Wood Floors

On this one, I'm following the lead of my friend, Mandy, and letting the pictures tell the story. The lead-in? We tore the carpet out of our halls and family room and laid new wood floors to match the dining room and entry. Here's the process.

Plain, beige carpet gives way
to 2 1/4" red oak. The wood smells great and looks even better. Downside? The saws and dust it takes to get it on the floor.

But look at that gorgeous grain...

...and check out the final planks.

     And then the staining began....pee-eww! Now them's some fumes!

 

But check out the before...

...and the after. Chestnut. Charming.

Then came three coats of poly sealant, expertly mixed and slathered until...

it was gleaming like this. Shiny, but an advertisement for the gag reflex if ever I encountered one.

And here's the final product, minus our lovely faux-lamb's wool rug that we've since laid before the couch. 

We'd recommend our expert if you're local and ever need him: he's a true artisan and an all-around good guy.

Final thoughts? Well, wood floors, I've decided, are much like a good man: 

So durable.

So low-maintenance.

So gratifying.

Such a blessing.