This post is a little different from most. I am a person who likes lots of pictures and little bit of explanation. I don’t want to have to read a book or write a book when I’m blogging. I just want to be inspired by the eye candy. Every once in a while, though, there is a story that just needs to be shared.
So, we’ve established that I’m somewhat crazy when it comes to DIY and my floor refinishing experience is only further proof of that. Most people, even DIYers would probably call in a professional for something as big as refinishing the floors in four rooms and a hallway in their home, but not me. Some smarter DIYers who were going to tackle it themselves would do a lot of research or bring in a friend who has refinished floors before, but not me. I rented a sander, bought some stain and poly, got all of the supplies and plowed ahead, confident in my ability to “wing it.” (I sound like such a guy, right?)
My husband handled the sander like a champ and once the dust settled, I was ready to stain. Before I proceed with this story, let me set the stage for you. The time…March (of 2008.) Unpredictable weather that’s sunny and 65 one day and 40 and rainy the next. Of course, we had the latter for this project. The house…we had to seal off about 60% of our living area and move our one year old in our room for a couple of weeks. Me…five months pregnant. Now, I don’t think refinishing floors is normal “nesting” behavior, but I was done with having unfinished floors and no one would talk me out of it.
So, I got out my sheepskin mop and bucket of Dark Walnut stain. With the afore mentioned one year old contentedly watching Sesame Street, I applied the stain in thick, smooth strokes. It glistened and looked so rich and lovely. I was swelling with DIY pride…until it started to pool up and I realized I had applied way too much stain and couldn’t possibly walk across the floor to wipe it up. Maybe it will dry? I proceeded to the second room and hallway, certain it would all work out. With the weather cold and rainy, the windows had to be closed, so the house stunk and there was no moving air over the floors to assist the stain in drying.
I let the stain sit for a few hours and realized it would take months for it to dry. I really didn’t want 60% of my house sealed up through the birth of my second son, so I had to come up with a different plan. I really needed some sort of rigging that would’ve been employed by 007 or Jason Bourne, where I could hang about a foot above the floor and wipe it up without a trace of a footprint. Not having one of those handy divices on hand, I had to think of something I could use to disperse my weight. I tried moving around on a towel at first, but it just stuck to the floor. No go. Could I stand on a piece of cardboard? In a cardboard box? With no rigging system or a better idea, that’s what I proceeded to do. In case you’re about to call Protective Services, my husband was home at this point.
I stood (five months pregnant) in a Huggies box and shuffled and hopped around the room, using an old towel to sop up the extra stain. Just to ensure that I looked thoroughly ridiculous, I had grocery bags over my hands in the absence of latex gloves. If this does not sound difficult (or ridiculous) to you, I would challenge you to try it. Then, imagine doing it on a sticky floor with a decent sized belly hanging out in front of you for about an hour. As I shuffled around in that Huggies box, with my plastic grocery bag gloves, I wanted to cry and my only thought was, “I hate this. I just want this to be over.” I then had to repeat the entire absurd process for the office and hallway.
The rooms finally dried after a few days and then I applied three coats of poly…after I read directions, called the poly company, looked up refinishing tips online and all of those other things that smart DIYers do. Now, onto the living room and here is where I get really, really stupid. I mean painfully-scooting-around-in-a-Huggies-box-with-plastic-grocery-bag-gloves kind of stupid. I need to do the exact same thing I did in the other rooms to achieve the same depth of color, right? There’s no other way, right? So, knowing full well that an hour of shuffling around in a Huggies box sporting plastic grocery bag gloves was in my future, I applied a thick coat of stain on the floor and repeated the entire absurd process…again.
By the time I got to the Dining Room, my brain finally kicked in. Why don’t I apply the stain in rows, let it sit and then wipe it off as I go? Ding, ding, ding! So, I did the very last room as I should’ve done the other three. But, if I had done that, you would not have this story to show your husband as evidence that you are very sane and normal and he should be thankful to be married to you and not someone who would scoot around in a Huggies box wearing plastic grocery bag gloves while five months pregnant.
41 Responses
This story made me laugh! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
LOL, hey at least you have a good sense of humor about it.
This sounds like something I would do. Glad to know I am not alone in that sense! You made me laugh today, thanks!
At least you wound up with fantastic beautiful floors!
Hey, congratulations, I didn't realize you were expecting again. I would totally do this, too. The floors do look great!
love the story! your floors are beautiful
Oh man, mama, you ARE crazy. I cannot believe you did that box thing again and again! I would have just tried to re sand it I think? And pregnant too! I really really want to RE-finish the wood floors in my dining room and office but I'm a bit nervous. Especially after that story! But those floors do look amazing so I'm not sure if you just talking me OUT or IN to it!
LOL…
My son's renovating the kitchen (having someone else do the work!)and he's moved the family to a hotel for the floor refinish! Ha…I would have taken (would have HAD to take) your route and DYI. Gotta love the kids!
And may this be the same go getter kinda gal that has done three 'scheduled posts' a week on her blog alongside raising a very young family? (we have so much in common)
Some things never change, eh? 😉 Funny story!
