Twin Bed Frame with Storage from IKEA (Review)

A while ago, Fred posted about my sisters’ house fire, last October 31st.  Since that event, Amy (the homeowner) has lived at Jocie’s and Ethan’s and Lori has lived with us.   Well, nine months later, the reconstruction is still not complete, but we have other friends coming to stay with us while they find housing in the area.  Realizing we had a double-booking for our guestroom in August, we decided to clear out our office (4th bedroom) and give that to Lori, so she could start buying her replacement furniture… thus making the actual guestroom available for the guests who were hoping the bed was included.

So for the last week or so, I’ve watched Lori slave over a hot Internet, looking for furniture that was inexpensive but functional, suitable to her minimalist tastes, and available on short notice.  She settled on a handful of top contenders, visited them in stores, and finalized on the IKEA ODDA twin, a platform bed with a flip-up frame and a storage compartment underneath.  Price: $199 plus tax.

After a second trip to IKEA – this one involving me with my minivan – she brought it home and spent the afternoon assembling it.  For what it cost, she made an excellent choice.

IKEA ODDA Twin Platform Bed

The bed is really quite sturdy.  The only parts that seem a little flimsy are the wooden cross-supports (shown on the right).  They’re joined (glued) slats, not solid pieces.  But they will probably hold up just fine since there are 15 of them sharing the weight; and if one did need to be replaced, it would be very easy and inexpensive to do so.

The hinges on both sides hold the bed in the open position, and there are two straps on the frame that allow you to open and close the storage unit easily and gradually (so you’re not slamming it or pinching your fingers).  The entire storage unit is self-contained – ie. it has a “floor” - and thus protects stored items from dust, bugs and whatever else.

Lori opted to buy her mattress elsewhere, and the unintentional (I’m sure) benefit to this bed’s design is that it does not require a box spring.  The top-frame and cross bars support the mattress adequately on their own.

Of course, the lack of boxspring in addition to the already-low-profile of this bed means that the whole thing, bedding and all, stands only 18″ high.  So this would not be the best bed for an in-law suite (unless you WANTED your mother-in-law to get stuck there – haha!).  But, it is a terrific toddler-bed-alternative for a young child.  No way she’d get hurt even if she did roll off accidentally.  You wouldn’t have to replace it till she hit her teens (and not even then, if she stayed as small as my sister still is).  And you could store all her out-of-season or “she’ll-grow-into-them” clothes right there in the bottom.

One caveat: you would want to make sure your child understood that it would not be funny to try to close it while someone was leaning in to retrieve something from storage.  I’ve already had that conversation with our two boys, just so I know they’re clear.  Aside from that safety item, it’s a great bed for a kid.

In a guestroom, it could easily take the place of a day-bed, with a few large pillows added along the wall for the “sofa” look.  And extra blankets, linens, and the like fit nicely inside.

As Lori has discovered, the single-unit storage area gives a great deal of versatility for what she can store, since she’s not confined to the measurements of dresser drawers.  And while her dresser hasn’t arrived yet, she’s managed to tuck away most of her things without it.

So, yes, well worth the price she paid.  And if IKEA is still stocking this bed by the time our next child needs one, it’s at the top of my list!

Removing Yellowjacket Wasp Nests

Yellowjackets are aggressive, predatory wasps. They are smaller than bees and usually have black and yellow coloring. Yellowjackets prey on insects but will also forage for sweets and meats. They will setup nests underground, and other protected areas like attics, sheds and hollow walls. Nests can get as large as a basketball but are commonly abandoned for more protected places during winter.

Ways to Control Yellowjacket Populations

There are several ways to remove Yellowjackets or encourage them to go elsewhere. But be careful as these wasps have painful stingers.

• Trash. Keep trash containers closed and make sure to empty/clean them regularly. No food source means no Yellowjackets.

• Spray Insecticide. This tip goes along with removing trash. The insecticide will kill off potential food sources encourage the Yellowjackets to look somewhere else.

