the other half is an extension which doesn't look to have been stained (or have any coating applied).

A. You will ned to sand both floors to profile for recoating, then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat or Resene Wood Primer (if you suspect tannin bleed will be an issue) then apply two coats of Resene Walk-on and finish with a seal coat of Resene Concrete Wax.

Tannin bleed from bare timber usually only occurs with cedar. We have not seen any instances where internal flooring timbers have tannin bleed issues. Suggest you try a small test area to confirm.

Resene Quick Dry can be used as the primer if the existing clear coated timbers are degreased and sanded to profile.

Q. I’m looking at painting my ceramic floor tiles in the kitchen and bathroom a different colour and wondered what kind of paint I’d need for that and if you stock these products? It is currently a beige yellow colour and I want more of a grey concrete look.

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, paying particular attention to hand contact areas.

Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before over coating. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness or give opacity, the thinner the coat the better.

Then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

Note that painting will not reproduce the original features of the tiles.

Q. I have an old cork floor and would like to get a new look - do you have a paint product that would work on it? The floor is clear coated, and I would like a white finish, and it is in kitchen, dining and bathroom areas.

A. Degrease and sand with 180 grit sandpaper to profile for recoating then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

Q. I'm having a sleep-out built and the builder has said I can oil the macrocarpa floor. I went to a shop to buy the oil and was told I couldn't do this; I'd need to stain and then use polyurethane. I don't want a highly polished surface.

A. You could apply two coats of Resene Danska Teak Oil.

Q. If we apply Resene Concrete Stain (solventbased) in a colour over an old concrete floor, can we protect it further with Resene Concrete Wax (waterbased) or is this not recommended or necessary?

A. It should not be necessary to overcoat the Resene Concrete Stain but if you want it you can use Resene Concrete Wax. Ensure the stain is fully dry and all solvents released before overcoating.

Q. I am the event manager of a theatre and we need to paint the wooden theatre floor black. We need industrial paint for a high used area. The floorboards are currently stained and varnished, it could be out of commission for a couple of weeks.

A. Degrease then thoroughly sand and apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry and allow curing for at least two days before applying two coats of Resene Uracryl 802 Black. Ensure good ventilation during application and curing and allow five days cure after the last coat of Resene Uracryl 802 is applied.

Q. We have painted our timber floor with four coats Resene Aquaclear. Is it possible and advisable to put a coat of Resene Polythane on top of that to get a harder surface and a better surface protection?

A. Resene Aquaclear is based on a crosslinking waterborne resin system and will cure to a clear film with good wear resistance.

While Resene Polythane (moisture cured urethane) is the ultimate clear finish for flooring we would not recommend applying this over the cured Resene Aquaclear system.

Q. I am painting wooden stairs in your colour Resene Double Stack and I also want to paint the kitchen batten ceiling in the same colour. Can you advise the best Resene paint for each area please?

Should I decide to paint the front door the same colour, could I use the paint you recommend for stairs or ceiling? Also is there paint with less slip for the stairs?

A. We recommend Resene SpaceCote Flat for the ceilings, Resene Lustacryl for the front door, and given the dark colour we recommend applying the Resene CoolColour™ version of the colour over a white basecoat, such as Resene Quick Dry. The CoolColour topcoat will not render the painted surface cool to touch but the CoolColour version will reflect more heat than the same colour made on non-cool technology.

I assume for the stairs that you want to better the slip resistance. This can only be achieved by addition of Resene SRG Grit to the first coat of paint, then apply a seal coat of unmodified paint. Resene Lustacryl would be the more durable paint for a flooring application. Sand the stair timber and then apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry before applying the two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

Q. I would like to put a non-slip coating over existing vinyl tiles. The tiles may contain asbestos so we won’t scrape the tiles to make them a rough surface.

A. The only system we could offer is to ensure the tiles are degreased then apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and leave to cure for at least 48 hours (ensure the coated surface remains dry at all times). Then apply two coats of Resene Walk-on.

We suggest a test patch of the Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer, and adhesion checked after curing as given above.

Q. I have used a clear on my terracotta tiles and I have some blooming on some of the areas, it has a milky appearance. Why is this?

A. The issue you describe is usually associated with water coming up from the substrate.

Q. We have an office/display area associated with an industrial workshop that I am finalising the design on. I want to use Strandboard® stained with a suitable polyurethane/varnish finish as flooring to the mezzanine steps and bleacher seating. Is Strandboard® suitable for this flooring situation? What finish do you recommend for the surface?

A. Strandfloor® and StrandfloorH3.1® are suitable for this application of mezzanine floor, steps and bleacher seating.

Strandfloor® is regularly used in a range of commercial applications such as sports floors, education, retail and office space environments.

If Strandfloor® /StrandfloorH3.1 is being used as flooring for the workshop, floor loadings will need to be considered.

Extra framing supports provided under concentrated loads maybe required. (heavy equipment etc.)

A double layer of Strandfloor® also increases floor loading capacity.

Four coats of Resene Polythane would be our best offer over a Resene Colorwood stain colour.

Q. We have a particle board floor we would like to paint. It is not a well-worn area. Do you think paint will work and if so what paint? It's in the laundry, backdoor entrance.

A. Sand and then apply a full prime coat of Resene Quick Dry and two coats of Resene Lusta-Glo enamel.

Q. I am preparing a concrete floor for vinyl and carpet to go down. The previous floor covering was nylon carpet. We have not had any problem with water or efflorescence apart from some small mould, where the washing machine had leaked.

We intend to use carpet squares with a black rubber backing.

Your product Resene HydraBlock appears best; however I have not had any luck with two pot product (never full hardening) and the non-cured product stinking for months and the scraping up of the uncured product so difficult.

I was wondering if Resene Aquapel as a primer and Resene AquaShield as a topcoat might be nearly as effective.

A. Resene HydraBlock as two coats is the best for this situation. We recommend diamond grinding the floor first to achieve a dust free even texture similar to 180 grit sandpaper. If the epoxy is correctly mixed and used following the label/data sheet, there is no reason why the coating will not cure.

Q. A dark colour seemed like a good idea at the time and believe it or not, we did a bunch of swatch trials, however we live right on the beach and every speck of sand shows, plus greasy footprints etc.

We would really like to go to a lighter colour, more of a grey wash. But I need to know how to go about it; do we have to sand back the existing floor or can we put something over the top? It also needs to be durable and easy to clean.

We are Resene fans and always use your products when we can.

A. The best option would be to sand back then apply a full two coats of pigmented Resene Uracryl 402. You should only need to sand any obvious defects.

Q. What kind of paint could be used on concrete floor that is in a washhouse/bathroom?

A. We suggest Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

Q. I have kauri floors that seem to have been polyurethaned. I have recently removed from the hall an old space heater but the patch where the heater was, has never been stained or sealed. It looks raw and I need to get it to blend in with the rest of the floor. Could you tell me what product would be best?

A. It would be a big challenge to match, the polyurethane is more than likely old solventborne polyurethane and will have yellowed with age, which makes matching extremely difficult and the outcome is not a seamless match.

We recommend a full strip of the existing polyurethane in this situation.

Q. I have cork tiles which I would like to finish, so that they have a whitewashed effect. Is there a product that can do this? They have been down 30 odd years. I have had a floor sander look at it and we are going to sand back to cork. I would then like to tone down the brownness.

A. After sanding back to bare cork, apply a coat of Resene Colorwood Resene Rock Salt stain and then apply three coats of Resene Aquaclear waterborne varnish. If you want to increase the level of whiteness, add a pottle of Resene Colorwood Enhance White to each coat of Resene Aquaclear until your desired level of whiteness is achieved.

Q. Can I paint floor tiles? I think they are glazed as they have a shiny surface.

A. Ensure the tiles are degreased then apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before over coating. Then apply two coats of Resene Walk-on and then apply a seal coat of Resene Concrete Wax. Roll all coats using the recommended roller sleeve.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

Note that painting will not reproduce the original features of the tiles.

Q. I want to paint a wooden floor in bathroom but it has an old poly coat on. Is there a paint that can go straight over, or do I need to prep? I notice there are things like whitewash.

A. Thorough sanding is a must, you do not need to remove all of the existing clear but it must be profiled for recoating. Then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Uracryl 802 White. Allow the Resene Quick Dry to cure for at least 24 hours before applying the first coat of Resene Uracryl 802.

Q. Can I use your paint to paint a kitchen linoleum floor? It has stains on it, but no holes etc. The sheen has been taken off due to wear and me cleaning it down with baking soda/vinegar in prep for painting.

A. The following system has been used for painting hard lino: After degreasing, apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and leave to cure for at least 48 hours. The Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer is not designed to give high wet film thickness or opacity. The thinner it is the better for adhesion. Then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl waterborne enamel. System will take 2-3 weeks to fully harden.

Given the varying types of lino flooring, we cannot give a guarantee that the paint system will achieve a long term system. The painted surface will not have the same features as the original lino flooring.

Q. Can Resene Whitewash paint be used on chipboard floors? We have some ugly chipboard in the toilet, bathroom, kitchen and entrance and I would like to paint them either with whitewash (if suitable) or in a bright white Resene Enamacryl to update them until we renovate in a few years.

A. Resene Colorwood Whitewash can be used on chipboard floors. When using it in this way, we recommend overcoating it with several coats of Resene Aquaclear or Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1K.

Q. We have a cork floor which has been coated in linseed oil, the oil is a few years old and dry. We have a problem that the glue used in putting the floor down, or the cork tiles themselves, is putting off an odour. We are thinking we will polyurethane over it to seal in the smell. My question is what product would we use?

A. Assuming that the oil used previously has dried to a hard finish the following applies: degrease using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner. You can then apply clear varnishes (solventborne such as Resene Qristal Polyurethanes) to the oiled timber after giving the timber a light sand. I'm not sure if polyurethane will help seal in the odour though.

Q. I have an approx 20 square metre dining room and kitchen area. It has ceramic tiles, some with remnants of polyurethane on. Most are matt finished and has been repaired with some porcelain tiles. We want to paint over them. Is this possible and if so, what is the process?

They are floor tiles and they are not glazed. Not sure why polyurethane was applied but most of it has worn off.

A. It is unusual to come across tiles coated with a polyurethane coating.

Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, paying particular attention to hand contact areas. If the tiles are porous apply a coat of Resene Sureseal, if they are not porous then apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow curing without water contact, for at least 48 hours before overcoating. Then apply two coats of Resene Walk-on and finish with a coat of Resene Concrete Wax.

The paint system will take at least five days to develop adhesion and harden, full cure requires a month. The painted surface will not have the hardness properties of the original tiled surface.

Q. I am painting wooden floors and would like to know what paint to use. The floors are in the hallway through the middle of the house, in the lounge at the end of the house which has French doors opening out of this room and stairs leading to the outside and the garage.

Our intention is to have plywood flooring. This can be altered as I am currently planning the house extension. Ideally I would like a paint that is not stinky, but I am keen to know the best to use and one that is long lasting.

A. Where a painted finish is likely to be subject to UV (open door etc), then we recommend a pigmented finish only.

If ply flooring, then we suggest a primer coat of Resene Quick Dry and two coats of Resene Uracryl 802. Allow the Resene Quick Dry to cure for at least 24 hours before applying the first coat of Resene Uracryl.

Q. I want to paint timber floors with a border then white wash them and protect them. What would be the best products to do this?

A. You can use Resene Lumbersider then apply a stain coat of Resene Colorwood in Resene Rock Salt then clear coat (three coats) with Resene Aquaclear. If you want to increase the degree of blonding you can add Resene Colorwood Enhance White to the coats of Resene Aquaclear. You may decide that addition of the Resene Colorwood Enhance White is only required for the first coat of Resene Aquaclear if this achieves the level of blonding that you find acceptable.

