12.25.2012

Floored...

First off, hope you all had a wonderful holiday, spending time with your loved ones, etc! 

This is what my house looks like right now: I need to get the new toys upstairs- plenty time for that tomorrow!!


We made it!!!!

Refinishing hardwood floors?? Why! It's a piece of cake!!

For fun, here is the living/dining room on move-in day:



Here is the antsy-hubby less than ten minutes after we got our keys:


After carpet was ripped up we were left with this:




Scared yet?? Nah, I wasn't.

We got our paint on:




Things were looking a little better.
That gorgeous wood panelling wall? Eight coats later is this:



Then the floor was sanded:




Then the floor was stained with Minwax Jacobean.... and sealed with a water-based poly/low odor/fast drying sealer... 4 times!!!

We followed this tutorial.... {LOVED HER FLOORS!}

Totally got her simple instructions. 

Here is the floor, sans sealer-

{notice the front door?? Different color! Will cover that in a later post}

AND- after 4 coats of the sealer (before the quarter round was up & before the baseboard touchups)-

We are in-love!!!

Here is the written version of what we hubby did-after research!:

1) Prepped the floor (pulled staples, more staples and more staples)
2) Filled all holes with stainable wood filler (there was ALOT)
3) Taped off doorways with plastic 
4) Sanded around the edges with a palm sander-the big floor sander can't go to the edges
5) went to home depot and rented their floor sander- and bought several sheets of sanding paper- over buy and save what you don't end up using- they will take unused product back! We only wanted to have the sander for 24 hours (so we didn't have to pay for additional days)
6) Sanded and sanded the floor- along the grain with the big sander
7) Cleaned and returned the sander
8) Cleaned, vacuumed, swept the dust (!) out of the room
9) Applied Minwax pre-stain conditioner.
 10)Stained the floor.... as I read from the blog I used as my guide, don't apply then wipe off. It became very blotchy. We globbed it on very thick with a 3" paint brush- then let it dry (it was still pretty tacky after 2.5 days)
11) Sealant-We were in a huge time crunch- I knew I was working tons the following week, then it was Christmas- so I remember reading my inspiration, and she said she applied the sealer and the stain dried almost instantly. With the stain we used, it did! We were shocked. I was able to apply each coat directly  right after each other. Starting in one corner of the room, and finishing each layer on the other side. Letting myself rest for a couple minutes per coat. All with a 3" paint brush!! (I felt like I had done 2,500 squats the next few days!)

I took the photo above on a Sunday afternoon- which I finished sealing the night before at about 12:30am.

The very next day (Monday) My mom and I spent a few hours painting the newly installed quarter round trim and baseboard. We tried taping off around the floor (NOT A GOOD IDEA!!) My hard work came off in small sections where we had pressed the tape a little too hard. So needless to say, I broke out the sealer again, and had to go over my work.

After the taping/sealing/painting misshap, we decided to let the floor cure until this last weekend (about 5 days) before we put any furniture on it.
I decided to move the piano (!!!) a smidge and sure enough a little piece of sealer came up... So needless to say it must've needed a few more days than five to cure.  

If I ever do this type of floor work again, I would use the same products again in a heartbeat. Just wouldn't give myself a week and a half to have the room ready so we can throw a party!!!

Cost breakdown-

We figured after the rental of the equipment, initially purchasing supplies (the pre-stain conditioner, stain, wood filler, sealant...we exchanged extra stain and the conditioner for one more bottle of sealer), sand paper... we have about $250 invested in the floor.

Time?? About 30!

Our space square footage- 378 

Undecorated/Finished product-




This photo was taken this past Saturday afternoon {please excuse my slippers in the middle of the floor!}. On Sunday my mom came over and we hung stuff up on the walls and made the room a little more 'festive' for Christmas Eve! I will share those photos later- I need to take better photos than with my iPhone!


What's left in here? 
-window treatments of some kind...still thinking about it
-new hardware for the front door
-a hanging light/lamp...have a funky idea for above one of the side tables

Other than some minor tweaking, I am pretty happy with how the room turned out, and can't wait to get started on another space (after we decide what to tackle next!)






6 comments:

  1. Hello Jessica

    What marvelous results for your labour. Beautiful. I love the room.

    I love the light coming through your windows, would you consider roman blinds, perhaps made from linen?

    Continued joy during the Christmas season

    Helenxx

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  2. Jessica, Your floors looks wonderful. I am so glad it was finished in time for your Christmas. Smiles to you,Susie

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  3. Jessica- That turned out great! Your floors look beautiful and I am glad you got it done in time for Christmas- xo Diana

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  4. Wow! Amazing!!! I've got to show my hubby this! Great job ~ what a wonderful Xmas gift to yourselves!!! Happy Holidays!!

    ~Jessie

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  5. Jessica!
    It must be so amazing to live in such a wonderful space!
    It's beautiful! You and your hubby worked hard for this wonderful Christmas Day!

    I visited when you posted on Christmas night.
    I have to confess...I became emotional.
    All I could think was...answers prayers.
    I felt contentment. Please don't take offense to this.
    I read the post a couple times. It was my lullaby. I was here when I fell asleep in my Christmas clothes.

    Mr D and I will be in to dine soon! Will you email me with the best day's and times to catch you at the restaurant?

    I can't wait to see more photographs of your beautiful home.

    You are all... always in my thoughts and prayers!
    Happy New Year!
    ~Lynne
    w/L.

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  6. A little late in replying, but thank you gals for your sweet comments!! We are enjoying the 'fruits of our labors'

    Happy newer year to all!!!

    Xo
    Jessica

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I really enjoy reading your feedback!! Thank you very much for taking the time to write me a note!! xo ~*Jessica