Painted Floor on Particleboard

I have a dining room that is never used, therefore it became a "catch-all". I hated it. I ripped up the carpet and intended to make it my "gal-cave". I love to paint and do some crafting and I knew it would be perfect to move my computer to also.

After the carpet came up and OUT....I found guess what?  Particleboard....OH NO!!

Now what?  My husband suggested "tiles, the stick down kind"....not exactly what I was thinking. I wanted a painted floor, and I knew the design I wanted right smack dab in the center of the floor.  Did I mention it was a small room?  I wanted my design to be front and center, not covered with tables, etc.

My husband:  "This is not gonna work. You can't make it look right."

Me:  "What???"

Now, I am one of these artistic type people that you do not tell you can't do something because I will die trying.

OK...first I filled the gaps in the particleboard with wood filler. (Actually the guy at Lowe's thought I was nuts too.)  When it dried I sanded the wood filler down. I looked around at the floor, all the little sticky-up, splinter-type pieces and I will admit that for a brief second I had my doubts as well, but...ONWARD AND UPWARD....  I picked a Walnut stain because I wanted it dark. I knew any imperfections would hide better and after I put up my curtains that would surely help.

OK...people....do your homework first.  I did not.  I took a paint roller and drowned the particleboard with dark walnut stain, and actually expected it to dry. I should have applied the stain then wiped it up with an old rag.....Day 4......still tacky.....day 5, still tacky....and I was using a big fan.  OK...gotta rethink this....

My ex used to use cat litter to dry up all the oil in his diesel shop....nooooo not gonna use my 4 cats litter.  What????   RICE.  Yep, I did.....I took 2 pounds of rice and dumped it out on the floor. Then my daughter and I proceeded to dance the day away mashing and crushing the rice into the floor.  Crazy?  I wondered.  

IT WORKED!  I vacuumed it all up and damp mopped it. Good.  then I began painting my design from free hand in the center of the floor. I used acrylic paints and it was soon dry. The polyurethane came next. I ended up putting 3 coats over the whole floor. It took about 4 days after the final coat to get dry enough to walk on. Probably took 2 days per coat.  But.....wow....I surprised myself. I love it, and I hope you will also...