Q. I want to paint my chipboard floor, which being late 70s/early 80s era is finished in a gloss/polyurethane (I assume) finish. What paint and preparation is recommended?

A. Degrease using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner following label directions, then thoroughly sand to provide a mechanical key for the new paint system. Apply a prime coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl. The new paint system will take at least seven days to develop good hardness and adhesion.

Q. I have been asked to paint a sunroom floor. It is well stuck vinyl. I would like to know what primer and what topcoat I should use.

A. There are many vinyl flooring products. Painting can be successful but not always. The system we have used is, ensure the floor is clean especially from grease/oil and then apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and leave to dry for 24 hours then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl. The system will take at least five days to develop adhesion and harden. However we cannot give any guarantees that this system will be successful with the floor you are dealing with.

Q. What can I use on native T+G timber flooring surfaces in areas exposed to water splash sealed?

A. The only Resene product we would offer for this application is four coats of Resene Polythane.

Q. I have floor tiles in my kitchen and dining area; they are in good condition but are not a great colour. Do you have a product l could use to paint them?

A. The following system can be used; ensure the tiles are clean and free of grease/oil residues then apply Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer (this only needs to be a thin coat and will not achieve opacity over the laminate colour). Allow to cure for 48 hours then apply two coats of Resene Walk-on  and finish with a coat of Resene Concrete Wax.

The paint system will take at least 5 days to develop adhesion and harden, full cure requires a month. The painted surface will not have the hardness properties of the original tiled surface.

Q. I have a kitchen wooden floor that I would like to have painted white and then coated with polyurethane. Could you please advise what type of floor paint is most appropriate? I would like something durable - I have had suggestions like Resene Lumbersider or Resene Enamacryl.

Also, what would be appropriate polyurethane to use over paint and are there any specific instructions when using polyurethane over painted floors?

Currently it’s got Resene Lumbersider. It keeps getting dirty and hard to mop so we thought if we have it repainted and polyurethaned it would make it easier to clean.

A. If you are going to paint it white then apply a polyurethane clear then this may alter the white to a more cream colour. Resene Lustacryl would be a harder wearing white paint and easier to clean as it is a higher gloss level; you could then apply a coat of Resene Concrete Wax over the Resene Lustacryl basecoat colour and not change the whiteness.

Q. I am using treated plywood flooring (H3.2 CCA treated). It has a green tinged finish and I would like to stain or paint it white, then seal it with polyurethane. Could you suggest the products I would need to do this?

A. Our wood stains are semi-transparent and hence the timber colour, to which the stains are applied, will influence the colour of the stained timber. The green colour of H3.2 timber treatment is very difficult to cover with a stain, to get close to the stain colour applied to a light timber such as pine.

For painting, apply a primer coat of Resene Wood Primer, then a full coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl .

Q. I have a concrete floor to seal. We are a chemical/oil manufacturer and want a sealer to stop oil absorbing into the concrete surface. Wear abrasion resistance is also needed.

A. A full Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring system would need to be applied to clean diamond ground concrete.

Q. I am using treated plywood flooring (H3.2 CCA treated). It has a green tinged finish and I would like to stain or paint it white, then seal it with polyurethane. Could you suggest the products I would need to do this?

A. Our wood stains are semi-transparent and hence the timber colour, to which the stains are applied, will influence the colour of the stained timber. The green colour of H3.2 timber treatment is very difficult to cover with a stain to get close to the stain colour applied to a light timber, such as pine.

For painting, apply a prime coat of Resene Wood Primer, then a full coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

Q. What product would I use to seal slate flooring, inside and outside?

A. We recommend Resene Walk-on. Where there is a build-up of wet clear, brush these areas out to avoid these areas drying milky.

Q. I want to paint some wooden interior stairs. Can you please let me know which paint products are suitable for floor use? We want a pigmented finish. The steps will be pine untreated ply, and the landing will be pine treated ply. Is there one product we should use for both, or would we ideally use two separate primers?

A. Both types of ply can be primed with the same primer – Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and finish with two coats of Resene Walk-on.

Q. I'm in a dilemma over what to do with my flooring! I have pulled the carpet up in my lounge and the floors are in their virgin state - no protection or staining. I have applied your Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1k urethane on part of the room and thought the floors would come up a little darker than they have. I have to sand back my dining room area as this has an older, unknown product on and I'm unsure yet if I will be able to remove all the previous applications. Can you advise if you can stain over the Resene Qristal ClearFloor product and if so, what would you recommend? If I sand back the dining room area and apply such stain, will it give a uniform colour for both rooms as these rooms are adjoining?

A. Resene Colorwood stain can only be applied directly to bare timber; however you can add Resene Colorwood Enhance to give extra colour to Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1K.

There are a limited range of Resene Colorwood Enhance colours, so I recommend that you visit a Resene ColorShop and view these on the Resene Woodcare stand.

Q. Many years ago I recoated a cork tile floor with a Resene moisture cured clear. The result was fine and it has lasted well. It’s now due for a recoat. The product previously used, had an exceptionally strong odour. Does Resene have a product that is less volatile, will last as well and is compatible over the old finish? I will sand the floor thoroughly (without breaking the surface) beforehand.

It’s a large area and I would prefer to use a roller and apply one flooded coat, if that’s possible.

A. Resene Polythane remains our toughest wearing clear, the best single pack clear would be Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1K but while it has good wear resistance for a waterborne clear, it does not match Resene Polythane.

When using Resene Polythane, ventilation to vent the solvent to an exterior area is the only way to reduce/prevent odours from being absorbed into furnishings and the like.

Q. Is there a way I could paint over vinyl flooring? It’s textured and in a high use area of the house (kitchen and dining room). Is it possible with some product, or would it just wear off? I am reasonably okay with a shabby chic bit of wear.

A. While we do have a possible system, it would wear on the tops of the profile under high traffic conditions. If this is acceptable, clean the floor down using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner and apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer. Allow to dry without water contact for 48 hours, and then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl. The paint system can take at least five days to develop adhesion.

Q. I have lifted the carpet on a kauri staircase. It must have had a carpet runner in the past, and there are three distinctive colours across each step; the outer one is very dark. Is there an easy product I could use to tidy them up and even out the colour, on a temporary basis? I would prefer a waterbased product.

A. You will need to thoroughly sand the steps. The only way to reduce colour differences would then be to apply, multiple coats of Resene Aquaclear with added Resene Colorwood Enhance.

I suggest that you visit a Resene ColorShop and talk to the shop staff and look at the in store Resene Woodcare stand.

Q. I am painting a dark coloured concrete floor in a sunroom white. Do I clean it then buy a specific primer colour then the white colour? Is it a special concrete paint?

A. Degrease and then sand. Apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry Waterborne undercoat primer then finish with two coats of Resene Walk-on and a final coat of Resene Concrete Wax.

Q. I want to paint a concrete floor in our shop. The staff have picked their colour but I need help on what paint to use that is not going to be slippery and is easy to sweep/clean.

A. We recommend Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

Q. One of your technical guys advised on this floor a year or two ago and was very helpful. It has had damage from the earthquake and now needs ripples smoothed out, and recoating.

All I can tell you is that, there is a two part water based epoxy on the floor now (concrete floor). It is a question of what will be suitable to go on the floor now and the preparation needed, without being over the top.

A. Thanks for confirming the floor paint type - when the existing paint type is known, then it does make it easier to give advice on an appropriate prep and paint system.

Clean down the existing paintwork, using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, and then thoroughly sand the existing coating to achieve a mechanical profile for the new paint system.

Then apply the Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring system. If you don’t need the anti-slip properties, then you can omit addition of the SRG Grit to the second coat.

Q. I have a particle/chipboard flooring that will be carpeted. I would like to seal the particle board to prevent any liquid spills from seeping through into the particle board.

A. We recommend two or more coats of Resene Polythane.

Q. I would like to give my cork tile floor a transparent whitewashed effect. Is this possible? The cork tile floor is in my kitchen so it would need to be durable. The floor has a clear seal on it at present which is starting to wear.

A. Clean the floor using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner and sand to provide a mechanical profile for the new coating. Apply a coat of Resene Colorwood Whitewash and then two coats of Resene Aquaclear.

If you want to increase the level of whiteness then add Resene Colorwood Enhance White at the recommended addition rate to one of both of the Resene Aquaclear coats.

Q. We are looking into painting our Fire Station engine bay floors. I am just wondering what products you have, that would be suitable non slip paint, but could also withstand having 20 tonne trucks parked on top of it?

A. Yes, we have a few different options available for flooring of your Fire Station. The most suitable option is the following:
1 x coat of Resene Aquapoxy (thinned 15% with water)
1 x coat of Resene Aquapoxy (with Resene Industrial SRG Grit added at a rate of 500g/L)
1 x coat of Resene Aquapoxy with no added SRG added.

Resene Aquapoxy is available in both gloss and semi-gloss variants.

Q. I am looking for a coloured, waterbased polyurethane floor enamel paint. Does Resene have this product?

A. Resene Uracryl 802 is the closest Resene product to what you are describing.

Q. I want to change the colour of the cork tiles on my dining room floor, to a greyish, white wash. Do you have a product that would do this please? The tiles are currently coated with varnish.

A. Clean down using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, sand to de-gloss and then apply two coats of Resene Colorwood Greywash.

Q. I have some external wooden stairs, which are exposed to rain etc. The stairs were painted with a high gloss, black oil based paint. They are due a repaint and I was wondering what product you would recommend? I would like to retain the colour and finish if possible.

A. You could use the same paint type again (Resene Super Gloss), clean down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash diluted and used to label directions, sand, dust off and reapply two coats of the enamel topcoat.

I do have concerns re wet slip resistance, to address this after cleaning and sanding, apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry, then apply two coats of Resene Walk-on Black in the CoolColour™ version.

Q. I want to paint a kitchen and bathroom vinyl lino floor. I've been recommended Resene Enamacryl (with Resene Sureseal sealer) or Resene Uracryl or even Resene Walk-on paint. Can you please tell me which one is the best to use?

A. The recommended system would be one of coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and two coats of Resene Walk-on.

Q. Could Resene Aquapoxy for flooring be used on a kitchen floor, in a residential setting?

A. Resene Aquapoxy is a great option for a residential kitchen floor. The recommended system would usually be one coat of Resene Aquapoxy thinned down 10% with water and two coats of Resene Aquapoxy at the normal spreading rates (as per data sheet).

Q. What paint can you use for timber flooring? Do you need timber paint then a topcoat sealer for longer wearing or could you use the concrete paint? I want to sand off the timber sealer and paint the floorboards white.

A. Assuming at this stage you have timber flooring that is clear coated with a polyurethane type product and you are looking to change to a white pigmented system, there are two routes you can go down:

1. Only lightly sand the existing polyurethane coating and apply 1 x coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and 2 x coats of Resene Walk-on tinted to a white of your choice.
2. Completely remove existing clear film back to bare timber and apply 1 x coat of Resene Quick Dry and 2 x coats of Resene Walk-on.

If the existing film is in good condition and has good condition then proceed with option 1 as it is significantly less labour intensive but if the condition of the coating is poor then a full sand back to bare timber is required.

Q. I am looking for paint for the new flooring in our house. We will put 12mm plywood on the floor (over existing particle board). We will paint the floor first with white paint and then we will apply a few layers of polyurethane. What Resene product is best to put on the plywood?

A. If you use a waterborne white paint, you can then overcoat Resene Aquaclear.

Q. We have used Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path to paint the floor of our brewery shop (occasionally we have a wet floor and we didn't want to have any customer accidents).

