Some people may hear “glitter flooring” and imagine a bright, shiny, crazy mess. The truth is that glitter flooring can actually be as vibrant or subtle as you want it to be!
When you finish your glitter flooring, it may look overwhelming at first. But once you add your furniture and possibly even area rugs, the glitter is simply a nice accent to make a room more lively, chic, and colorful.
So, how do you create glitter floor paint? To create glitter floor paint, you can mix glitter additive into your paint, blow glitter onto wet paint, or mix glitter into a clear varnish or epoxy to apply over your paint.
How do you apply glitter floor paint? To apply glitter floor paint, you’ll want to make sure your surface is flat, clean, and dry. If you are using the method where you’ll be throwing glitter onto wet paint, work in small sections at a time and apply 2-3 layers of paint before using glitter. You’ll also want to seal it with varnish or epoxy.
Taking a drab concrete floor and turning it into a glittering masterpiece is no small project. This will take time and a bit of an investment to do right, but it’s worth it!
In this article, we’ll give you all the tips and tricks to help you be successful in turning your boring concrete or wood floors into a glittery dream.
Preparing Your Floor For Glitter Paint
Before you get started applying your glitter floor paint, the first step is to prepare your flooring. This step is absolutely vital and cannot be skipped, or you will waste a lot of time and money on a project that will wear down in a short period of time.
If you’re working with cement/concrete floors, it’s a must to have a smooth surface. Rough concrete needs to be smoothed down with a cement grinder before moving any further.
If you try to apply the glitter floor paint directly to rough cement flooring, the high parts of the floor will rub down with foot traffic while the lower points of the floor will stay nice. This leads to an uneven, messy look and hours of work for you to fix.
To smooth down concrete flooring, simply use a cement grinder as mentioned above, or use an epoxy coat sealer to fill in pits and gaps. We recommend the grinder for the best results.
Your floor also needs to be fully cleaned and completely dried before moving on to the next step. You don’t want dirt mixing with your paint, and the paint won’t bond well to wet flooring.
You may also need to brush on a paint primer before you are able to go in with your paint.
How To Create Glitter Floor Paint
There are three ways you can go about creating glitter flooring.
The first is to mix glitter additive right in with the paint. This is a viable option, but do not use craft glitter! Glitter additives are made specifically to mix in with your paint without becoming dull, settling to the bottom of your paint, or clumping.
Be aware that you will need a lot of glitter additive to cover a whole floor this way.
The second method is to lay down your paint first and use that as the adhesive for glitter. This way, you can control how much glitter you add to your floor and where, but it won’t be as even as mixing glitter additive into your paint, and you won’t be able to correct mistakes once it’s adhered. It is also the messiest method by far.
If you choose this method, it’s important to get a few coats down and let them dry first before adding your final coat and glitter. You’ll also want to seal your glitter in with some clear varnish or epoxy to avoid the glitter getting loose and spreading everywhere.
The third and possibly most effective way is to lay down your paint, let it dry first, and then mix glitter or glitter additive with a clear resin or epoxy and spread it evenly over your surface for a glittery finish. This way, the glitter won’t get lost in the color of your paint, won’t become cloudy or dull, and will offer the best shine.
Applying Glitter Floor Paint
To apply glitter floor paint using the second method listed above, the first thing you’ll do is verify that your floor is clean and dry.
For your paint color, we recommend choosing a color that mimics whatever color of glitter you’ve chosen. For example, if you’re using gold glitter, try golden yellow paint. If you’re using violet glitter, try violet paint. This will help cover any potential gaps in glitter. However, this largely depends on how much glitter coverage you want.
Some people prefer full coverage glimmer and shimmer, while others prefer a subtle twinkle, where the glitter is a bit more sparse and spaced out. For the latter, we recommend a fine and light silver, white, or colorless glitter that will catch the light without looking like dark dots of color when not illuminated.
You can even choose a dark color like black or navy blue and add light glitter for a star-like effect. Just remember to paint the room in small sections at a time so that you can apply the glitter to the wet paint as you go.
