Sanding Wooden Floorboards

Our house came with laminate in all the bedrooms and living rooms.  Underneath the laminate were the original pine floorboards.  We took the laminate up downstairs to fix the joists and put in underfloor insulation.  The laminate was stored in the garage or left in while the walls got plastered.  Since Niall and I didn't love the laminate and some of it got damaged, we decided to sand and finish the floorboards.  I'll tell you what I wish I would have done.  HIRE SOMEONE TO DO THIS. 

We replaced the damaged floorboards and relaid the floors downstairs.

Before we could sand the prep work took hours.  We need to make sure that ever nail, staple or other piece of metal was either removed to punched below the surface.  Otherwise it would rip the sanding belt.  It meant going over ever inch of the floor on hands and knees.  Twice.  And we still missed a few.  We had to make sure all the floorboards were secure.  I accidentally punctured a gas pipe below the floorboards upstairs while doing this by moving a nail 1 mm to the right without checking what was underneath the board.  (Luckily the gas was off and the plumbers found the hole when the gas was turned on and were able to repair it.) 

It is dirty, sweaty, painful, frustrating work.  My little brother and mom were visiting and helped.  I rented the sanders for a week.  Sanders are heavy, like 100+ pounds heavy.  The sawdust choked anyone involved in the process (even with super amazing dust masks) and the noise drove me crazy (even with ear protection.)  After one day my mom and brother sat me down and begged me to please hire someone to at least come and help, and then my little brother flew home.  We were so short on money that I didn't listen at first.  For two days I sanded and cried and sanded and tried to breathe through the dust (very difficult, even with the dust mask.)

I started with 24 grit sandpaper, which is the most expensive.  I kept ripping it (at about 3 pounds a sheet, it was an expensive lesson) because I didn't put it on the machine tight enough.  I finally figured it out and got sanding and then the real work began.  The larger sander was okay to manage, but the edger was a beast and I was not strong enough to sand for more than a few minutes at a time.  Short of giving birth it is the most physically demanding thing I've ever done.  After two days of sweat and tears (literally) Handyman Dave came to the rescue.

Together we worked on sanding the two downstairs living rooms and three bedrooms and a hallway upstairs.  I prayed a lot.   And somehow we manged to get all the rooms sanded with the roughest grade of paper.  Once we had sanded the rooms twice with the 24 grit, we went to 60 grit and things were so much easier.  By the time we did the finest grit it was a cinch (in comparison.)  But don't get me wrong.  There was so much dust.  I swept and vacuumed and swept and vacuumed and then did it again.  There was dust everywhere.

But the wood started to look really pretty!

Niall and I wanted the natural pine so we didn't use a stain.  For the finish, we used an eco-friendly poly oil called Osmo Polyx Oil.  The stuff is not cheap, but we had heard good things and I'm very sensitive to solvents, so it was our best option.  It was easy to use and the smell did not make me vomit.  We let the dust settle for a day before we started applying the finish.  We worked together and it took ages to get the floors clean enough to apply the oil.  This was the most rewarding part of the process by far.  Because we didn't have heating at the time it took AGES for the first coat to cure.  It was only supposed to take 12 hours, but it took 36.  I was in a panic because we were moving in a few days later and had to have the floors done. We had to stagger which floors we coated.  We did the first coat and then started having the skirting/baseboards reinstalled.  (Which in itself was a big job, but by this time we were racing to get the house done and I'd hired all the extra labor I could find.)  We used large brushes to apply the oil because we'd heard that roller didn't result in as nice of a finish.  But we ended up finding a few brush hairs so I'm not sure what the best application method is.

We did the second coat the day before we moved in.  Luckily we had heat by then so the second coat dried overnight.  We did a third layer in the back reception room because that's where we have the most traffic. 

It's now about six weeks since we've moved in and I love the floors (though I still wish we'd had someone else do them.)  We sweep or vacuum and then mop with soap and water to clean them.  We are still dealing with dust (I'm serious. I've spoken to a few others that sanded their floors and they said it takes months for the dust to really settle) and I'm a bit precious about scratches or marks on the floor.  Pine is soft so the floor can get damaged easily, but after 90 years there's already a lot of character so I'm trying to remember that a few more marks are fine. 

Overall Niall and I are both very pleased with how the exposed floorboards have turned out.  Little Margaret is crawling everywhere and the floors are smooth and easy for her to play on.  One of my favorite things is there are certain spots where the radiator pipes are just under the floorboards and when the heating is on those sports are extra warm.

For us to sand and finish the floors it took about eight solid days of work (10-12 hour days) and cost about 600 GBP to finish six rooms (two reception rooms, three bedrooms and the hallway.)  If I hadn't ripped so many pieces of the expensive sanding paper, hadn't had the handyman help and used something other than the eco friendly polyx oil then it would have been much less.  But seriously, I wish we would have paid more and had someone do the sanding for us!