It looked great when it was first painted, and no doubt it's very, very non slip. But after some traffic, it is dirty with dust and footprints. It doesn't sweep clean, nor scrub clean (being on an interior shed floor, we can't hose or waterblast it). Can you please advise the best way to clean or fix this problem?

A. Unfortunately, to achieve the best wet slip resistance the compromise is ease of cleaning. The only suggestion of cleaning Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path surfaces is to use a cleaner such as Handy Andy and lightly scrub with a stiff nylon broom then rinse clean.

Q. I want to paint an old weathered concrete floor, in a bach built around 1930. It has never been painted, but is unlikely to be insulated. How do I do this, and what products should I use?

A. Apply a seal coat of Resene Sureseal then two coats of Resene Lusta-Glo.

Q. Do you sell a concrete paint that has a low VOC rating that is suitable for an old, unpainted concrete floor?

A. We recommend Resene Aquapoxy system applied to a diamond ground floor.

Q. I have brown quarry tiles on the floor in my interior porch and outside on my covered veranda. I hate the colour. Can I paint these tiles and what products should I use? The tiles are very old and not shiny.

A. Clean down using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner then apply a coat of Resene Sureseal and finish with two coats of Resene Walk-On and a final coat of Resene Concrete Wax.

Q. We have a very old house with wooden floorboards. I would like to paint the floor in the laundry which is sound, but not pretty. What kind of paint should I use?

It’s a rather neglected 100 year old house, so the floor is possibly matai. It looks solid enough but has joins where rooms have been added or bits cut out. It’s probably T&G. I thought of paint just for the durability and to hide the differences but having said that, it’s an old house and we are not looking for perfection.

A. Clean the floor down using sugar soap, ensure the floor is mopped with many water changes, to remove all sugar soap residue. When dry, apply a prime coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks, until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

Q. We have put three coats of Resene Qristal Clear on to a floor, with the first coat going on about 40 hours ago and the last about 22 hours ago, but we are not happy with the sanding job on the boards (we were very rushed for time and there are scuff marks from the sander where the wood grain has been blurred) so we need to strip the coating back to redo the floor. Would it be easier to do it while the poly is still reasonably fresh (i.e. do it asap) or would we be best to let it cure a bit longer? Any advice appreciated, I know it's not going to be fun.

A. The further along the cure the better. If the polyurethane is soft, then it will ball up when sanding.

Q. I am renovating an old bathroom and I wondered if it’s possible to use your Resene Walk-on to paint on mosaic tiles?

A. Yes, Resene Walk-on can be used for interior applications but requires a clear overcoat of Resene Concrete Wax.

Q. Do you make paint for ceramic floor tiles?

A. We have pigmented paints that can be used over an adhesion primer coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer.

Q. I am looking for a black paint to paint bathroom floor tiles (not in the shower). Do you have a suitable paint? They are ceramic. They look very tired and a few are cracked. I can't afford to completely renovate the bathroom yet. I am concerned about waterproofing and being slippery to walk on. If paint wears off well too badly, I can redo a bit. I will probably put an outdoor mat over the main traffic area anyway. I will not do the shower floor.

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, pay particular attention to hand contact areas.

Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow curing without water contact for at least 48 hours before overcoating. Then apply two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen or Resene Lustacryl. Roll all coats using the recommended roller sleeve.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing. This paint system will not reproduce the features of the original tile flooring.

Q. One of my clients has asked me, if there's a paint that can be used to paint over floor tiles. The tiles are located in the kitchen, laundry and toilet. The tiles are ceramic.

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease; pay particular attention to hand contact areas.

Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before overcoating. Then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl. Roll all coats using the recommended roller sleeve.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

Note that painting will not reproduce the original features of the floor tiling and is not a slip resistant paint finish.

Q. What paint would I use on bathroom floor tiles to cover an unwanted colour?

A. If glazed ceramic tiles then apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and leave to dry for 48 hours before applying two coats of Resene Walk-on and a final coat of Resene Concrete Wax.

Q. Six months ago a painter painted our basement floor which is concrete and not in very good order - laid about 45 years ago. I had no previous sealant/paint experience but was shown the white ‘scale’. He used Resene Limelock, and after talking with the local Resene shop assistants, it was the wrong product to use. We are asking what paint/sealant we can use now. We wish to put carpet tiles down. It is a recreation space only, not living as such.

A. I am of the opinion that the white material on the surface was not lime but was in fact efflorescence due to moisture moving up through the floor bringing dissolved concrete salts to the surface. Resene LimeLock will act as a barrier to the movement of salt through the paint film but not address the underlying cause.

To move forward you will need to diamond grind the coated surface to remove the Resene LimeLock and efflorescence and to generate a surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper. Then apply a seal coat of Resene ArmourBond.

Q. I am painting over waxed cork tiles. I have a small (10m²) floor that had hard wax applied over raw cork tiles 10 years ago. I would like to paint this floor in some Resene colour. How do I prepare it so the paint does not come off? It gets lots of sun and moderate foot traffic.

A. The surface would need to be power sanded to remove the wax layer on the surface. Then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

Q. What kind of paint do I use on an indoor vinyl floor?

A. There are many different vinyl types so we cannot be 100% sure of success but we have seen a coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer applied (leave to cure 48 hours) then topcoated with two coats of Resene Lustacryl work on some projects.

Painting does not replicate the original vinyl flooring features; the system is for a colour change only and is not suitable for wet areas such as bathrooms.

Q. We have native timber floorboards in our ensuite and main bathroom. Could you recommend which of the polyurethane products is the best to use?

A. Resene Polythane (four coats) is the only product that I would recommend for this application.

Q. I have an old state house with timber tongue and groove floors. In the kitchen/bathroom can I rip up the old lino, prepare and paint the floorboards white... And have a successful hard wearing finish? What do you recommend?

A. There is no reason why you could not remove the floor coverings back to bare timber then paint. The timber may well be matai and after sanding to a smooth finish you will need to prime using Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat then apply two coats of Resene Waterborne Uracryl 802.

Q. What is your best hard wearing wooden floor paint? I am applying on top of a varnished chip board bach floor.

A. We recommend a traditional solventborne paint such as Resene Lusta-Glo. Thoroughly sand the varnish and then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry primer undercoat and the two coats of Resene Lusta-Glo.

Q. A few months ago I started on a floor in a shed of my client, waterblasted it and applied Resene ArmourBond to seal it before using Resene Aquapoxy to topcoat it. The sealer took forever to dry though, it was just around the 10 degree mark during the day. Because of the cold temperatures I decided not to proceed with the Resene Aquapoxy because they forecasted frost. Now I realise that the Resene ArmourBond says to not wait any longer than five days to do the overcoat. But there are still two more coats needed to seal the deal; can you please tell me what the solution to the problem would be?

A. Clean down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash then thoroughly sand to provide a mechanical key for the subsequent paint coats. Dust off and continue with overcoating.

Q. I am sealing a concrete floor in a new home. Datasheet D508 recommends diamond grinding the floor which is not the look I am after. I have a very well floated slab which I want to seal to lock in the natural concrete look and protect from stains. So bearing in mind the house has plasterboard and is painted, what preparation is required before applying Resene Concrete Wax?

A. If you splash water on the floor does the water absorb and darken the concrete? If yes then ensure the surface is sound and dust/laitance free. To achieve a water seal you will more than likely need additional coats to what is given on the product data sheet.

Q. Can I paint a particle board wooden floor? What paint would you recommend? It’s residential and a pigmented finish is required - its new particle board but I am worried about scratching.

A. There is no paint system that will not scratch. Our best system to achieve what you want is to apply a prime coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat leave to dry for 48 hours then apply two coats of Resene Waterborne Uracryl 802.

Q. We are creating a new bach and want to use Resene Concrete Wax on the interior concrete floor. How soon can it be done after the floor is poured?

A. Resene Concrete Wax is not a penetrating product. The surface should be full dried and cured before coating. Typically diamond grinding preparation after full 28 day curing would be recommended.

Q. I need an interior floor paint for a small laundry in our home. What do you recommend?

A. Resene Walk-on and then overcoat in Resene Concrete Wax.

Q. In a factory type setting would Resene Uracryl 800 series be a better system than Resene Aquapoxy on an interior concrete floor, especially in the colder months?

A. Resene Waterborne Uracryl 800 series has better scratch and mar resistance than Resene Aquapoxy.

Q. I have a new plywood floor interior just installed that has had a waterbased whitewash applied. I am thinking I should apply a clear coat of waterbased varnish to protect the floor as it will get traffic. Do Resene have a product I can use over a white washed floor?

A. We recommend Resene Aquaclear.

Q. I have Tawa floors and would like a light finish to them. Should I blonde them then lacquer or should I just lacquer them?

A. Tawa has a white to pale brown coloured heartwood with a straight grain and fine texture. Suggest that if you have a small off cut or can get a piece of the timber that matches your colour that you try a test to see if you can achieve what you are wanting.

You can apply a stain coat of Resene Colorwood Rock Salt and then topcoat with a waterborne clear varnish such as Resene Aquaclear. You can add a pottle of Resene Colorwood Enhance White to a litre of clear for increased depth of whiteness.

Q. Does Resene produce a sealant/floor treatment suitable for a brewery/food manufacturing space? Needs to be able to handle wetness, resist heat up to 80°C, and resist mild acids (food-grade phosphoric acid) and alkalines (typically no more than 5%).

A. After diamond grinding apply a seal coat of Resene Armourcote 510 thinned 15% with Resene Thinner No.12 then apply an additional two coats of Resene Armourcote 510. Then apply two coats of Resene Uracryl 403 with Resene Industrial SRG Grit at a rate of 500 gm/L. added to the first coat.

Q. I need to polyurethane a Karelia wood floor as it has been used in bathrooms and I need to improve the waterproof sealing of the floor. I would like a satin finish. What product and application method would be best? The floor has a current manufacturer lacquer on it at the present.

A. We recommend a moisture cured polyurethane for bathroom floors. Resene Polythane is our product but it is only available as a full gloss.

Q. We have a floor in a cafe that has ceramic floor tiles that are apricot in colour. We want to change the colour of this floor. Is it possible to paint over the tiles?

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, paying particular attention to hand contact areas. Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before overcoating. Then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl. Roll all coats using the recommended roller sleeve.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional 3 weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

Note that painting will not reproduce the original features of the tiled surface. The main issue for you will be turnaround time as the time lags between coats for minimum cure may not fit your operation.

Q. I need to repaint a particleboard stage floor which needs to be hardwearing and black. The floor is currently painted but will have a light sand. What do you suggest we use to recoat?

A. We recommend two coats of Resene Lumbersider Black, leave for 48 hours then mop down with fresh water and allow to dry. Then apply two coats of Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield Flat.

Q. I have polyurethaned cork tiles in my kitchen. I am having vinyl laid over them but it cannot be coved. The gap between the bottom of the cupboards and the floor therefore has cork tiles stuck to it. I want to paint these and have heard that Resene have a product that can seal these and then I can just paint. Can you advise please?

A. Yes you can use Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer overcoated with two coats of one of our waterborne enamel topcoat paints.

Q. I want to paint our kitchen floor which is currently composed of:
1) Polyurethane coated cork tiles.
2) New uncoated cork tiles
Can you please advise the best method and paint system to use in this situation?

A. Sand then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry Primer Undercoat and finish with two coats of Resene Lusta-Glo.

Q. I was wondering about doing some kind of bleached paint effect on a Magroc floor. What paint would you recommend? Would this give a durable finish?

A. My experience with painting Magroc would say that achieving a bleached look would be difficult. We have found that good adhesion to this substrate can only be achieved using Resene Stone Strengthener as the primer/sealer then you can apply any Resene waterborne paint system over the primed surface. You could then use Resene Colorwood Whitewash as the topcoat but I strongly advise doing a test area first to verify that this will give you the effect you are after.

