How to Paint Porch Flooring

Vacuum the porch floor using the nozzle attachment to remove dirt and debris from every nook and cranny, especially the cracks between the boards.

Fill a bucket with 2 gallons of warm water and 1/2 cup TSP (trisodium phosphate) cleaner to perform basic floor washing. If the porch floor has mildew, fill the bucket with 3 quarts warm water, 4 cups chlorine bleach and 1 cup TSP.

Scrub the floor with the cleaning solution to remove all dirt and mildew. Rinse away the cleaning solution and dry the floor with towels. Allow the floor to dry completely before proceeding.

Sand the floor surface with the medium-grit sandpaper to remove any peeling paint and to create a dull painting surface. Wipe the floor with a damp cloth to remove sawdust and paint dust and allow the floor to dry completely.

Pour a latex primer into a paint tray. Load an angled cutting brush with primer and start applying primer to the far corner of the porch floor along the edges of the floor. Use the angled bristles to coat the outer perimeter of the floor where it meets the wall of the house, taking care not to paint the wall. Continue cutting in around the perimeter of the floor until you finish.

Apply the primer to the entire porch floor using the paint roller. Attach the extension handle to the paint roller to enable you to apply the paint from a standing position, if you desire. Allow the primer to dry completely -- follow the manufacturer's drying recommendations on the paint can label.

Pour the floor paint into the paint tray and cut in the edges of the floor with the angled brush using the same method you used for the primer. Apply the rest of the paint with the paint roller.

Allow the paint to dry according to the manufacturer's recommendations and apply a second coat if needed.