• Remove standing water. Standing water will attract insects and then Yellowjackets will follow.

• Wasp Killer Spray. Locate the nest during the day and note the different entry points. Spray the nest and entry points at night when all members will be inside the nest (plus they can’t see as well). Use a wasp killer that workers will bring back to the queen. When the queen dies, so will the nest. Find a spray with some range. The extra distance keeps you farther away from the wasps. Remember that wasp killer can have damaging effects to people, animals and even grass.

• Yellowjacket Traps. Traps provide a pesticide free way of removing yellow jackets. Take 5 gallon bucket and fill with soapy water. Hang bait several inches above the water. Enclose the trap with a wide mesh to keep other animals out. The Yellowjackets will be attracted by the bait but fall into the soapy water as they attempt to fly off. Choice of bait is important. Use a high protein bait like canned white chicken meat in the spring and early summer. Use a high sugar bait like orange soda later in the summer.

Benefits of Yellowjackets

Don’t hate on Yellowjackets. If the nest is located somewhere remote (people and pets won’t disturb), leave them alone. Yellowjackets feed caterpillars, beetles, flies and grubs to their young. And play a role in pollinating plants.

The Great Sunflower Project

I wanted to spread the word about The Great Sunflower Project and this seems like a good spot. You may have heard that bees are disappearing and nobody knows why. This is alarming because they are the principal pollinator for many crops. Well if you want to help and get free sunflower seeds, check out The Great Sunflower Project. Sign up and they send you free seeds. All you have to do is enter some data online. Check out their site for more information.

What do you think? How do you remove wasps? Will you participate in The Great Sunflower Project?

Image of Yellowjacket courtesy of Radu P

How to Change the Air Filter in a Lawnmower (Briggs & Stratton Engines)

Performing full lawnmower maintenance at least once a year is essential to keep your mower in top running condition.  This article is the second in a series of lawnmower maintenance articles that together cover complete lawnmower care.  While this article focuses on changing the air filter in a push lawnmower, the basic principles can be applied to a riding mower and all other 4-cycle gas powered yard equipment (including such things as a pressure washer or chipper shredder, for instance).

We’re performing maintenance on both a Craftsman 6.5 horsepower (HP) self-propelled mower, and a lighter duty 4.5 HP Murray mower.  Both push mowers are powered by Briggs & Stratton 4-cycle engines.

Changing the air filter in a lawn mower is easy for even the most novice DIYer and is the most basic thing you can do to improve your mower’s fuel efficiency.  Aside from the time required for a trip to the store to buy the replacement part, the entire operation can be completed in under 10 minutes.  One note before we begin:  These instructions are for general knowledge only and are not endorsed by the manufacturer.  You should always follow the maintenance instructions that were included with your lawnmower.

How to Change a Lawnmower Air Filter

Step 1: Locate the air filter.  On our Craftsman mower, the filter is located under a black plastic cover on the side of the engine, secured by a single flat-head screw to the crankcase [see picture to the right].  On the Murray, the filter is encased in a black plastic dish and cover setup, with a single screw that runs down into the crank case [not shown].

Step 2: Unscrew the filter cover and determine whether the air filter needs to be replaced.  Our Craftsman lawnmower uses a standard paper type filter (shown on the left in the picture below)  You can see from the picture that it is in dire need of replacement.  On the Murray, the filter is a sponge material (shown on the right in the picture below).  The sponge is caked with oil and should be cleaned or replaced.

Step 3: Purchase a matching filter or clean the filter for re-use.

Standard paper filters should always be replaced with a new one.  You can find the right filter for your lawnmower at most home improvement and hardware stores.  Remember that even if your lawnmower is a store brand, the engine is likely a known brand (e.g., Briggs and Stratton).  If you can’t find the right parts searching by lawnmower model number, try using the engine brand and model #.