Q. When we had our house built we chose to have painted floors. Unfortunately in the kitchen our contractor put on a white primer under a green paint topcoat. The white paint is now showing through here and there. We want to repaint the floor but need to get rid of or seal the white primer (we want the same green topcoat). Any ideas on how to remove or seal the white primer? We need to do this ourselves to save money.

A. The practical method would be to machine sand the wooden floor and repaint, but you state that cost is a factor, so carefully clean, sand any loose material and spot prime any bare timber, and apply two coats of your green paint.

Q. We have recently updated our kitchen and need to do something with our hideous lino flooring (preferably cheap). We were wondering if you had any recommendations around painting lino?

A. The lino type can affect the outcome, but the best system we have would be Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and Resene Walk-on or Resene Lustacryl. Leave the Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer to cure for 48 hours then overcoat.

Q. I would like to paint existing interior floorboards in a residential home using the colour Resene Black. The finish I would prefer for the floorboards is a high gloss. My painter will conduct this work but I am seeking input on which approach would be best to achieve the black gloss looking I want, while being mindful of durability. Would I be best to consider Resene Walk-on or use a standard Resene acrylic like Resene Lumbersider and then apply a clear high gloss coat over it like Resene Polythane or Resene Poly-Gloss? This is a home occupied by a family of 2 x adults, 2 x children and a pet dog so we are seeking a balance of a stunning visual finish with practical durability.

A. It is very difficult to get a paint finish that will remain unaffected by dog claw scratches. Also once Resene Walk-on is clear coated any slip resistance will be negated. High gloss paint finishes will always result in reduced wet slip resistance. A possible interior system would be to apply Resene Lumbersider Black to the prepared and primed floor (leave for 48 hours to cure then mop down with warm water and leave to dry before clear coating) then apply two coats of Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield Gloss.

Q. I have just read an old post in regards to painting ceramic floor tiles (first the Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer, then Resene Quick Dry undercoat and then two coats of Resene Lustacryl). Would you then suggest a coat or two of your waterbased polyurethane? And is it the same process for terracotta tiles? Both the ceramic tiles and terracotta tiles are in high foot traffic areas - the entrance and kitchen. I know it is less than ideal to paint, but reflooring is not in our budget for some time yet!

A. Apply a seal coat of Resene Sureseal then two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

Q. I have internal second hand wooden stairs that I don't want to use lacquer or other clear finishes on as the timber isn't of consistent type. Can I use an exterior deck paint or something else? The stairs are old bare timber stairs from a warehouse. The timber is mostly pine.

A. You could use Resene Waterborne Decking Stain or stain with Resene Colorwood and then apply coats of clear varnish for a stained outcome. For safety reasons we would also suggest a slip resistant bull nose strip be installed.

Q. What sealer can I use to prepare previously polyurethane cork floor tiles for painting? I want to be able to either paint or whitewash over the existing flooring.

A. If using Resene Colorwood Whitewash then a thorough degrease and sand will be required.

Q. Do you have a product that can be used on terracotta tiles? They are outside, unsealed and subject to foot traffic.

A. Ensure the tiles are clean and apply a seal coat of Resene Sureseal and then finish with two coats of Resene Walk-on.

Q. We have a lunchroom of approx 11sq metres, and it is next to a cold room and freezer. The floor, which had vinyl which has now been lifted because of mould smell, has been cleaned. We are looking for a dark grey epoxy or similar.

A. Treat for mould if present, allow to dry out, then diamond grind, then apply Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

Q. I've had wooden floorboards professionally sanded and polyurethaned in my bathroom reno. Unfortunately they look really bad due to some nasty dark stains that didn't come out, and because the timber is pine, and was never going to look great, irrespective of what my builder said! The polyurethane was solvent based, one pot clear. It has also made some boards turn pinkish. Two questions:
• Is there a dark tinted polyurethane product available that I could add another coat to disguise the problems while retaining the wood look?
• I understand I could use Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer on the polyurethane and then paint the floorboards. Is this correct? If so, which paint would be most hard wearing?

A. Unfortunately there isn't a dark polyurethane that would cover the problems and still retain the wood look. If you can still see the wood look you would still see the problems.

Apply an adhesion coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and leave to cure for 48 hours before overcoating (avoid water or condensation contact in the first 24 hours). Apply a coat of Resene Enamel Undercoat and finish with two coats of Resene Lusta-Glo.

Q. I need to paint over old lino tiles in a shop. What do I need to use?

A. Painting old lino can be a challenge. The best system we have is to apply a seal coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and leave to cure for 48 hours then apply two coats of Resene Walk-on. However we cannot guarantee adhesion to the lino so suggest a test patch is done to confirm adhesion of the Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer. Ensure the lino is washed down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash following label directions before priming.

Q. I have a polished concrete floor which is quite slippery. What can be used to make it non-slippery? The concrete part is near to water so can get quite slippery.

A. We don't have a clear finish that would help improve the slip resistance. We do have a pigmented (coloured finish) Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path that provides a non-skid finish but that would depend whether you were happy to change to a painted finish. Generally clear finishes aren't very slip resistant, especially when wet. Usually the more textured and the flatter the finish the better the slip resistance. Polished concrete tends to be very smooth and higher sheen, which reduces slip resistance.

Q. Do you have any paint that could be used to coat kitchen floor tiles? The tiles are probably unglazed. I have tiles in my kitchen/hall area which I wish to change colour as re-tiling is expensive.

A. Apply a seal coat of Resene Sureseal then two coats of either a Resene solvent or waterborne enamel. Note that a painted tile will not have the wear properties of the uncoated tile. Durability is related to wear which is determined by type and frequency of foot traffic. Solventborne enamel topcoats are better for wear than a waterborne enamel.

Q. What is the best paint to use on a floor – gloss or flat? I have a flat floor that seems to show a lot of marks that I want to clear coat for a glossier finish.

A. A high gloss paint will be easier to clean. However a pure 100% waterborne gloss will be softer and more prone to removal by abrasion than a paint designed for flooring. Lower gloss paints are more easily scratched by wear, the degree is determined by frequency and type of foot wear. You could apply a clear coat of Resene Aquaclear in your chosen gloss level. If the existing colour is pale then there will be a degree of colour change after clear coating.

Q. Can you paint slate floors? If so, what is the best product to paint with and what colours are available?

A. We would not recommend painting slate floors but they can be clear coated with Resene Concrete Wax.

Q. What is the best way to apply Resene Uracryl 402 to a plywood floor? We have the Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer as an undercoat.

A. Use a Resene No. 5 roller sleeve.

Q. My house has 15 stairs linked between basement and first floor. The stairs used to be covered by carpet and I have removed the carpet. I want to paint the stairs to cover the original wood colour. What kind of paint should I use? Is there stair paint colours to choose?

A. Do you know what the timber is? We need to identify the timber to ensure the right wood primer is used. We cannot match to a wood colour as wood is never a single colour and there are always grain differences which can alter the wood colour in parts. You will need slip resistance so I suggest you use Resene Walk-on (over a suitable primer) in a colour to suit.

Q. Which type of paint could you use on a fibreglass surface flooring? We have an outside patio area that has been painted previously but is starting to flake off and also a bathroom/laundry area that has a fibreglass floor that has never been painted.

A. Resene Armourcote 821 epoxy primer would be the best primer to get adhesion then finish with two coats of Resene Uracryl 802.

Q. I have particle board flooring that I want to paint in a distressed manner. How do I get a smooth surface on the particle board to do that?

A. Depending upon the degree of surface roughness power sanding using a commercial sanding machine is recommended.

Q. I need information about painting cork tiles in a lounge. They have been down for 10 years and are in a bad shape. Can I do this and what is the best method? It’s currently polyurethaned.

A. Degrease then sand to provide a mechanical key for the new paint system. Apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and 2 coats of either Resene Lusta-Glo solventborne enamel or Resene Lustacryl waterborne enamel. Resene Lusta Glo is harder therefore has better wear resistance.

Q. We are in the process of renovating but the flooring finish won't be decided until we finalise the last section of our renovation which could be 3-5 years away. Can you recommend the best concrete internal floor paint we could use in the interim?

A. We recommend Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

Q. I would like some advice on what to use to coat our concrete floors in a home we have almost finished building. The floor is concrete and we wanted a clear, UV resilient, hard wearing, smooth and matt/satin finish if possible. If you could please advise which of your products I would need to purchase to undertake such a job it would be most appreciated. The area to cover is approximately 160 square metres.

A. Resene Concrete Wax would be the easiest product to apply.

Q. Can you paint slate floors? If so, what is the best product to paint with and what colours are available?

A. We would not recommend painting slate floors but they can be clear coated with Resene Concrete Wax.

Q. I am after a polyurethane system to go on a new plywood floor for a sleepout with a bathroom. I have looked at your Resene Polythane and Resene Qristal 1k, just need advice as to which is best for the situation.

A. Resene Polythane (minimum of 3 coats) is the best product to use when there is the possibility of water contact of the clear coated flooring.

Q. We are renovating our laundry and looking for a product, or system, to paint our terracotta floor tiles. We have around 7.5 sqm to cover. Another option would be to lighten ('white wash') the existing terracotta tiles and paint the grout. Do you have any products that may help?

A. The only system we have is a fully pigmented paint system. Assuming the tiles are porous apply a coat of Resene Sureseal then 2 coats of Resene Walk-on.

Q. We are renovating our laundry and looking for a product, or system, to paint our terracotta floor tiles. We have around 7.5 square metres to cover. Another option would be to lighten (whitewash) the existing terracotta tiles and paint the grout. Do you have any products that may help?

A. The only system we have is a fully pigmented paint system. Assuming the tiles are porous apply a coat of Resene Sureseal then two coats of Resene Walk-on.

Q. We are looking to epoxy coat a concrete floor and 1200mm up masonry walls on a proposed honey plant consisting of 225m2 of flooring and 60m of masonry wall. Is the correct product to use Resene Aquapoxy with prep of floor by diamond grinding? Once ground is a sealer coat required before Resene Aquapoxy?

A. Diamond grinding is our preferred prep; ensure there is no residual dust on the floor before coating. Bee propolis will damage an epoxy finish so for this application I would recommend after preparation you apply a seal coat of Resene ArmourBond and then finish with two coats of Resene Imperite 413 tinted to the selected colour.

Q. I am wanting to seal some steel on an internal floor. There are steel runners in between ply, which sit slightly lower than the ply. What would be the correct application? I don't want a glossy finish.

A. Even for interior steel the steel will need to be primed but we have no clear metal primer. If the area remains dry then the rate of steel corrosion will be low. You could consider using a pigmented system for the steel and make it a feature.

Q. I have a new polished concrete floor with expansion cuts to fill. Can I apply Resene Concrete Wax over silicone filler, or am I best to wax the concrete first and then fill the expansion cuts afterwards?

A. If the silicone filler is paintable with a waterborne paint there should be no issue. However the Resene Concrete Wax film will not have the same extensibility as the filler.

Q. What stains do you have for interior flooring?

A. Use Resene Colorwood interior wood stain or for a whitewash finish Resene Colorwood Whitewash.

Q. I want to paint my ceramic tiles on the kitchen and bathroom floors. As they are a terracotta look there is a slight texture but pretty smooth and semi glossy, not real shiny. What can I do with them?

A. The only system we have for fired tiles is to apply an adhesion coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and leave to cure for 48 hours without water or steam contact, then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl Kitchen & Bathroom. Adhesion will take about five days to develop before which the paint system may be easily damaged.

Q. What should we use to cover a new concrete floor that is in a basement and will be walked on? The concrete is about two months old and has a damp proof layer laid under it. We just want to be able to keep it clean by mopping/brushing once done and in use.

A. Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

Q. We have approx 250 sq mt rimu flooring. What would you recommend to finish it as a clear finish? We expect heavy use of the floor – wear and tear and pets.

A. Resene Polythane would be the best hardwearing clear finish for the situation you describe, available as a gloss.

Q. Can you use Resene Limelock on concrete floors?

A. In theory you could technically but it's not really designed for that and is probably too soft for trafficability. It's intended use is really wall areas.

Q. I have 20 year old chipboard floors which are water stained in some areas, especially around external doors. Can I cover these stains by applying a dark stain over all the floor area? The chipboard is unstained but is polyurethaned. Would preparation be difficult and expensive? Would I be better to use a Resene floor paint, rather than try to hide the marked areas with a dark stain?

A. The staining is probably underneath the varnish layer and unless the varnish layer is completely removed you cannot apply a stain. However if you sanded the varnish (no need to remove, just to dull off) then you could apply 2-3 coats of Resene Aquaclear with added Resene Colorwood Enhance and you may be able to produce a uniform colour over the floor. Suggest that you visit your nearest Resene ColorShop to discuss the Resene Colorwood Enhance option.

Q. We have some 40 year old wooden stairs which appear to be rimu. They seem to have a polyurethane finish. We would like to reposition these stairs and paint them so as to cover defects and marks. Is this possible? What product range would you recommend? What surface preparation would be needed?

A. Clean down using Resene Interior Paint Prep following the label instructions then thoroughly sand, dust off and prime with Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and finish with two coats of Resene Walk-on.

Q. Do you have a product that I can paint old lightly glazed floor tiles with and is it successful?

A. We have used the following system for floor tiles: clean down to make sure the floor is free of oil, grease dirt etc.

Apply a coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure for 48 hours with good ventilation (you only need a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer). Then finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl waterborne enamel. The paint system will take a minimum of five days to reach a good level of hardness.

The wear will depend upon the type and frequency of foot traffic.

Q. What product/process is best to use when painting timber floorboards? Not staining them, painting them.

A. Sand smooth then prime with Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat. You can then apply two coats of a waterborne enamel, such as Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss, or a solventborne finish.

Q. What type of paint should I use on my new concrete floor for a studio, bathroom and laundry? Ideally a gloss white.

A. Our standard preparation for new concrete is to diamond grind to produce a uniform slightly roughened surface. There are single and two pack options, the two pack would provide better wear resistance, however both use solventborne paints.

Single pack option - Seal with Resene Sureseal then apply a coat of Resene Enamel Undercoat and finish with two coats of Resene Super Gloss enamel or two pack option - Seal with Resene ConcreteSeal 3 in 1 then apply two coats of Resene Uracryl 403.

Q. After sanding rimu floorboards what products should be used for varnishing?

A. Resene Qristal Clear solventborne varnishes.

Q. I have sanded down a section of cork tiles at the entrance that are a golden oak colour in order to remove stud marks. This has left me with tiles of a very different colour (unevenly light and quite dark - natural but not golden oak). Is there any golden oak colorant I could use with the clear varnish or is there any other solution to my problem other than a large mat?

A. It is difficult to match varnish colours when a small area is sanded back to bare substrate and then re clear coated. The usual reason for the colour change is that the varnish originally used may have been a solventborne product and these yellow with age and exposure to light. The Resene Colorwood Enhance additives are the only way we would suggest to get any match of old and new.

Sorry but I am not aware of any procedure that you could now use to achieve the match, other than sanding down the remaining floor area and then using the Resene Colorwood Enhance approach.

Q. I have cork tiles I wish to paint over in a high traffic area. These tiles have a finish on them. My question is can I put a sealer over and then paint on top? Will it chip or wear? I'd prefer not to sand if possible.

A. Only recommendation would be to sand the existing paint finish to provide a mechanical key for the new paint and then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat followed by two coats of Resene Walk-on.

Q. Do you supply an oil or polyurethane which can be mixed with sand/grit for an internal timber stair?

A. We have no additive to increase the slip resistance of clear coatings. The addition of standard anti slip materials to clears results in an unacceptable look as the additives are easily seen in the clear film and detract from the aesthetics.

Q. We have prepainted cork tiles in kitchen and dining area. However they are now in need of recoating as the sun has changed the colour in some parts. How do we go about this?

A. Clean down with Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, sand with 220 grit sandpaper, dust off then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat then apply a Resene waterborne enamel topcoat.

Q. What is the best paint to use to paint yellow safety lines on a pack house floor - forklifts and pallet trolley areas plus walking areas?

A. The best product we have would be Resene Uracryl 403. Clean down the area to be painted using Altex P40 Cleaner following label directions, allow to dry. Water splashed onto the cleaned area should immediately darken the concrete. Iif this does not occur then the system cannot be applied. Prime lines with Resene ConcreteSeal 3 in 1 and then apply the two coats of Resene Uracryl 403 in your chosen colour.

Q. We are a community project doing pest control. We have a workshop where we have freezers with meat for traps and also poisoned bait. It can be very muddy in winter (people's boots are covered with mud). The concrete slab is recent (a few years old) and was covered until last week with bits of old and reused lino. I removed the old stuff and want to seal and paint the floor to have a clean looking and easy to look after floor. A slippery surface is not an option as I don't want people to slide and fall down when it's wet. What would you suggest we do?

A. Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring would be our recommendation.

Q. Looking for advice on painting concrete floor to protect it from the impact of silage juices in a cow barn.

A. Silage juices contain lactic acid, which is the acid that probably causes the degradation of the concrete. A two pack polyurethane such as Resene Imperite 413 would give the best resistance. The topcoat would need to be applied over an epoxy basecoat such as Resene Armourcote 510. Concrete would need to be prepared by diamond grinding. The prep required and application of the paint system would require a specialist applicator. Also the floor finish would not be slip resistant.

Q. I'm searching for a non-toxic concrete floor paint for my home, including children's bedroom, bathroom and the shower tray. I believe all of these demand different specs, but I'm totally unaware of what to use.

A. Use Resene Walk-on applied to the appropriate level of surface preparation. This is suitable for the bedroom and bathroom but not the shower tray.

Q. I have recently purchased a house at the beach with cork tiles on about 60 square metres of the floor area. They are old yellowy brown and I would like to paint them. What variety of paint would you recommend and what would be the best process to do this? The walls are all Resene Alabaster and I would like to paint the floors in a greyish white maybe Resene Double White Pointer.

A. The tiles will need to be thoroughly sanded and then primed with Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat then apply two coats of Resene Walk-on.

Q. We have a steel spiral staircase currently painted with coloured Resene Uracryl. We want to change its colour. Is it best to clean and repaint in another colour Resene Uracryl or is there a better product? The new colour would be semi-gloss black. The treadplate footing would be painted too and would require some anti-slip properties.

A. As long as there is no corrosion then use Resene Uracryl again as it can be self-recoated without the need for sanding; it just needs to be clean (suggest a scrub down with Resene Paint Prep and Housewash following the label directions). You can add Resene Industrial SRG Grit to the first coat of Resene Uracryl then overcoat with a thin coat of unmodified Resene Uracryl.

Q. Is it feasible to paint cork floor tiles in a kitchen area? I don't want to stain them but I want to change them to a lighter colour.

A. Degrease them thoroughly, sand, dust off and apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat followed by two coats of Resene Walk-on.

Q. Please advise whether there is a floor paint to paint over varnished (polyurethaned) cork tiles and best way to go about it.

A. Clean down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash to label/data sheet directions. Thoroughly sand with 220 grit sandpaper, dust off and prime with Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and finish with two coats of Resene Walk-on.

Q. I am looking at using your concrete "wax" over a tinted power floated slab that has not and will not be ground. You note in the data sheet slab should be ground, but then contradict that to a degree by saying "…if the slab has been ground…". So what grind? Is no grinding with a tinted slab like we are looking at OK?

A. For maximum adhesion the concrete should be prop filed and this is the requirement for grinding, and grinding also removes any loose and weak surface material. In the case of coloured concrete the act of grinding will remove a surface layer that may well result in an altered surface colour when clear coated. It remains the case that the best adhesion can only be achieved with a diamond ground surface.

Q. I need to paint an old concrete verandah floor. I think I would use Resene Non-Skid Deck and Path. A painter friend suggests I use an oil based sealer but I see that Resene make a waterbased paint prep and a concrete primer. Which of these would you recommend?

A. Your painter is correct - the only sealer we recommend for this application is Resene Sureseal.

Q. I have golden coloured wooden tiles throughout my 1960s home. It really requires a lick of paint but I do not know the extent of the work. I understand the tiles have a polyurethane sealant on them. Does this get removed by a machine of some sort? Can you advise the process for this please?

A. If you want to paint then clean down with Resene Paint Prep and Housewash and sand to provide a profile for the new paint system. Dust off and apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat followed by two coats of Resene Walk-on.

Q. Is it possible to paint over a ceramic tile that has a glossy finish? Would prefer to paint over it with a more matt finish.

A. Yes but it is a multi-coat system: Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer (allow to cure for at least 48 hours with good ventilation and warmth), Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat then Resene waterborne topcoat tinted to your required colour. The system will take at least five days to start to develop adhesion and toughness.

Q. I am just building a new workshop with a concrete floor. I will be using one bay for general storage of building materials and woodworking machinery and one bay for a mechanical/car repair workshop. I would like to paint the floor myself but would like to know the best system to use. It would be easier to use the same product for both floors. There will be more mess to the mechanical bay floor due to petrol, oils and brake fluid spills.

A. The only system we would offer is Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring. The floor will need to be diamond ground and then sealed with Resene ArmourBond prior to applying the three coats of Resene Aquapoxy.

Q. I have a large rumpus/living area with a ceramic tiled floor which has a slight texture to it, it's not smooth. The trouble is, the floor makes this room cold as it doesn't get much sun, and I don't like the colour of the tiles. Is it a good idea to paint this floor to at least change the colour? I would then put a large mat over the top for warmth. This seems a cheaper option that say, wooden floorboards. How would I go about painting this, and what sort of paint should I get? Is it likely to stand up to wear and tear?

A. Tiles can be painted but there is always a risk of adhesion issues over time which are determined by the amount and type of foot traffic the coated floor is subjected to. To follow is the standard Resene recommendation for painting tiled floors. Ensure the tiles are clean and free of grease and oil, then apply a coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to dry for at least 48 hours with good ventilation and heating. Then apply Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat as the undercoat and finish with two coats of Resene Walk-On.

Q. Can you tell me if you supply or have knowledge of a non-toxic polyurethane spray that is suitable for re-coating ceramic floor tiles?

A. I assume by toxicity you are referring to solvent containing polyurethanes. We sell Resene Aquaclear which is a waterborne varnish, but the product is not available as a spray can.

Q. I have laid oak floors and would like to colour the wood a darker shade and then sand. What product and colours do you have?

A. Depends upon how dark you want to go and the colour you are wanting. You can see some options online.

It would be good for you to visit a Resene ColorShop and ask the staff to show you the Resene Woodcare stand. This will show you the Resene range of wood stain colours and the possible use of Resene Colorwood Enhance.

Q. I am looking to establish the Critical Radiant flux value for a clear finish to a strandfloor (plywood flooring).

A. Critical Radiant Flux for Timber floor at least 12mm thick can be assumed to achieve 2.2Kw/m2, coated or uncoated.

Q. I am moving into a new cottage soon with a concrete floor. I can't afford carpet or lino so I thought I'd just seal the concrete. First what product do you recommend and bearing in mind that the concrete will only be four weeks or so ‘dried’ will sealing it so early cause any problems?

