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Welcome back, friends! I am back with another thrifty before and after- everyone's favorite! Not long ago, I shared our entryway transformation (new wallpaper, furniture, wall decor, etc.) and the only thing that was still left to do was update the u-g-l-y floor tile. I figured it would be a project that we would take on a few years down the road because new flooring isn't cheap, and it wasn't a huge priority either. But once the new wallpaper was hung the flooring stood out so much more than before and I just couldn't take it anymore... so I went the thrifty route. I painted it.
I had heard of people painting flooring before but was always a bit skeptical for obvious reasons and our high traffic entryway definitely worried me as well- so, I did some research, read A TON of reviews, and finally settled on the Rustoleum Home "Floor Coating" Kit. This paint kit has great reviews and is under $40! Muchhh more affordable than new tile work, and I also love that it comes in a wide variety of color options.
Note: if you have a specific color in mind that they don't offer, the white paint is tintable which is another great selling point. 
I will also note: I went into this with the mind set that if for some reason this DIY project is a flop down the road, we can always go with plan a- and spend the money on new flooring... but for now, this is an easy and quick fix.
Our flooring before was a fugly brown and tan ceramic tile, and I liked the idea of painting it dark because not only would it hide the dirt, but I figured it would also help hide any imperfections. I went with the 'charcoal gray' color option in the semi-gloss finish (they also offer a matte finish).
Now if I am being honest, I don't feel like I can offer a complete review on the product just yet, seeing as I don't know how well it will hold up in the future- but I will say this:
I followed the instructions very carefully. I'm talking, read them and then reread them about five times before finally pulling the trigger. I vacuumed, mopped, and then used the included floor cleaner and made sure to wipe down each and every inch of our entryway. I also purchased the exact type of paint rollers that are recommended under the product description (everything I used will be linked at the end of this post).
Once the floor was clean and dry, I used painter's tape to protect our molding and then went around and painted all of the edges using the gray base coat and an angled brush. I then used the 3/8 inch nap roller to apply the base coat. Rustoleum claims that only 1 coat is needed most of the time, but I did end up having to apply a second coat for even coverage.
After letting the gray base coat dry for over 24 hours, I then used the 1/4 inch nap roller to apply the clear top coat. The instructions do say that 24 hours after applying the top coat, you can resume light foot traffic but that the floor system is not fully cured for at least 7 days. Now, in my experience I have always found it better to wait even longer than the recommended time when it comes to painting anything, so we waited a few days for foot traffic and about 10 days before putting the furniture back.
I dropped a small metal basket on the flooring around day 5 and it chipped a small spot of paint off, which had me pretty worried but I am hoping it is only because it was not fully cured yet. (I touched up the tiny chip marks right away). 
It looks black here because it is still wet- plus not great lighting!
BEFORE
AFTER
Utility mat linked at end of post.
Pretty dramatic difference for a great price, right? Fingers crossed it holds up well, but so far, I LOVE IT. Let me know what you guys think and be sure to check out all of the links below!
Striped door mat linked here
Entryway makeover linked here
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