NewlyWoodwards

an unconventional home

Renovation progress report – week 42

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Floors were the name of the game this week.

And, oh my goodness, do they look good!

As in, dying and going to heaven good. (And not literally, because apparently the Rapture did not, in fact, happen last weekend. Phew! We wouldn’t have even had a chance to enjoy the house.)

Ryan ended up staining everything once and adding five coats of poly. We went with Miniwax Red Oak. We’re in good company, it’s the same color The Flipping Couple used. I decided on satin poly this time around (we’ve use semi-gloss at both other houses) and I LOVE the satin finish. (We used water-based, if you are curious.)

I have been interested in satin poly since Carrie at Brick City Love went with satin for their floors. (Which are gorgeous. Check them out.)

I think these old floors look better with a satin finish, because the semi-gloss sometimes highlights imperfections (at least in our experience). I also hope that they will wear better and show better throughout the years. I just have to say, that’s another example of how the practice simply makes perfect better. The first time we finished the floors, we had NO IDEA what we were doing. It was honestly a joke. We’re no experts, but this is the best that our floors have turned out.

Because I’m feeling that it’s time to see the progress (for me), I’m just going to make my way through the rooms that have finished floors.

Kitchen
We are officially ready to begin putting the kitchen cabinets together (and get trim up). (I thought Papa Bear was going to begin crying when he saw all those IKEA flat packed boxes. He volunteered to help before he understood that you really have to put everything together.)

From the beginning… this is probably the room with the most progress. From ripping out cabinets and walls, drywalling, adding lighting, painting, and now floors. (And pay attention to the floors in the top right photo.)

Better, right?



Be honest. The floors are totally rockin’, right?

Master bedroom
This is such a huge room. I love it. I love everything about it.

From the beginning… a previous owner really loved carpet adhesive. It was everywhere. With new lighting, paint and floors, it looks like a better version of itself, right?



Front bedroom
You may remember that I really didn’t like this color on the walls. But, I’m hating the grey less now with the floors refinished. But okay, I’m still repainting the room. And I can’t wait to get some trim up. But the floors… perfection.

From the beginning… more adhesive. Some crazy wacky nooks (that became part of the master closet). And, just a lot of ugliness.

Now… it’s just nice.



Hallway
My mom thinks this could be my “for realzies” reading nook area. What do you think?

From the beginning… it was just a strange little space, with a huge radiator and a little potential.

Stairway
The floors aren’t done here yet. But, we’re hoping this long weekend will see some more progress. Ryan’s been stripping the stairs with chemical stripper (nasty) and we are still ripping out nails. Fourth times a charm. Some of the nails are large enough to hold the house together.

There was so much carpet adhesive on these stairs. Horrible! But the fact that we can actually see wood tone is promising. And it’s come a long way in 42 weeks…

Plus, we’ve been painting the trim in the stairwell. Ryan has decided that this is a LOT more work than he realized. (He doesn’t usually paint.)

(Why, yes. That is the same shirt I wear every time I’m painting. Thanks for asking.)

And there’s a new light fixture at the bottom of the stairs. (It’s from Jenny and I’s jaunt to Guilded Salvage in Minneapolis.)

So, that’s this week in a giant-sized nutshell.

What do you think?

(Psst…The house list is updated. You can check it out here.)

Comments

  2. The floors look amazing! Wow.

    To be honest, I’d have given up/temporarily walked away by now… but you guys seem to pull out something bigger & better every week! Just beautiful!

  3. Everything is looking so good! Those floors are so beautiful. They make my fake laminate floors very jealous!

    Have a great holiday weekend! 🙂

  6. it’s looking amazing! And the walls in the stairwell look great painted white! I can’t wait to see it finished and decorated!!!!! Hope you have a great weekend!

  7. Wow! Wow! Wow!
    You are making so much progress. The floors look amazing, as does your stairwell!

  10. Wow – you are making great progress and the floors are stunning!! I’m loving the board and batten in the stairway, too. Beautiful!

  15. Everything looks so damn beautiful, I swear I would be camping on the floor :o). The satin on the floors looks AMAZING. Oh and I think your mom it totally onto something with that “reading nook” it looks like a wide enough space and would be awesome for you (you little book worm) XO.

  16. THOSE FLOORS!!!!! Wow. They look INCREDIBLE. So beautiful! You’re making me want to refinish our floors (again) and use satin. It’s gorgeous!

    And the finished floors totally take it from construction zone to house-in-progress, if that makes any sense. Love it!!

  20. Kim, your place is looking awesome! Great job on those floors, and I’m loving your stairway trim (for realzies)! 🙂
    I laughed when I saw your paint shirt. I have one of those too – in fact I’m wearing it right now.

    Keep up the great work! It’s all paying off.

  21. The floors were the 1st thing we changed about our house. Carpet is gross. The hard wood looks fab! But I am most in love with the wood detail on the walls of your staircase! LOVE!!! Your house has so much character already!!

  22. Dude. It’s A. MAZ. ING. truely. I so look forward to these posts every week. Your house is just to die for. And those floors? Love. ::sigh::