What a beautiful space. Bummer that the oven/stove is not completely functional. Last summer we stayed in an Airbnb that had a beautiful 1920’s unit. It was only partially functional too. 
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Anyone have any insights into finishing hardwood floors? I hate strong smells, I get headaches, so I want something low-VOC. Have any of you used water-based or natural finishes? I’m not sure what the builder’s floor guy typically uses or if I’m going to get pushback if I ask for an alternative.
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Back when I was a Decorative Painting Contractor ™, I worked on a big remodeling jobsite and the wood floor contractor used a water-based finish in a bathroom that I was doing the ceiling and walls in. Which meant that I could work within a few hours of him working. He got the first coat on, then the next morning I went in (covered the floor with rosin paper) and worked through the weekend before he came back. I do not remember strong smells, but it should be noted that at the time I was usually unable to smell acrylic and latex paints, etc.
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That’s awesome. Because, it’s winter and we can’t just leave the windows wide open and we’re living in the house during the remodel.
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I hope you get a good solution! An upside to water-based finishes is they don’t yellow over time, too.
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I’m just worried that it’s going to be a debacle like the concrete countertop sealer. The concrete guys “knew what they were doing” and screwed it all up royally because they, in fact, did not really know what they were doing. I’m trying to give them the benefit of the doubt, but when you ask questions and get back “he has a product he uses, I’ll tell him what color you want,” it’s not reassuring. Is it weird to ask for options? Like, there’s a lot of different ways to finish hardwood floors, why am I limited to one option?
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It’s not weird.
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They should be telling you your options.
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Arrrggh builders. Many of them are allergic to change. They just want to do what they always do and they most certainly don’t want to deal with “demanding women”.
Is there a reliable paint store in town? The kind that’s been there for a while and will give you solid advice, not just recommend the most expensive product? If that exists I’d go and ask there. Otherwise it’s google I’m afraid. I don’t know what kind of contracts you have with the builders but can you get and supply the product yourself or tell them to get a certain product? If they are anything like our guys they will moan and complain but admit it doesn’t look “too bad” when it’s done.
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Every contractor we’ve dealt with we’ve been able to pick specifics and everything was in writing. I’d be looking for new contractors if they wouldn’t answer my questions about/let me pick specifics for changes being made to my house.
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It’s a little tricky because the builder’s office manager is a friend of ours. But, the flooring guy is a subcontractor. He’ll be coming this week to look at the floors and I’ll address it with him directly then. I’ve done quite a bit of information gathering and I have a product that I think would be ideal. It’s nothing out of the ordinary, been around at least 10+ years, and looks very much like it is applied the same as almost any common sealer. The guys who tiled my shower were more than happy to use the grout I requested (of course, they also offered me a job after seeing the tile floor I laid), and the countertop guys now use the product that I introduced them to. Ugh, well, here’s hoping that my friend is more dismissive of my opinions than the guy doing the actual work.
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If the flooring contractor is not totally new or (totally old), I would think that they have a few options for their clients and also have worked on remodeling jobs where the clients are living in the structure. So hopefully your preparations will all lead to a positive interaction with them.
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Good news! The hardwood floor people were planning on using a water-based sealer and they, by sheer coincidence, also brought the color of stain that I liked best. Repair, sanding, and staining today, sealing tomorrow.
ETA: my floors are red oak, and they’re gorgeous after sanding.
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That is one worry off your list! Yay! I think maybe you willed it into their brains! ha Can’t wait to see the finished floors!
After our exterior remodel this year, we would like to replace the LVP in some of the rooms with hardwoods. Housing is so tight here that our house has already gone up in value so we will be able to use a home equity loan instead of our savings to do more work.
I love seeing everyone improving their homes to fit their families and lifestyle.
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Hardwood floors will be a nice upgrade! You’re changing so much - I can’t wait to see your before and afters.
It’s funny how much different the house is starting to feel. One, we’ve decluttered and packed up a lot, and it’s been great for my anxiety. But, the color change! Nearly everything in our home was warm-toned, and we’re changing over to a cool color palette for the whole main floor. The amber wood is gone, the cream walls are gone…and the light spilling out of those rooms feels so different.
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Our entire house was painted yellow inside…not pale yellow…YELLOW. We had everything painted cool blues and grays to brighten everything up as well. I was tickled when I saw your plans because we have similar tastes!
This is the color of my crafting room BEFORE…it did not make me happy at all!
The new color is a blue. When I get everything cleaned up, I’ll take some pics. As you can see, the floors are light gray LVP…great for the craft room and bathrooms, but I want darker hardwoods in the living and dining area. Unfortunately, LVP cannot be stained darker and I am not inclined to have them painted, although I have seen some fantastic results on the internet.
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That is quite the color. Not bad as an accent, but pretty overwhelming like that.
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We had a bit of termite damage (20+ years old, now) that we discovered when the carpet came up. That’s filled in now.
Second room:
Wet, to pop the grain (almost ready for stain!):
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It was the exact same color in every room and hallway…the first thing we did was have painters paint just so I could start unpacking. They also did the insides of the closets because I know from experience that once you put stuff in a closet, it never gets done! ha ha
Wow–they are moving at a fast pace! The grain of wood is so beautiful!
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