If a sponge filter is dirty but in otherwise good shape, it can be cleaned using a mild grease cutting detergent.  Soak the sponge in warm soapy water and rub until clean.  Some authors have suggested running the sponge filter through the dishwasher.  In our opinion, this is overkill; and it runs the risk of getting lawnmower oil on your dishes and flatware!  The picture to the right shows our Murray sponge air filter and its compartment case cleaned up using dawn dish detergent.  Rinse thoroughly, and allow the sponge to dry completely before reinstalling.

Step 4: Clean the area around the air filter chamber and ensure no debris enters the engine.  It is not necessary to get the area totally clean, simply wiping with a dry cloth is sufficient.  Ensure debris does not enter the engine as this could damage internal parts.

Step 5: Reseat the air filter in its original compartment, ensuring it is seated corrected (paper air filters are designed to for optimal air flow in only one direction).

Step 6: Start the engine.  The engine should be running at least as smooth as it was before the filter change.  If something doesn’t sound right, check the filter to ensure it is seated properly.

—

That concludes the second article in our lawnmower maintenance series.  Cheers to a healthy lawn… and lawn mower!

What do you think? Is your lawnmower’s air filter overdue for a change?

How to Frame with Steel (Metal) Studs

My brother and his wife are right in the middle of renovating their kitchen. They are at the framing and drywalling step right now and I got a chance to help out installing steel studs.

Steel studs make a great alternative to wood. They have some big benefits (that I’ll write about later) and are easy to install. This post covers the basics of how to install steel studs and the tools required to do the installation.

Tools Needed for Installing Steel Studs

The tools required for this project are commonplace and easy to use. They include: a measuring tape, metal snips, drill, sheet metal pliers (or just wide-mouthed pliers), a level, and locking pliers. No major power tools are necessary. The metal snips are used to cut the studs to size. The drill is for inserting the self-tapping screws (no need for pre-drilling). And the locking pliers will act as a second set of hands to keeps things in place.

How to Install Steel Studs

Begin by attaching track to the ceiling and floor. Track is wider than the studs, so they can fit together. If you’re working on concrete, you’ll need to pre-drill the holes with a masonry bit and use masonry screws. Place screws about every 3 feet. Overlap corners by notching the flange of one track. And, provide a 6″ overlap for long, straight track runs.

Use the metal snips to cut the track / studs as needed. Measure each piece for a tight fit at the top and bottom. Be careful of sharp edges and use gloves to protect your hands. There is nothing special about this step, and it is relatively straightforward to accomplish.

Use the locking pliers to hold the studs in place while you insert 1/2″ self-tapping screws. Make sure you don’t strip the screw hole, which can weaken the joint. Use a level to keep everything straight and balanced. Bend pieces with the metal pliers to create headers for doors or windows, and to create bulkheads (soffits).

The studs will have knock outs for running utilities. Insert plastic bushings to protect any electrical wires from sharp edges. Make sure to use the correct electrical boxes–those designed for use with steel studs. Don’t try to nail into the steel. Instead, place wooden nailers around doors and windows to nail into later.

What do you think? Was this article helpful? Ever used steel studs?

How to Change the Oil in a Push Lawnmower (Example: Craftsman, Murray, Briggs & Stratton Engines)

Regular lawnmower maintenance is essential to ensure your lawnmower stays in top running condition. You should perform complete maintenance on your mower at least once per cutting season to maximize the mower’s life, and to ensure your grass is cut perfectly every time.

This article is one in a series of maintenance articles that provide complete coverage of lawnmower care.   While not the most glamorous of topics, its a job many of us put off far too long.  Want to learn more about mower maintenance?  We’ll also teach you how to:

• sharpen a lawnmower blade using a grinder,
• replace a mower’s air filter; and,
• check and/or replace a lawnmower spark plug.

We’ll be performing maintenance on two mowers: a Murray with a 4.5 horsepower (HP) Briggs and Stratton engine, and a Craftsman self-propelled push mower with a 6.5 HP B&S engine.

