I'm redoing my covered porch floor. It's aged and chipped and
peeling. I bought some latex porch & floor enamel and had it tinted.
I've used it to prime the boards that need to be replaced already.
The problem is that this enamel seems to have no gloss to it at all.
I was under the impression when I bought it that all enamels had some
gloss. Should I go back and have them add gloss to it? Another
solution (in my mind) would be to coat the porch with some water-based
semi-gloss polyurethane. I already have some of that from something
else. Should I seal it with something either way? Would polyurethane
yellow over time? What other drawbacks might there be to coating with
polyurethane? What is the best thing to use for a high traffic
painted floor like that?

Thanks for any advice in advance!

~e.

On 23 May 2007 18:19:15 -0700, Effty wrote:

I'm redoing my covered porch floor. It's aged and chipped and
peeling. I bought some latex porch & floor enamel and had it tinted.
I've used it to prime the boards that need to be replaced already.
The problem is that this enamel seems to have no gloss to it at all.

Latex floor paints are almost always satin finish.

I was under the impression when I bought it that all enamels had some
gloss. Should I go back and have them add gloss to it?

Can't be done.

Another
solution (in my mind) would be to coat the porch with some water-based
semi-gloss polyurethane. I already have some of that from something
else. Should I seal it with something either way?

No, it should be fine the way it is.

Would polyurethane
yellow over time?

Yes

What other drawbacks might there be to coating with
polyurethane? What is the best thing to use for a high traffic
painted floor like that?

Why don't you just leave it the way it is. When it wears out, or if you
insist on doing something now, repaint it with high gloss polyurethane
floor enamel.

Thanks for any advice in advance!

~e.

On May 23, 9:42 pm, Karl S wrote:

Latex floor paints are almost always satin finish.

Hmmm... I did not realize that. It's latex floor and porch enamel.

The online dictionary here bears out my thinking. i.e., enamel =

#3. A coating that dries to a hard glossy finish: nail enamel.
#4. A paint that dries to a hard glossy finish.

I feel a bit cheated because this stuff has really no gloss
whatsoever. I kinda thought all floor paints would be glossy and
slick by design. A non-glossy floor paint is a new idea to me.
Weird.

Why don't you just leave it the way it is. When it wears out, or if you
insist on doing something now, repaint it with high gloss polyurethane
floor enamel.

Well, I matched the color to what was there originally. It's very
light. It's on a busy street and it gets very dirty very quickly. I
need something very easy to sweep, something that won't hold onto the
dirt. This is, like, powder finish. I can tell it's gonna trap dirt.

The wood seems to like this stuff. I can see how it would at least
make a brilliant primer. I will probably use this up and get
something high gloss for a topcoat.

~e.