A. Generally concrete floors are not ready to be painted until they’ve been down around three months. Applying a dust retardant type sealer such as Resene Cemseal shouldn’t present any problem though as it’s a penetrating type sealer, not film forming. Applying any film forming clear coating would need be done after the three month period and following suitable preparation such as diamond grinding (and really requires specialist application).

Q. We want to paint the particle board floor in the dining room of our 1970s home. It has lots of rimu trim but not nice hardwood floors! How would we go about this?

A. Ensure the floor is free of dirt and grease contamination, thoroughly sand with 220 grit sandpaper and dust off then prime with two coats of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and two coats of Resene Lustacryl Kitchen & Bathroom tinted to your chosen colour. Leave to cure with heat and ventilation for at least 24 hours before returning to use.

Q. Can I paint over cork tiles?

A. Yes, but preparation and system will be dictated by the condition of the tiles and where the tiles are located within the property. Clean the clear coated tiles to remove dirt, dust, grease, and oil then thoroughly sand to a matt finish, dust off and then prime with Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat then you can apply two coats of a Resene waterborne enamel paint finish.

Q. I used Resene Qristal ClearFloor on my new cork tile floor, which is 6 months old. The people who were staying there have made big scratches on the floor - how can I remedy this? Also - the sun has faded it really badly.

A. The clear layer cannot fade so it sounds as though the timber has faded due to exposure to intense U.V. through windows. This will occur even if there was no clear coating.

If 3 coats were applied the clear will be resistant to normal foot traffic. The scratching sounds like something with a sharp edge has been dragged across the floor. To repair you will need to sand the floor (no need to remove all of the clear layer) then reapply 2 or 3 coats of the varnish.

Q. After staining ply flooring with Resene Colorwood Whitewash (two coats) what product should I seal it with or don't I have to seal it?

A. The standard Resene system is three coats of waterborne varnish so If you have applied two coats of Resene Colorwood Whitewash then you will need an additional coat of Resene Aquaclear.

Q. I bought a 1914 home with hardwood floors and wood panelling halfway up the walls in the bathroom. The window and door frames are also natural wood but we would like to paint the frames, skirting boards and the panels white, and then paint the walls a colour we like (they're now red). What do I need to do? I have tested the existing finish with meths and it does not affect it.

A. Wash down using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner. Apply Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer (this is a thin primer coat and opacity is not necessary). Allow to cure for at least 48 hours before applying a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and then finish with two coats of a Resene waterborne enamel paint, such as Resene Lustacryl, tinted to your required colour. The system will take a minimum of five days to develop.

Q. With your concrete floor paint Resene Uracryl, does it full cure so no gases are released after cure or does it have a VOC volume?

A. Resene has Uracryl 400 and 800 series products. The mixed VOC of a 400 Series topcoat (solventborne) is about 400 grams per litre, the mixed VOC of a Uracryl 800 Series topcoat (waterborne) is 69 grams per litre. With good ventilation post application there should be no appreciable release of VOC to the atmosphere after 5 days cure.

Q. We are getting quotes for painting the factory floor and would like some information on what to use, the process and cure time.

A. Our system for painting the floor would most likely be Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring applied with Resene ArmourBond used as a sealer. Resene Aquapoxy is available in a selected range of tinted colours and in two gloss levels, gloss or semi-gloss. The Resene Aquapoxyfor Flooring system does give slip resistance to a floor. If a smooth finish is required the SRG Additive is not added to the second coat. Diamond grinding of the floor is the standard floor prep prior to application of the Resene Aquapoxy system.

Q. We have painted cork tiles for our kitchen with white water based prep coat-sealer-primer and wish to coat with a clear lacquer that doesn't yellow or appear yellow over the white (checkerboard of black and white tiles). Which is the best gloss finish to use?

A. Resene Aquaclear does dry clear but the dry film does have a slight yellow cast to the film which will alter the whiteness of the white. The degree of yellowness in the dry film of Resene Aquaclear is small compared to traditional solventborne varnishes.

Q. I’m looking at painting my floor tiles in shower/toilet/foyer. My shower is a ‘wet room'. What would you recommend for sealer and topcoats, preferably a non skid finish?

A. Painting of the tiles in this situation is a risky as paint delamination may occur. There are some applications where tiles are the best option and this is one of those.

Q. I want to paint my raw pine floorboards. I was thinking a decking paint as it has to withstand walking traffic. Can you advise me what to use?

A. Ensure the flooring is clean and free from containments such as mould, oil, grease and dust etc. Prime with Resene Quick Dry Waterborne Primer Undercoat followed by two coats of Resene Waterborne Sidewalk. The system will take up to seven days to develop full system properties but can be walked on in soft footwear after 24 hours.

Q. I am laying a new French Oak solid wood floor in the kitchen and living room in my beach house. The timber has a skip face finish which is very rustic. I want to keep the wood looking natural, not yellow and not shiny. What do you suggest I use? I wondered about a Danish oil type product?

A. Yellowing of timber is caused by two different things. The first is a chemical reaction between U.V. light and oxygen that reacts with the lignin within the timber causing yellowing. The second is that some polyurethanes have a yellow resin undertone and this of course also gives the yellow appearance. I think that what you have suggested would give you the natural look you are looking for by using Resene Danska Teak Oil.

Q. We have a new concrete slab for our laundry and sunroom. The concrete has rough surface like the footpaths. Can painting alone create a smooth surface without diamond grinding first?

A. Application of a standard decorative paint system will not fill the profile of rough concrete. You may want to consider using Rockcote MultiStop bedding compound to fair the surface prior to painting. MultiStop is a cement based powder which you mix with the required amount of water to make a plaster which you then trowel onto the surface and smooth off. You can apply Resene paint systems to the cured surface.

Q. I'm seeking a thick, semi-gloss light grey paint for my garage floor. What would you recommend? The floor’s condition is patchy with minor cracks. I favour a rich (thick) look, like a showroom floor. The car will be parked in there.

A. All paint systems for concrete garage floors require the same preparation. Diamond grind to achieve a profile similar to 180 grit piece of sandpaper. This should remove existing coatings as painting over worn patchy paint can lead to delamination when a new sound coating is applied.

Once ground, ensure the surface is dust free and clean. There are a couple of paint systems you could use:

Option 1: Apply Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring. You will need three coats, the first coat thinned up to 10% with water.

Option 2: Apply one coat of Resene Armourcote 510. Then apply two coats of Resene Uracryl 403 or Resene Uracryl 402.

Option 1 is most common for garage floors. It is a waterborne two pack product and very hard wearing. To view, most Resene ColorShop floors in the trade area are painted in this product.

Option 2 is a slightly more durable system used in more commercial settings. It is a very strong solvent paint system and a lot of care needs to be taken when applying for safety.

For both options, the longer you wait the better to walk and drive a car. Allow a minimum 48 hours to walk with shoes and seven days for a car. Full cure will take around a month, the more ventilation the better. You must ensure you have a lot of ventilation during painting and for at least 24 hours after.

November 2023

Q. Can you recommend a good quality paint/system to paint a large commercial garage floor?

The floor is smooth trowelled polished concrete with expansion cuts. It’s clean newish concrete, about one year old. It is dry with no moisture. I’m looking for a dark grey. It will have light vehicle and machinery traffic – driven and parked on it.

A. The concrete must be diamond ground to leave a profile feeling like a piece of 180 grit sandpaper.

Once dust free, apply one coat of Resene Armourcote 510 to achieve a minimum of 125 microns DFT and no more than 200 microns DFT. This coat can be coloured to match the topcoat so as the topcoat wears away over time it will still be the same colour.

After adequate drying, apply two full coats of Resene Uracryl series (Resene Uracryl 403 gloss, Resene Uracryl 402 semi-gloss or Resene Uracryl 404 low sheen).

Resene Armourcote 510 is best sprayed, but Resene Uracryl is best rolled/brushed due to isocyanates being released upon spraying.

September 2023

Q. I have a concrete floor which is above a garage. It is in poor condition. How should I prep this and what seal/paint should I use?

A. The below recommendation is assuming that water does not pond and there are no water issues. Also, the below paint systems are non-slip paint products. As long as the previous coating is sound i.e. not flaking or coming off in pieces then give a very thorough wash with a hard bristle broom. Ensure there is no mould - if there is, treat using Resene Moss & Mould Killer. Apply two full coats of Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path or Resene Walk-on in your desired colour.

September 2023

Q. I rang up yesterday and was recommended to put Resene Uracryl 403 onto the plywood floor of our new garage. What roller sleeve would be recommended for applying Resene Uracryl 403 to a plywood floor? We might coat with Resene Uracryl 402 or Resene Uracryl 404, but I assume they would use the same sort of sleeve. In other parts of the house we will coat fibreboard with Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1K using a #10 sleeve (waterborne clear).

A. Use the #5 Mohair sleeve for the Resene Uracryl 400 series. You will go through a few as it is a strong solvent, when they start to loose fibres, replace with a new one. Brushing will eliminate any small hairs being lodged in the paintwork forever. When disposing of the sleeves, ensure they have completely dried before placing in the red bin.

September 2023

Q. What paint should be used on a concrete floor which can become slightly damp in wet weather?

It is a garage floor, though seldom used as a garage; generally it is a workshop. The floor has been painted with paving paint, about 12 years ago, and about half of it is still sound, but where anything solid has been stored on it, the paint has deteriorated somewhat; the bottom of the stored object gets damp. The floor was laid on a shingle base, covered in polythene. The walls are concrete block, painted inside and out with Resene Sonyx 101, and are fine. The walls rest on a concrete foundation which is keyed into the surrounding earth; the steel roof ties are set into this base (cyclone precaution). The floor is contained by this foundation, which extends up to floor level.

After heavy rain, the floor is somewhat damp around the edges. I suspect that the foundation gets wet and water works its way to the edge of the floor. I don't want to cut the edge of the floor to introduce a DPM; the damp problem isn't enough to require this.

A. For areas like this, we recommend Resene HydraBlock, which Is a two pack barrier epoxy.

The floor will need to be bare, so the existing layers of coating need to be removed. The best method is a diamond grind. We are unable to give a guarantee on this product as hydrostatic pressures are unpredictable.

May 2023

Q. We’re planning on painting the garage floor and am wondering how that would go with a dirty floor?

It is bare concrete and while we have scrubbed it, there are old oil stains (also cleaned with CRC oil fighter), old paint in the pores of the concrete and possibly some form of adhesive from what could have been vinyl flooring at one end. What’s the best plan I need to follow?

A. Our most popular driveable flooring product is Resene Aquapoxy.

A diamond grind will profile the surface giving it a uniform finish with a texture resembling 180 grit sandpaper. Most customers will hire a professional to do this, but I also believe the machines can be hired.

The floor does require a diamond grind, we would not be able to give any assurances to any paint system without it.

March 2023

Q. I want to paint a 30 year old garage floor. It has all usual dirt/grim/etc, as would be expected. What preparation is required and what coating should I use?

A. Scrub down using Resene Heavy Duty Paint Prep and Oil Remover diluted and used to label instructions. Rinse clean or hose down with copious amounts of fresh water ensuring all wash solution and surface chalk residues are removed. Diamond grind to remove to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping. Then apply a seal coat of Resene ArmourBond and finish with Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring. The key to achieving adhesion is the initial cleaning/diamond grinding.

June 2022

Q. Do you have product that would work for painting a plywood garage floor? The ply won't flex, it's 25mm thick and supported by 290mm joists at 300mm centres. It has been engineered to be a garage floor.

A. Apply a prime coat of Resene Quick Dry and leave to dry for at least 48 hours then apply two coats of Resene Uracryl 404 in your topcoat colour. Allow the system to cure with ventilation for at least five days before driving on the painted surface.