Note that this tutorial is for general information only and isn’t a replacement for the maintenance instructions included in the mower. You should always follow those instructions to maintain your mower properly.

Finally, lawnmowers aren’t the only thing in your garage or shed that should be maintained this way. Any gas powered yard equipment, like pressure washers, chipper shredders, and string trimmers require regular maintenance to keep them running smooth. Most of the principals in this series will apply to all of these types of equipment.

Changing the Oil in a Push Lawnmower

Changing the oil in any gas powered 4-cycle engine ensures the engine stays well lubricated. This keeps the cylinder and piston moving freely against once another, and ensures that scarring doesn’t occur on either, increasing the life of the engine. Changing the oil also offers more immediate benefits: it reduces overall gas consumption, and allows the engine to burn more efficiently, which is better for the environment.

Step 1: Determine whether the engine has an oil drain plug, or if the oil must be drained by turning the mower over. Most push mowers have no drain plug and will need to be turned o

ver to empty the oil.

Step 2:If the mower has a drain plug, unscrew the plug and let the oil drain into a funnel down into a pan.  If the mower has no drain plug, unscrew the oil cap, and tip the mower away from the side that the air filter is on.  This reduces the chances of the air filter being drenched in oil, which can occur on some engines.

Allow the oil to drain for 45-60 seconds, or until very little is flowing out of the mower.  A typical oil change will drain about 3/4 of the oil in the mower.  The remaining 1/4 will remain inside the engine, clinging to internal parts.

Step 3: Identify the right oil for your engine.  In some cases, the engine will have the oil type listed on a tag on the engine.  The maintenance manual will always include the right type of oil to use.  Many 4-cycle, small Briggs and Stratton engines take SAE 30 4-cycle Small Engine Oil available at home improvement and auto supplies stores everywhere.

Step 4: FIll the oil resevoir with oil.  Be sure to fill only until the dipstick registers “full.”  If you overfill, the lawnmower will billow white smoke as the excess oil is burned off during combustion.  An engine that is slightly overfilled will exhibit this behavior going up and down hills.  Note in the picture below that the top of the Craftsman dipstick indicates a 20oz. capacity; however, this is an “empty” capacity, not a “change capacity.”  In this case, we started by adding 10oz., then checking the dipstick every 2-3 oz. until it registered full.

Step 5: Perform the remainder of your maintenance, or start the mower if you are done with maintenance.  The mower should be running smooth (or at least smoother than it was running).  If the mower isn’t running smooth, check these steps and ensure you’ve done everything correctly.  Changing the oil a second time likely won’t solve the problem unless you’ve made a mistake.  You’ll notice if you check the oil again that it has turned brown.  This is because the new oil and old oil have mixed together.  This is OK and is not indicative of a bad change.

What do you think? How often do you change your lawnmower’s oil?  Are you due for a change and putting it off?

Before & After: Dining Room Update by Amy @ Cape Cod Makeover

This week’s Before & After is brought to you by Amy @ Cape Cod Makeover.  Amy and hubby recently redid the dining room in their Wauwatosa, WI cape cod.  Amy submitted more than 20 pictures! I picked a handful to include in this post; you can see the whole set of them on Picasa.

As with many projects in our own home, the after pictures of Amy’s dining room don’t show the ultimate end product… She writes in her submission that they eventually want to move from vinyl to a more permanent surface, and remove the dividing wall between the dining room and living room.  We too make interim renovations to get us through until we can afford or find the time to do what we really want.  But that’s what makes home improvement fun.  You’re never done… you’re just one project closer.  [I couldn't resist].

Based on Amy’s submission, OPC will make a donation to Habitat for Humanity for $25 in her honor.  Amy is also now entered into our contest for a $50 gift card to the home improvement store of her choice!  Without further ado…

Cape Cod Dining Room Makeover by Amy

We bought a 1964 Cape Cod style house in Wauwatosa, WI exactly one year ago.  The house had great bones, but needed a lot of updating, so we started a blog to document our before and afters.

