BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Home Improvement refinishing hardwood floors

Thanks for letting me know! And yes, be thankful the po didn't muddle it up too much, it could have been far worse! Count yourself lucky on that one.

Take care and Good Luck with your projects.

I talked my husband into pulling up the carpet in the living room on Sunday. He must've been really bored! The carpet had been there since the early 80s and was disgusting. We only did the living room as we ran out of day and it took quite a while to pull up all the carpet staples. Next time we will pull up the laminate. There is old square tiles that I got into and they have a resin like substance under them and I am hoping this has not ruined the boards. There seems to be a thin sheet of wood under the old square tile further back so I am hoping that the rest of the old squares are resting on this. Here is a photo but it doesn't really show the thin wood under the squares. flooring
Then there is a layer of linoleum and then the wood laminate. I am really anxious to get to pulling the floor up but will be gone this weekend so maybe next weekend we can get to that.

more photos of floor

My hubby called a floor refinisher and they wanted $1200 a room. We have 4 rooms downstairs and 2 upstairs and I told him he would just have to bear with me because I could spend that $7200 a lot better!

Time has a way of passing doesn't it. Earlier this week I finally got the flooring up in the dining room:

First look

Last piece of floor to go

All done for that day

All right guys...today is the big day! We have packed everything and moved the furniture out. Am on my way to the rental store to get the drum sander....I am excited!

Ok guys...it is day 5 and we are doing a little sanding here and there. Taking the edge sander back here in a bit. After the touch up sanding we will be ready for stain....I don't think this will ever be done!

Floor photos

The key to most successful home improvement projects is preparation and this job is certainly no exception. Take the time to get the surface cleaned and sanded properly (here's where the patience part comes in):

1. Remove everything from the room. Furniture, window treatments and wall hangings all have to go. If the floor extends into a closet, remove all the closet contents.


2. Cover the light fixture(s). A trash bag over the fixture works fine. Secure it with masking tape.


3. Remove shoe moulding. It's not necessary to remove baseboards unless you plan to replace them.

4. Tape every opening � electrical outlets, light switches and vent ducts especially. Close off the room from the rest of the house by sealing the door with masking tape or hanging plastic sheeting over the door opening.


5. Vacuum the floor before sanding to remove dirt and debris.

I gotta agree with you on this one for sure! The prep work and cleaning up all that dust takes forever! But after the floors are done it is so beautiful that you don't care.