June 2022

Q. We want to paint a 20 year old concrete garage floor. I would expect they would need to be sealed/etched to take a new surface appropriately.

A. The best prep is concrete grinding to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 120 grit sand paper. If there are oil/grease stains present scrub down using Paint Prep and Housewash diluted and used to label instructions. Rinse clean or hose down with copious amounts of fresh water ensuring all wash solution and surface chalk residues are removed.

Then apply a seal coat of Resene ArmourBond and finish with three coats Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

April 2022

Q. What is the best paint for a new concrete garage floor?

A. For a new garage floor (concrete must be over 28 days from pour) and has a profile of 180 grit sandpaper – not smooth. Apply three coats of Resene Aquapoxy semi-gloss or gloss. Thin the first coat 10% with water. Ensure the last coat of paint has had seven days before vehicle traffic. Under constant wheel turning the paint will wear faster.

April 2022

Q. What is the best paint for a cement floor in garage. It needs to be easy to wash.

A. For concrete flooring in a garage, we recommend Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

March 2022

Q. I have a project where we are converting a garage into bedroom. I'm looking for an epoxy paint to coat a concrete floor where there might not be a DPM under the slab to prevent rising damp.

A. Diamond grind to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping. Apply a seal coat of Resene HydraBlock thinned 10% with water and finish with two coats of unthinned product.

August 2021

Q. I have a client who is painting the concrete floor of their garage. Is there a specific paint specification we need to follow for painting a concrete floor?

A. Diamond grind to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping. Then apply a seal coat of Resene ArmourBond, and finish with Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

July 2021

Q. I've put plywood over an existing wooden floor in my garage. Can you advise me on the best paint or stain I should use? The garage will be used for my car.

A. For a garage floor the best topcoat system would be a Resene Uracryl 400 Series topcoat. Apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry and allow the primer to cure for 48 hours then apply three coats of Resene Uracryl 402 colour. We have no stain option for this application. Installation of the paint system will require at least five days and then allow the completed system to cure with good ventilation for seven days before driving onto the floor.

April 2021

Q. I am looking to use the Resene Aquapoxy on my old carport floor. We will have the floor prepped to the 180 grit recommended and three coatings. Floor is 5m x 5.1m. Is this product suitable? I note it is for internal use. The carport is covered but open to elements.

A. Resene Aquapoxy will undergo oxidation if exposed to weathering and UV. I would advise that it is not a suitable coating for a carport, unless topcoated with a UV resistant polyurethane topcoat Resene Uracryl 802/803 colour.

February 2021

Q. I want a durable concrete sealer - what have you got in your range? This is for my garage floor that will be used as a workshop. No real chemical resistance required. No vehicles will access this area; this garage will become my workshop with only foot traffic. I would like a clear finish.

A. The best suggestion would be to apply two coats of Resene Uracryl 403 Clear each thinned 15% with Resene Thinner No.8. Check that there is no curing membrane present using the following: check using the water splash test for the presence of a curing membrane, water splashed onto the concrete should immediately darken the concrete and be absorbed. If the water is not immediately absorbed and the wet concrete does not darken then this indicates the presence of a curing membrane. If there is a curing membrane, then diamond grind to remove the existing curing membrane and to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping.

February 2021

Q. I have an old garage with chipboard floor. Parts have started to 'delaminate' in patches. I would like to tidy up and paint the floor. What would you recommend please? My thoughts have been to seal the delaminated areas then fill with some form of compound other than paint. I am aware of issues with hot car tyres and paint.

A. Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring is the only coating we have for a garage floor. We would not recommend it for your situation. We possibly have an alternative system but it is a two pack solventborne polyurethane, at least two coats applied over a primer.

You will need to thoroughly sand the floor, the oil contamination is of concern as the primer for the substrate is Resene Quick Dry which is waterborne and may not achieve good adhesion to residual oil spots. Spot priming with a solventborne primer can reactivate and dissolve the oil which affects the primer cure and topcoating.

So after sanding apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry and leave to cure for 48 hours then apply three coats of Resene Uracryl 404 topcoat. Leave the full system to cure for at least five days before driving onto the painted surface.

August 2020

Q. I want a non-slip paint. What product do you advise for a wet floor service, please?

A. Use Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring for concrete floors.

April 2020

Q. I would like to paint my garage floor.

A. Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring is the system we recommend for garage floors.

April 2020

Q. What is the best paint for commercial garage/workshop floors?

A. We recommend Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

April 2020

Q. What should I use to paint and protect a new garage floor approx 2 months old?

A. We recommend Resene Aquapoxy for flooring for painting an indoor concrete floor subject to vehicular traffic.

Check using the water splash test for the presence of a curing membrane, water splashed onto the concrete should immediately darken the concrete and be absorbed. If the water is not immediately absorbed and the wet concrete does not darkens then this indicates the presence of a curing membrane If the water splash test indicates the presence of a curing membrane then diamond grind to remove the existing curing membrane and to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sand paper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping.

January 2020

Q. I am looking for a coating for a concrete floor. The floor will be in a shed where there will be the odd vehicle movement and is used for brewing. I am trying to decide between a polished floor and Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring. For the Resene product.

A. The only system we have for this application is Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring. Check using the water splash test for the presence of a curing membrane, water splashed onto the concrete should immediately darken the concrete and be absorbed. If the water is not immediately absorbed and the wet concrete does not darkens then this indicates the presence of a curing membrane. If the splash test indicates the presence of a curing membrane then diamond grind to remove the existing curing membrane and to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping.

December 2019

Q. Can you please advise what paint system you would use to paint an old concrete garage and laundry floor?  The floor while old is free from oil. I would like a glossy, light colour like grey.

A. Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring would be our recommendation.

Check using the water splash test for the presence of a curing membrane, water splashed onto the concrete should immediately darken the concrete and be absorbed. If the water test indicates the presence of a curing membrane diamond grind to remove the existing curing membrane and to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping.

Q. We have a timber floor garage on piles and two layers of structural plywood above it. Do you have any paint that is suitable for the garage floor and can keep joists away from water?

A. The only system we could offer would be to prime the plywood with two coats of Resene Quick Dry and allow the primer to dry for at least 48 hours after the last coat is applied. Then apply two coats of Resene Uracryl 402, leave to cure with ventilation for five days before driving onto the painted ply.

Not sure exactly what you mean by keep water away from joists but the paint system will stop liquid water ingress into the ply sheeting.

Q. What paint do I need to use to paint my concrete garage floor and what do I need to do to prepare it to obtain a lasting paint job?

A. Degrease using Resene Heavy Duty Paint Cleaner and Oil Remover diluted and used to label instructions. Diamond grind to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping.

Apply a seal coat of Resene ArmourBond and finish with the Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring system.

Q. Can you please recommend what paint system I should use to paint a previously unpainted plywood garage floor? The garage parks two cars. I will sand it down to a clean wooden surface before painting. Can I use an epoxy resin system?

A. Epoxy paint systems are relatively inflexible and if applied over a substrate that has the potential for flexing/deformation the epoxy paint will crack. Suggest that after sanding apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry and then follow with two coats of Resene Uracryl 402.

Allow a five day cure after application of the last coat of Resene Uracryl before driving onto the floor.

Q. What paint can you suggest to paint over a residential concrete garage floor?

A. We recommend Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

Q. I want to paint a garage floor that is heavily stained with old oil. What is the best thing to use to remove the old oil?

A. Removal of the oil staining is critical to achieving a successful painting outcome. Suggest you try cleaning down using Resene Heavy Duty Paint Prep and Oil Remover diluted and used to label instructions.

Q. What is the best paint for a garage floor?

A. Resene Aquapoxy is excellent for concrete garage floors, however the most important part of coating a garage floor is the preparation.

This almost always requires the concrete surface to undergo diamond grinding to remove surface contamination and provide a key for the new coating. If not prepared properly there will be problems with ‘hot tyre pick up', which is where you drive in and park your car and the hot tyres lift the coating from the surface. This is very common if floors aren't prepared correctly.

Q. I would like know the correct sealer to use on a one year old plywood floor in the garage, which will be carpeted in the future with garage carpet. The type of sealer is required by the carpet layer as this will determine what glue he will use.  

A. For timber flooring we would recommend a full coat of Resene Wood Primer.

Q. I have an old concrete garage floor that I wish to paint. The floor has always been dry. Can you advise best prep procedure and recommend a paint system?

A. Diamond grind to achieve a uniform surface texture similar to 180 grit sandpaper, then ensure that all grinding dust is removed before sealing.

Apply a seal coat of Resene ArmourBond and then apply the Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring system.

Q. I am looking for a product to use on the floor of our newly built garage/workshop. It is part of our house but is a very active automotive workshop. We want it to be clear, have slip resistance and to help resist staining of the floor and easy to clean up if we spill oil etc. on it. I have looked at several of your products but can't work out which is the best one. What would you recommend?

A. You would be best to use Resene Uracryl Clear (two pack urethane), however as with most clear coatings it is does not offer full slip resistance and can become slippery depending on the fluid on the surface.

You would need to have the floor prepared prior to coating by diamond grinding to achieve the profile of 180 grit sandpaper.

Apply the first coat of Resene Uracryl 403 Gloss clear (thinned 10%), and second and third coats of Resene Uracryl 403, Resene Uracryl 402 (semi-gloss) or Resene Uracryl 404 (low sheen).

Q. I am looking to paint a concrete garage floor which is 20 years old. What is the best product and what preparation do I need to do? Also, it has a couple of cracks which are 1-2mm wide. What would I fill them with?

A. I assume the floor is unpainted at present. For long term success and particularly to avoid ‘hot tyre pick up’ (where the tyres pull the paint coating from the surface), we recommend completely acid etching or diamond grinding (best option) the surface prior to painting with a two pack epoxy, such as Resene Aquapoxy. To fill cracks, you're best to use epoxy filler such as Resene Epox-O-Bond.

Q. I am currently doing a project of turning an existing concrete slab garage into a sleep out. I am wondering what product to specify to paint onto the surface of the concrete to act as a damp proof membrane. We would then put a timber floor on battens above.

A. Resene HydraBlock, two coats would be our recommendation. We cannot guarantee that the hydrostatic blocking of the system will not be compromised in your situation but this is the industry approach to dealing with the situation you describe.

Q. I am planning to paint my concrete garage floor with your Resene Aquapoxy product. My garage has large west facing windows and sections of the floor get quite a bit of sun. I've seen suggestions online that this can cause epoxies to yellow or chalk. One suggestion I've seen was to overcoat the epoxy with a urethane/polyurethane coat.

Would you please be able to let me know if Resene Aquapoxy is suitable to be overcoated, and if so, with which product(s)? I am happy with two pack products and have used a couple of different types of Resene Uracryl before.

A. Resene Aquapoxy can be overcoated with a Resene waterborne urethane finish such as Resene Uracryl 802.

Q. I am looking at painting my internal garage floors. I'm not sure what brand two pack was used before.

A. If it was a Resene system, it would have been Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

To recoat, thoroughly clean then sand and reapply the Resene Aquapoxy System.

Q. How should we paint a concrete floor? What sealer do I use first and thereafter what type of paint for the top coats/final colour? The concrete floor is very old, it does darken immediately if water is splashed on it. However we recently filled in a pit in the centre of the garage floor with new concrete so there is a small 1 x 0.8m section that has new concrete. So we would need a process/application that would be fit for both new and old concrete.

A. Apply a seal coat of Resene Sureseal then Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

Q. I am building a new shed/workshop and want a durable, long lasting finish on the floor that will be oil and solvent resistant. Can you recommend product(s) that would be suitable and that can be applied by a DIYer?