Do not throw the glitter sideways from your hand, as this can result in streaks and uneven coverage. Instead, toss the glitter upwards into the air and let it fall onto the floor. You will need to do this several times to get the right coverage.
When done with one section, paint another section and toss up the glitter again. Repeat this process throughout the room and don’t forget about sealing it when you’re done!
Sealing Your Glitter Floor Paint
Prior to sealing your floor, you will need to do a sweep to ensure there are no loose glitter grains. When your paint has dried, simply take a soft brush and sweep the extra glitter into a pile to dispose of using a dustpan.
If you notice open areas once you’ve swept away the extra glitter, simply apply new paint to the open area and apply some of your loose glitter to the area.
Sometimes, there are too many open spots to try and cover individually. If this is the case, simply mix in the glitter with some of your sealant for the first few layers. This will not only help patch the spotty glitter coverage, but also in the glitter containment process.
You will likely need multiple layers of sealant to achieve the solid coverage you want with an even, flat surface. Follow the instructions on your chosen sealant to achieve the best results.
The type of sealant you purchase will depend on your type of flooring. We recommend discussing your project with a professional to ensure maximum success for your project.
Types Of Glitter Floors
1. Glitter Epoxy Floor
When creating a glitter epoxy floor, it’s easiest to simply mix in your glitter with your epoxy. This is recommended rather than the method of painting and tossing the glitter because of the nature of epoxy.
There are certain types of glitter that work best with epoxy, and glitter additive is one. Be sure to read the labels on your epoxy and your glitter to verify their compatibility. Before applying multiple layers of epoxy, be sure to sand in between each layer for smooth, clean results.
2. Glitter Concrete Floor
As mentioned above, when working with a concrete floor, it’s absolutely vital to smooth it out prior to applying the paint and glitter.
You may think that a few spots here and there won’t matter because it will all flatten with the paint and sealant anyway, but you will end up with an uneven floor that wears down in patches over time.
Read the instructions on your paint before applying it directly to concrete. Some concrete requires a primer before the paint can be applied as well.
3. Glitter Wood Floor
Creating a glitter wood floor is different than concrete, as you most likely won’t want to paint your wood.
To achieve a subtle glittery, wooden look, you have two options, similar to the glitter paint process. You can lay down a clear sealer coat, toss your glitter, and add another sealer layer, or you can mix in the glitter with the sealer coat.
We recommend mixing the glitter in with the sealer coat when using it on a wooden floor. This will allow the wood to show through rather than completely covering the gorgeous wooden floors beneath.
When applying multiple layers of sealant, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Related Questions
Can I Do Accent Glitter Coverage Instead Of Full Floor Coverage?
Definitely! If you’d rather do simple accent glitter on your flooring instead of having a solid glitter floor, prep your surface the same as you would for the full coverage. Paint your floor a dark color for best results, then let the paint fully dry.
Once the paint is dry, mix in glitter to only part of your sealer. Be sure to mix it well and continue mixing as you work for the most even coverage. Apply your sealer according to its instructions.
If you have the desired amount of glitter from just one layer, great! If not, do one more glitter layer. Once you’ve achieved the desired amount of glitter coverage, seal with regular non-glittery sealant.
Can You Put Glitter In Floor Paint?
As mentioned above, you can, but we don’t recommend this as the best way to achieve glitter flooring. You don’t get great coverage, some glitters don’t mix well with paint, and you run the risk of losing the sparkle of the glitter. If you decide to try this method anyway, make sure to choose a glitter additive instead of craft glitter.
How Do You Evenly Spread Glitter?
This is where the toss method comes in, because tossing it will allow the glitter to fall naturally in a way that covers a wider surface area. Don’t throw sideways as this causes heavy streaks of glitter. Be warned that this is the messiest method and you’re likely to find glitter in your hair for weeks to come if you choose this method.
You will need more glitter than you think, so be sure to purchase extra. Tossing more is better, because it guarantees coverage and you can always sweep away what doesn’t stick.
Up Next: How To Make Glitter Wall Paint
