Flooring is Almost Done!

Kim built a fire in the fireplace today even though the temperature got up to 73. It was about 60 degrees in the house this morning and we're trying to keep it warmer for the wood flooring. It's actually much warmer over there than in the house we're living in.

Too bad we can't just sit and enjoy it!!!

flooring in dining room

and the rest of the kitchen

Kim (Mr. Frugal) used the blue tape off the floor and the boxes the flooring came in to tape down walkways in the house.

more walkways

master bedroom done

The cubby bench wouldn't come out after the door trim was installed so we had to get creative for them to lay the floor under it.

...and it's back in place just waiting on it's top and the trim

Once the kitchen floor was in, we could reset the island and the countertops could be installed. 

island sink

main sink

close-up of countertop

Without going into great detail, we sent the bathroom countertops and the laundry countertops back to the shop. Let's just say they needed a little more work. Maybe the third time's a charm.

All the downstairs flooring was done (except for transition trim) when they left on Friday. 

Kim scraped and sanded all the upstairs floors preparing them for floor installation.

He was down on his hands and knees for days.

felt underlayment

game room floor almost done

getting the sewing room ready

think we used a few boxes and a bit of blue tape??? At least the floor will be protected!

I spent the day cleaning tile and sealing grout. Fun!!!

All the flooring and tilework will be completed this week. Then we just need to install shower doors, remaining countertops, faucets, ceiling fans and a thousand other little details before we move in.

Wood Flooring

Daddy's surgery went well and he was following Dr's orders so I got home Sunday afternoon.

I laid out the tile for the fireplace before I left for Lubbock.

This is what it looked like when I got home. 

And with the fireplace front now installed. Yea!!!

Kim started putting the cabinet knobs on in the kitchen while I was gone.

guest bath floor is complete

master bath floor is done

even in the linen closet

the freestanding tub will sit under the window

laundry room floor

close-up of floor -  I love it!

starting the wood flooring

end of day one wood flooring

day two flooring installation

finished for the day

He should finish the kitchen floor tomorrow so we can get the island back in place and the countertops installed Thursday or Friday.

I've been finishing up the painting and lacquering upstairs. I could spend a week touching up areas that the painters left undone or messy but they are coming back when the flooring is done so I will leave it to them. We're getting closer!!!

Flooring Begins

It's a good thing I made no promises about updating the blog since it's now been almost a week. I ran into a few problems with the upstairs cabinet finishing. The bathroom vanity went fairly smooth but the bunk room cabinets and I didn't get along so well. Before I go into that, the flooring contractor arrived about noon yesterday. Unfortunately, he had to leave at 2 for a dental appointment so he only got a couple of hours in. 

He started in the master bath.

checking the pattern

...and this was the result of two hours work. I was a bit concerned about so much pattern but I like it!

Now for the upstairs cabinets:

First step was to distress the cabinet. I used an old athletic sock with a handfull of nails. Then I started banging away on the cabinet. That was followed by a coat of Tomato Red Milkpaint. 

after the application of Tomato Red Milkpain

and with the antiquing glaze applied

When I was distressing the bunk room cabinets, I must have been really working out my aggression because I broke one of the cabinet doors. Upon closer inspection, it turns out I had broken two doors and split two more. I had to take them back to the cabinet maker so he can make some new ones. I won't tell you what he said when he saw me walking in with the broken doors. We discussed that I should perhaps distress the wood before he puts them together or at least take the hinges off so that the weakest point of the doors is protected. He said he would get some more pine and get new doors made this week. Meanwhile, I painted, antiqued and lacquered the rest of the cabinets in the bunk and game rooms.

Kim had to re-drill one of the holes for the plumbing

inside of the cabinet doors

after milkpaint and glaze

after the final step - lacquer (both inside and out) I may have lost a few brain cells applying the lacquer (so many VOCs) even with all windows open and a fan on full speed. In case you're wondering, the countertop will go all the way across to the wall and a mini-fridge will sit under that part. The opening on the bottom right of the top cabinet is for the microwave.

close-up of some of the distressing

I'm off to Lubbock today because Daddy is having surgery early in the morning. Pray for him that all goes well and he will have a speedy recovery.