A. Prepare the floor by diamond grinding then apply the Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring System.

Q. We are installing a 19mm ply floor in a garage loft. I would like some ideas on how to finish it. I think I would like to do a very faint colourwash, then I guess you have to seal it. Do you have any suggestions or information on products?

A. You could use Resene Aquaclear with added Resene Colorwood Enhance to create a subtle coloured clear. Alternatively stain, using Resene Colorwood interior stain than apply three coats of Resene Aquaclear waterborne varnish.

Q. We want to paint our concrete garage floor. Can you provide any advice on what paints to use and colour recommendations (dark vs light pros and cons)?

A. Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring is the system we recommend for domestic garage floors. Best preparation is by diamond grinding to achieve an even surface texture similar to 180 grit sandpaper. Resene Aquapoxy can be tinted to a range of Resene colours; for greys the darkest grey that can be tinted is Resene Jumbo.

Q. Which paint is best for concrete, it’s for an internal garage floor?

A. We suggest Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

Q. Can you please explain the difference between concrete floor sealer and Resene Sureseal and why Resene Sureseal should not be applied to an old concrete garage floor? The floor does not have cars driven or parked on it and has minimal foot traffic.

A. The term sealer has many interpretations, depending upon what the 'sealer' product can do. A sealer may be used to seal off the substrate from penetration by water or other liquids, provide porosity equalisation, reinforce the substrate, or act as an adhesion coat for subsequent topcoat systems.

I see no reason why Resene Sureseal cannot be applied to a friable cementitious substrate, to then allow for overcoating.

For concrete flooring, we usually specify Resene ArmourBond Sealer which can then be topcoated with both water and solventborne epoxy topcoat systems.

Q. What is the best paint to paint a concrete garage floor?

A. We recommend Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

Q. I am thinking of painting the concrete floor of my garage. The concrete is nearly 30 years old and has recently had some crack repairs carried out on it. What product would you suggest?

A. Clean areas of grease/oil contamination with Resume Heavy Duty Paint Prep and Oil Remover following label instructions.

Then diamond grind the concrete to achieve a sound, smooth even texture, similar to 180 grit sandpaper. Apply a seal coat of Resene ArmourBond and finish with three coats of Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

Q. There is a thin brass strip covering the raw edges of ceramic tiles on corners in my bathroom. These don't get wet. What product should I use to paint them to match the tiles?

A. Prime the brass with Resene Vinyl Etch then apply two coats of colour tinted into any of our waterborne enamels, such as Resene Lustacryl.

Q. I want to damp/moisture proof my garage concrete floor. What type of paint can do this work effectively and withstand the moisture? This is a 1950s house, so in all likelihood, the garage floor would not have a poly layer, prior to concreting.

A. We recommend Resene HydraBlock waterborne epoxy barrier. Resene HydraBlock is a transparent two pack, low VOC waterborne epoxy barrier coating, for application to cementitious surfaces, subject to hydrostatic pressure. It has excellent adhesion and is tolerant of application over damp surfaces. It controls rising damp and efflorescence. Typical uses: Masonry – walls, in-situ concrete – walls/floors and plastered walls.

Q. I want a really tough, garage floor paint that can be roller applied and is white and preferably impermeable. I would like it to be able to be washed down easily.

A. We recommend Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

Q. I had a garage built a couple of months ago and want to paint the floor as soon as I can. Am I able to do this and what products should I use? I have heard that new concrete needs to be etched before painting and I’m a bit worried about the steel framing being harmed when I’m doing this or when rinsing afterwards.

A. Acid etching is rarely used now, you can prepare floor by diamond grinding. Your local Resene ColorShop should be aware of providers of concrete grinding service in your area. Then apply Resene Aquapoxy for flooring.

Q. I have a particle board floor that has been sanded and polyurethaned about 12 years ago. I want to paint it so is there paint I can apply directly, or do I have to sand it or undercoat it first?

A. Sorry, there is no topcoat paint that can be applied directly to the varnished surface. We recommend the following - using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, paying particular attention to hand contact areas.

Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before overcoating. Then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl. Roll all coats using the recommended roller sleeve.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film cures fully.

Q. I have a well-worn painted and polyurethane plywood kitchen/dining floor, which needs repainting. What system should I use and are the new polyurethane coatings less yellowing? Can I paint polyurethane over Resene Enamacryl?

A. A thorough degrease and sand of the existing coatings is required before recoating. Then apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry Waterborne primer undercoat. Then apply two coats of colour using tinted Resene Enamacryl (allow to cure for at least two days) and finish with two coats of Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield Clear. The GraffitiShield Clear will not yellow.

Q. What paint is recommended for a garage floor? It is 9 years old and highly polished.

A. Diamond grind to produce a surface profile similar to 180 grit sandpaper then apply a seal coat of Resene ArmourBond and finish with three coats of Resene Aquapoxy.

Q. I have a 70 square metre new garage with concrete floor that I’m looking to paint. Can you please suggest the right product?

A. Leave new concrete to cure for a minimum of 28 days before painting. Diamond grind to achieve a slightly roughened surface (it should resemble 180 grit sandpaper). Apply a saturation coat of Resene ArmourBond then apply three coats of Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

Q. We are carpeting a downstairs bedroom that has a concrete floor. I found white powdery growth like salt crystals underneath one corner. We have drains all around the house but I guess the constant rain has made the concrete just damp enough for this growth. There is no obvious dampness except for the crystals. What waterproofing do you suggest we use on the concrete to stop this happening?

A. The white crystals are a result of efflorescence, water coming up through the concrete bringing dissolved concrete salts to the surface. This is more than likely due to the absence of a waterproofing layer being installed before the concrete was poured or a rupture of the membrane due to earth movement.

The only product we have is Resene Aquapoxy (three coats) but we cannot guarantee that this will solve the issue. The salts will need to be removed by diamond grinding prior to application of Resene Aquapoxy.

Q. Our garage floor is concrete, unsealed and constantly dusty. We would like to seal it to reduce dust in the area. Would Resene ConcreteSeal 3 in 1 be appropriate? Would we have to paint over it or is it ok to use on its own?

A. You can use Resene ConcreteSeal 3 in 1 as a paint finish. You will have to clean to remove as much dust as possible before applying the product as it will not adhere to a surface with dust residues.

Q. My son in law has painted his garage floor with two pack floor paint. It is a new unstained concrete floor. 24 hours later the paint has not dried, I believe because the two parts weren't mixed properly. What can he do to repair this?

A. Sorry but not an easy fix. Remove as much paint as possible by scraping with a wide flat blade. Then using Resene Thinner No.12 wipe off the remaining uncured paint residue. Use a face mask fitted with an organic cartridge when solvent wiping and maintain ventilation during and after this step of the removal process.

Q. I have a 'spackled' floor surface on my painted garage floor, much like the walking surface around an in-ground pool. I need to repaint. What do you recommend?

A. It is difficult to make any recommendation without an adhesion trial first. Suggest you try a test patch of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer. If this is successful then you can use Resene Walk-on as the topcoat.

Q. I am using Resene Aquapoxy for my garage floor. What is the recommended time frame before I can drive a vehicle into the garage?

A. Usually 5-7 days.

Q. I have used oil based sealer on a concrete garage floor and unwisely mixed some turps in. Now the dry surface still emits odour and doesn't feel safe in the garage. Am I best to leave it or coat it with some product?

A. You can use mineral turps as a thinner for Resene Sureseal. However this will generate a more noticeable odour than thinning with Resene Thinner No.2, the lower odour thinner. With good ventilation the odour should dissipate within 5-7 days. Overcoating will not lock in odour from the thinner.

Q. What would be the best product(s) for painting an interior garage floor? The concrete is about 50 years old with quite a bit of grease/oil stains which will be waterblasted as well as possible.

A. We recommend Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring applied over a coat of Resene Sureseal. You will have to remove as much grease contamination as possible to ensure system adhesion. Waterblasting alone will not achieve removal of grease or oil.

Q. We have laid a strandboard floor for our dance studio. Other dance studios and theatres in NZ recommend using your Resene Lumbersider product. Can you please give me your recommendations on application and prep regarding the system we intend to use? The floor is new and dancers need to be able to slide on it. Ideally we want a low sheen or matte finish.

A. Prime with Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat (lightly sand to de nib if required but do not sand through the primer), then apply two coats of Resene Lumbersider in the required colour. For extra protection you could apply a clear coat of Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1K over the Resene Lumbersider colour.

Q. I have had a shed built with a concrete floor. What is the best coating for the floor as I will be putting cars in it so it will need to be oil and solvent proof?

A. Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring. The floor will need to be prepared by diamond grinding.

Q. We are wanting to paint our garage floor with a finish that is not slippery when wet. We will also be driving on it. We are uncertain if the non-slip paving paints are suitable for this purpose.

A. We recommend Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

Q. I'm looking at doing a DIY for a garage floor - a complete makeover. Is there a certain product I could use? What I was looking at was painting stripes, or some sort of pattern on the garage floor so that it is not boring. I don't see why a garage floor has to be so boring!

A. Assuming there is no curing membrane (water splashed onto the surface should be immediately absorbed and darken the concrete if there is no curing membrane on the floor), then apply an adhesion coat of Resene ConcreteSeal 3in1 and then two coats of Resene Uracryl 402. Allow the Resene Uracryl to cure for five days before driving onto the painted surface.

Q. Can you please recommend any primer/preparation products to paint a good condition 9 year old concrete garage floor that has a few oil spots on it. I cannot use any sort of cleaner that needs to be washed off onto the driveway outside the garage as it could be damaged. I am using Resene Uracryl paint.

A. You could prime using Resene Armourcote 221. Best prep for the painting of a concrete floor is to degrease then diamond grind.

Q. I am looking for advice as the best way to fix cracks in a concrete floor to a first level 20 car garage. Water also blows in through some open sides.

A. Epoxy injection would be the best solution for crack filling.

Q. What should I use to paint my concrete garage floor? It has been painted before in a two pack finish.

A. Resene Aquapoxy is the only paint we recommend for garage floors. You will need to thoroughly sand the existing two pack paint and vacuum off the sanding dust before recoating.

Q. I am looking to repaint my metal garage door. Can I use Resene Galvo One galvanised iron primer to prime bare metal areas and can I then topcoat with Resene Hi-Glo gloss acrylic.

A. Yes you can use Resene Galvo One or Resene GP Metal Primer to prime prepared bare galvanised areas then apply two coats of Resene Hi-Glo.

Q. What paint product can you suggest that is resistant to solvents such as petrol for use on a workshop floor?

A. We have used Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring for this type of application.

Q. We have diamond grinded our concrete garage floor ready for painting. What product am I best to use?

A. We recommend Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring – see Data Sheet RA43 for details.

Q. We have a concrete garage floor that needs repainting. The condition is very good except where car tyres are when parked. Paint lifted exposes bare concrete. Please advise preparation and paint recommended.

A. Remove all of the existing floor coatings by diamond grinding then apply the Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring system.

Q. Looking to paint my concrete garage floor and need to know whether to use paint or epoxy.

A. We recommend Resene Aquapoxy for flooring for the topcoat. Prepare the concrete floor, seal with Resene ArmourBond and then apply three coats of Resene Aquapoxy for flooring.

Q. Do you have a clear coating that can be applied to internal timber staircases that will comply with slip resistance factors of the NZ Building Code? We don’t want a sand/grit impregnated product, would prefer clear finish.

A.The only way to achieve wet slip resistance is to add an aggregate to the paint and with clears this does detract from the appearance.

Q. Further to EQC repairs to our garage concrete slab, the scope allows for our current unpainted slab to be painted with a two pack system. Can you kindly provide me with your specification sheet for your product regarding installation requirements and slab preparation etc?

A. We recommend Resene Aquapoxy.