DIY Painting Black & White Checkered Floors

Sand the floor with fine sandpaper to roughen the surface so the new paint will adhere.

Clean the floor by sweeping, mopping and rinsing. Wait for the floor to dry before proceeding.

Coat the floor with a thin layer of primer and wait for the primer to dry completely. For many primers, this is only one to two hours.

Repeat Step 3 if the original floor is a medium or dark color that could show through the white portion of the checkerboard pattern.

Paint the entire floor white by applying one thin coat of paint, allowing it to dry for three to four hours and applying a second thin coat of paint. Wait at least three to four hours for the paint to dry, although it is better to wait a full 24 hours to make sure the painter's tape will not damage the first coat of paint.

Measure and mark out a checkerboard pattern using either a carpenter's square or a yardstick. Make sure each square is the same size. Use a pencil to lightly mark the lines.

Place a small piece of painter's tape in the center of each square that will remain white. This should be every other square in each row, unless you are creating a different pattern. The color of the squares should also alternate in each row so each white square is surrounded by black squares and each black square is surrounded by white squares.

Tape off the lines surrounding the squares that will be painted black, using painter's tape. Make sure the edge of the tape is placed along the outside edges of the lines and overlaps on the white squares instead of overlapping into the black squares.

Paint the squares that have been taped off with one thin coat of black paint, wait for it to dry, and apply a second coat of black paint. A third coat may be necessary to achieve a consistent, finished look.

Remove the painter's tape before the black paint dries completely.