Donna
Your home must have been built by the same folks that built ours. With our pine trim and wood floors I cannot convince my husband that this old house would look lighter if we did something to the pine. I am ready to get a sledge hammer when he goes to work.
I will say it again–you are an inspiration:)
At least you can laugh about it now! As I am reading this all I can think is "this sounds like something I would do".
you are not the only blogger i've read recently who DIY refinished hardwood floors while very pregnant:
http://omyfamilyblog.com/2009/04/dark-walnut/ =)
So funny and makes me feel less stupid with crazy things I've done! When we had our floors done, everyone suggested that we get out for a few days-no, not us-we decided to stay with 3 kids and sleep with all the furniture in the kitchen. We made it through 1 smelly, rainy night, with no "un-polyed" access to the bathroom! Thanks for the laugh!
~Nancy
So… funny, it's amazing the crazy things we do when pregnant.The floors are amazing as is everything in your house…so creative. Love your blog. Kym
OMG!! I could see you scooting around in that box with those plastic bags on your hands and I was laughing hysterically. Sorry! Couldn't help myself. I have to say though. Those floors are awesome!! One question? How many times did your husband say, "Are you sure we should do this?" LOL!!!
Hugs
SueAnn
That was too funny! I got the mental image. Worth every bit of work though.
Thats a good one! Firstly, it must have been worth it as the floors really do look fantastic! Secondly, you are not alone in the 'crazy DIY stunts' department, I will admit to plenty of insanity there..
🙂
You gave me the giggles…but the floor did turn out very nice!
xoxo
Jane
I definitely had a visual while reading that but oh what I would give for a picture!
Hilarious! Love the stubborn streak. Question – will you do a post on the ins and outs of sanding hardwoods? Do you remember what your total cost was for this project vs. what you would have spent on to hire out the job?
This project will be in our future at some point.
Thanks for the laugh.
What a story LOL!
Haha, that was hilarious! That sounds like something I would do! I can so relate!
I am so glad that I am not the only stubborn, silly DIY'er in this world….and I am glad that there were no photos, made the images in my head that much better….smiles.
Bless your little heart….this was the funniest story I've read lately…and I'm like EMOM…I'm glad there were no photos of all that!! haahhaa
Oh my gosh you made me laugh so hard I thought I was gonna wet my pants! I can totally picture the whole scenerio! As hubby would say it was a blonde moment!
I have to share with you my floor refinishing story!
We were renovating an 1856 farmhouse and I had not planned this but here is how it went….
I saw a stain on the dinning room floor so I got the rag and comet cleanser and scrubbed and scrubbed and it took the varnish off it came off super easy and the floor under looked wonderful so I continued until I had to whole room stripped of varnish, then as if that was not bad enough I got the hand sanding block and sanded the whole room by hand with a small 3"x4" block with sand paper on it!
Talk about a blonde moment! 🙂
The floor did turn out wonderful but I would highly recommend leaving that up to the professionals!
Giggles,
Dolly
come visit
How funny!! I can just see you now scooting around in the diaper box, trying to work on the floors. They turned out beautiful! Love & blessings from NC!
Very cute story and the results are fabulous of course!!
T
OMG, sounds so much like something I would do 😉
hahaha this sounds like something i'd get myself into too! thankfully, i'm already painfully aware of that and hired professionals to refinish our floors last fall. and that was still miserable enough! bravo to you for making it through that experience in one piece!
too bad this happened pre-blogging days. I would have loved to have seen a picture of that!!! But you are right, those floors look gorgeous, no need to start planning a move.
Hilarious! But wait. A question: The reason I've avoided refinishing our wood floors is because everyone says you can't live in the house while the poly is wet. It is toxic to breathe. I guess not? Did you live in the house during all the drying?
This may sound crazy but your story has inspired me that I can install unfinished wood floors and refinish them. If you could scoot around in a huggies box and get floors that beautiful, I can install and stain my own floors with hopefully similar success. Thanks for the inspiration.
April
lolz
thats too funny but i love this story thanks for sharing..
Floor Resurfacing Toronto
Hey,
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Great story! The floors look amazing. I'm 4 months pregnant with my 3rd and am researching how to refinish our floors on the cheap. Wish me luck!
I just read your harrowing tale of refinishing your floor as I have been pondering refinishing my own. I did them 20 years ago and they need doing again. My own tale was just about as frustrating as your own. My mom and dad came to help me as my husband was going to be out of town and wanted nothing to do with the project. We rented the equipment, began sanding and then, one by one, my two boys began throwing up with the stomach flu. My parents came down with it as well, leaving me to work the sanders and do all the finishing, as well as cleaning up the messes from the nasty stomach flu……I think that I may be talking myself out of refinishing the floors. 🙂
Do you mind if we quote/reference you sometime? We'll be re-blogging wood floor restoration info fairly regularly. Actually you have given a really nice article and I love to share it for more purposes.
wood floor restoration info
Wow that was strange. I just wrote an really long
comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t appear.
Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyhow, just wanted to say
superb blog!
Wow! Amazing. Thank you very much for sharing your blog. Keep it up.
Nice job! The process of hardwood floor refinishing is two-fold: sanding and refinishing. Before a floor is refinished, it must be sanded. Thanks for sharing this blog.