Project #1: We want our floor back
Here it is, the much anticipated Project #1: refinishing the hardwood floors. The house started it's life with hardwoods throughout (except maybe kitchen and bath, haven't been able to check those because of current linoleum). At some point, the unfortunate decision was made to paint all the hardwoods white ... and later to carpet over the white hardwoods (laminate floor in the sunroom). We're hoping there wasn't a major reason for doing so (e.g. pet stains) ... we'd like to get back to the original hardwood. Whatever it takes, we'd like to do it now because we don't need to move until the end of the year ... so we should do as many messy/smelly repairs now before we have to live in our repairs 24/7.We began pulling up the carpet in the dining and living room Monday night. I've posted some "before" shots on Flickr. With the carpet and pad gone, we were left with lots and lots of staples and stupid annoying tack strips. So, we began the tedious process of removing all those little buggers. A few blisters and sore knees later, we finished the dining room and about half of the living room by Tuesday night. Here is the dining room underway on Monday night:
Uncovering the floor brings us closer to needing to make a decision I've been pondering for a few weeks: how to refinish the floors? Do we use paint stripper to get the paint off, or sand the entire floors down? Neither option is necessarily cheap or easy. The original plan was that I would figure out how to use a big drum sander and do it myself - something i've wanted to learn how to do anyway. After further research and the discovery that the first floor hardwood is only 3/8" thick (upstairs is 5/8" - 3/4") makes me wonder if that's the best idea. An amateur working on thin hardwood can create a mess. So, my current thought is to hire a pro to do the first floor (sanding that is, we would finish it). They have better equipment (heavier - which is key) and the experience to work on a thin hardwood. Then i will maybe tackle the upstairs on my own where there is a little more room for error (i.e. more wood). I am meeting with a contractor (recommended by a client) on Weds. morning to see what he thinks and get a quote for some of the work. Hopefully that meeting will result in some good direction on how to proceed. A further wrinkle was added today when i spoke with another contractor to possibly get a second quote. He's not sure he believes me that it's 3/8" tongue and groove from 1915. He didn't think they made T&G back then. So maybe it's not the original hardwood?? How's that for a dramatic plot twist ... isn't this more exciting than Desperate Housewives?
Most of the paint comes off really easy ... so we are able to catch a glimpse of what used to be ... and hopefully what is to come:
Well, there it is, Project #1 is underway. We'll keep you posted of our progress/new developments.
-crm
posted by Chris and Chrissy Miller @ 10:36 PM
1 Comments:
I think it is so smart to do as much as possible before you move in. How I do hate living in the midst of a remodel!!! And I'm sure we'll never be completely done remodelling! Oh, and hire a professional to do the nasty stuff!
deb--who has frequently wished half-way through a project that she'd hired a professional
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