Sander Rental and Supplies:  200 GBP from Travis Perkins, Screwfix and Rounded Development
Polyx Oil (3 cans):  210 GBP from Rounded Development

Cleaning Cupboard

We had this odd empty space at the end of our kitchen counter.  I think the previous owner had a freezer with a top opening lid.  We decided to build a storage cupboard to hold the vacuum and cleaning supplies.  But after all the home improvement we've done around here we needed a place to house some of the work materials as well.  Plus, it gave us a chance to use the other wardrobe door.

I drew up some plans (the photo of the paper is useful, right?) and had 18 mm (3/4 inch) plywood cut at the lumberyard.  I used the Kreg Jig, screws (I think 1 1/4 inch, maybe 1 1/2 inch) and wood glue to join the plywood.  Then the handyman adjusted the wardrobe door and attached it.

There are a few short shelves along the back of the cupboard for supplies.  But I wanted to leave a large enough space in the front for easy access to the vacuum, mop and brooms.

Refurbishing Antique Wood Furniture

We love antique wood furniture and are always on the lookout for old pieces.  Sometimes we find things that are in pretty good condition but need a little sprucing up.  I've found that using Boiled Linseed Oil and steel wool is an easy way to refresh old furniture.  I bought both at a hardware store ages ago and keep finding more uses for it.  Most recently I used the oil and steel wool on a little table we wanted to use for our telephones.

We loved the table overall, but it had scratches and water marks that wouldn't come off with a soap and water.

Once the wood had been cleaned and dried I used some fine steel wool (it's 000) with Boiled Linseed Oil.  The steel wool comes in a large roll, so I ripped off a piece and applied the linseed oil directly.  I then applied the oil along the grain.  It's kind of like putting lotion on dry skin; but it also cleans out grime that has gotten into the wood over time.  As a bonus it helps make scratches less apparent.

I usually leave the oil on the wood for a few hours to give it a chance to sink in.  One some pieces I've left it for more time, some less...and I can't tell a huge difference.  The Boiled Linseed Oil does have a strong smell so I like to use it in a well ventilated area.  On a large wardrobe it seemed to took weeks for the smell to go away completely, but on this small table the smell only lasted a few days.

I use a clean soft cotton cloth to wipe off all the remaining oil and am always so impressed at how clean and shiny it leaves the furniture!

I love such a simple process that leaves us with lovely old pieces!

Tall Cupboard

One day we were walking in an unfamiliar part of town.  There was a beat up wardrobe out on the street and I loved the doors.  I didn't have any tools on me to remove the doors and I thought MAYBE we could use the entire wardrobe.  So I asked a friend to pick it up for me.  It was a heavy wardrobe and he managed to put it in his van and deliver it to us so I gave the friend 20 pounds.  It turned out the wardrobe was in too poor of shape to save, but my pride was on the line.  I either had to admit to Niall I paid money for garbage or find some use for the wardrobe.

We have a funny alcove in our kitchen that is narrow but very high.  I didn't want the space to go to waste, but because of the odd shape I couldn't find anything that would work.  I modified the Single Locker plans from Ana White to design a tall cabinet.  And used one of the wardrobe doors.

My favorite thing about the wardrobe door is the handle.  Niall used Brasso to clean it up and I think it looks lovely.

I made the tall cupboard out of 18 mm (3/4 inch) plywood.  I tried cutting it myself with a circular saw, but the cuts weren't straight enough.   So I took the wood to a lumber yard and had it professionally cut.  I had to get a little help from a handyman to get the cupboard straight, attach the door and get it anchored to the wall.  (It's so tall it could easily topple!)

My second favorite thing about the door is the detailing at the top.  The veneer was so damaged that I didn't think I could strip the door (and I didn't have the patience) so we primed and painted the door to match our kitchen cupboards.

We primed the plywood with two coats and then used and Eco-Friendly eggshell in white to finish it.  To keep the door securely closed we used a long double sided magnet strip.  Now that funny alcove is being put to use.

Recycling Center

We had a shelving space at the end of our kitchen counter that felt like wasted space.  Do you see the shelves on the left next to the sink in the photo below? 

The shelves came out and Niall and I decided that's where the garbage should go.  But I wanted the garbage out of sight and out of reach of a very curious little girl. 


I decided to build a unit for our garbage and recycling.  I modified plans from Ana White for a recycling center and used Ron Hazleton's video on building a slide out trash bin for additional guidance.  I carefully drew up plans and had MDF cut at the lumber yard so the cuts would be straight.  However, my plans weren't spot on at the project was difficult.  One of the handymen helped me with this (or more like I helped him as he did the bulk of the work) and he told me it was a headache! What made it difficult was the slide out drawers with the tops cut for the plastic garbage liners.  Can you tell there's a plastic garbage can in there?

We painted it to match the kitchen cupboards and added the oak handles. Now it's finished and I never knew I could be so pleased with garbage.

Suspended Underfloor Insulation

Guys, we bought a house that needs so much work.  And I had this stupid idea that I could try doing some of the work myself.  So I started going all DIY and stopped taking pictures of food.  (I still cook but not quite as much.  I'll get back to it soon.)  So will you forgive me while I talk about some of the non-food things I've been trying to make?  The first is suspended underfloor insulation.

I love older homes, but the floors are so drafty (by design).  I wanted to make our period property warmer and insulated the floor with suspended insulation.  I am posting this just because I looked all over the internet for a step-by-step and  couldn't find it.  Maybe my search skills need serious help. 

We bought a terraced house from 1920 that has the typical build for a British house of the time.  I don't know the technical terms, but the house foundation is made of bricks.  There are supporting walls that make up the rooms, and then in between there rows of little brick walls. About a meter above the ground the mini-walls stop and long joists rest on top of the bricks.   The floor is made up of floorboards laid across the joists and then nailed in place.  You want to see a picture of me demonstrating, right?  All the floorboards in the room have been removed and I'm standing down on the dirt between the mini-walls.

In order to insulate (oh, and repair some rotten joists), we took up all the floorboards.  I did this by removing the baseboards (skirting) with a crowbar and then carefully prying up each of the boards.  I wanted to lay the floorboards again so I numbered them and removed them carefully. (Some still broke.)  Also-these are photos from two different rooms.

Once all the boards were removed, I got breathable roofing membrane (PermaVent-it was cheaper on Ebay than anywhere I could find locally) and used duct tape to tape the individual sheets together.  I wanted to make a breathable, hanging "net" for the insulation.  I taped the front and back of all the adjoining pieces.  I made it big enough to allow for about six inches of insulation between each joist.

The goal was to allow the joists to still be exposed to the air from the vents but then to have breathable insulation on top.  (So the floorboards would have the benefit of the air without the cold drafts!)

We rolled the breathable membrane over the joists.

We used batons and screws to fasten the membrane to the wall.  We also used some spray foam in some of the gaps to prevent thermal bridging.  We wanted to allow the ends of the joists to still breath (and not touch the wall), but also to make the membrane layer as tight as possible.

Once about half of the membrane was fastened (we wanted to still have wiggle room to make adjustments as we started putting the floorboards on) we put back the first floorboard.  (This is where I was so glad for the numbers!)  I used floorboard brads from Screwfix, they're about 2 1/2 inches long.  We hammered them in by hand. 

We put a second board on and then starting pushing the insulation (it looks like dirt, but really it's loose fill insulation made from recycled newspaper that I got from the EcoCentre) under the floorboards.  So what we have is dirt, then about 2 1/2 feet of air, then the membrane draped over the joists, six inches of insulation and the floorboards on top.

We kept adding more boards and adding more insulation. 

And then filled the insulation to the end of the room.

And hammered in the rest of the boards.

The floorboards have been down for about four months and it has made SUCH a difference. Our house has been under renovation with no heating all winter (don't worry, we're in a rental) but these rooms still felt warm.  It was a huge pain and because I'm so slow and I waited for the salvage yard to get the right replacement boards it took about two months.  But (as long as we did this right and the wood stays nice and dry) I am so glad we did it.  

Sturdy Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

Niall passed his driving test.  Yesterday he asked me to make some sugar cookies with passion fruit frosting.  I had made some soft sugar cookies over the weekend, but wanted to find a sturdier dough so I could take these to Niall's work to celebrate.  I ended up using a recipe from Cookie Madness.  I'm copying the recipe from Anna's blog below because her entry has a few recipes.  The only modifications I made were a little more almond extract and no shortening (I haven't been able to find a shortening in the UK that works in sugar cookies.)

The dough is unbelievably sturdy.  It has a half cup of cornstarch!  The cookies are still pretty soft and taste pretty good as well.  (I still prefer a softer dough if the cookies aren't traveling, but these cookies hold up well.) 

The frosting I made using a passion fruit reduction mixed with a swiss meringue buttercream frosting.  (1 part passion fruit puree with 1.25 parts butter cream.) I used a fresh passion fruit reduction to make a puree.  It was okay, but I wanted it to have more passion fruit flavor and tartness. I'm not in love with this frosting and don't plan to make it again, so I'm not posting it.  But it looks pretty!  (The yellow in the frosting comes naturally.)

Sturdy Cut-Our Sugar Cookie Dough
(adapted from “Big Fat Cookies"-from Cookie Madness)

2 3/4 c flour
1/2 c cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 c unsalted butter — at room temperature
1 c sugar
1 egg
2 tsps vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Cream the butter, shortening, and sugar until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the egg and extracts and mix until blended, about 1 minute. Add the flour mixture and stir until incorporated. If you have a Kitchen Aid, you can use the paddle attachment on low speed. Otherwise, you might have to use your hands – the dough seems dry at first (I thought I'd done something wrong), but comes together nicely.

Divide dough in half and form it into 2 smooth disks about 6 inches in diameter. Wrap disks in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.  I found the dough was very firm when it came out of the fridge.  It was nice to have it already in the disks; it made it easy to roll out and cut straight away.

Roll out dough to 3/16 inch thick. Cut out cookies and transfer to parchment lined (baking paper) baking sheets.  Bake until bottoms are lightly browned, about 14 minutes at 350 degrees F. Cool cookies on baking sheets for 5 minutes and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before frosting.