One of our favorite rooms to show off the before/after is our dining room.  The dining room originally was covered in kelly green shag carpet, with mint green walls and very old, formal style window draperies.  There was a half wall of wooden spindles that separated the room from the living room.

First, we painted the walls a tan color (Behr’s Gobi Desert), and pulled the carpet up to find the original flooring – YUK!  We installed a new subfloor and vinyl tiles, with the hope of eventually upgrading those.   It was time for those wooden spindles to come down!  We sawed them off, and resanded and stained the wooden ledge.  Our goal is to get rid of the now half-wall to open the space up even more.

Then there were a few more cosmetic changes, including getting rid of the chandelier (again, likely the original) and figuring out what to do about the doorbell that was smack dab in the middle of the wall.  We decided to make some fabric panels to cover the doorbell and I also sewed curtain ties to match my table runner.

Every thing in this room we did ourselves with the help of family members and a sewing machine.

Before Picture:

After Pictures:

More pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/capecodmakeover/DiningRoomBeforeAfter

Thanks from OPC

Amy, thanks so much for submitting your article for our event!  Your dining room transformation is excellent… Good luck on future renovations!

Habitat for Humanity Quick Fact

Instead of a quick fact this week, take a look at this inspiring video from Habitat’s web site that gives an overview of their mission.  Click the image below to open up a new Windows Media Viewer.

If you’d like to match our donation to Habitat, you can make a quick $25.00 donation by following this link. Its quick, easy, and you’ll feel great knowing you’re helping an amazing organization.

Support Our Summer 2008 Event for Habitat

We’ve been blessed with tremendous support from the houseblogging community so far this Summer.  We hope you’ll consider submitting an article for one of the remaining weekends! Just e-mail us at oneprojectcloser@gmail.com with your article in just about any format.

If you’d like to add a sidebar graphic to your blog showing your support for the event, you can find a collection of graphics here.  If you need a graphic in a different size/color, just let us know!

What do you think? Leave a comment here and then head over to Amy’s side to see more great progress (currently on their kitchen!)

Replacing my Roof: Roofing Contractor Review

Last summer, we replaced our roof. Our home inspector had warned us about the roof when we purchased.  It was about 22 years old and had the original semi-transparent skylights. Then, a small leak started around some of the chimney flashing. A friend went over the area with roofing caulk for a temporary fix but it was time to replace it.

Shopping Roofing Contractors

I had the job priced by three different roofing companies: Columbia Roofing, Brothers Roofing, and a third no-name company. The job was to replace my townhouse roof, check/repair/replace the flashing and install two new skylights.

The no-name company was cheapest. They were quick to give us a low price but didn’t provide anything in paper. The truck they used wasn’t marked and the contractor just didn’t leave us feeling very confident.

Brothers Roofing and Columbia were very professional. They walked me through the job asking and answering questions. They were thorough and both companies provided written quotes. They have both been around for a while and have plenty of references. In the end, Columbia had the better price.

Columbia Roofing Review: Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Columbia arranged to have the work done relatively quickly. And they replaced the entire roof including two skylights in one day.

• The roof looks great. I don’t look at my roof much but when I do, it looks nice. The skylights look great too.

• Columbia went above and beyond. I had two other concerns that were not exactly roof issues. A piece of siding had come off the firewall I share with my neighbor. Columbia also does siding work and used a scrap piece of siding to fix this. The other concern was an aluminum end-cap was loose. They used some caulk to secure it in place.

• Columbia presented themselves very well. Their estimator was knowledgeable and polite throughout the entire process.

Cons:

• The yard wasn’t cleaned up very well. They left scraps of tar paper, shingles, and plenty of nails. I could have called them back to clean up again but decided to do it myself.

• The drywall around the skylights was roughed up a bit. I expected a nice transition from drywall to skylight frame. Instead it was jagged and didn’t look good at all. I called them about this problem. The original estimator made several trips to repair the drywall. Eventually, he put a plastic strip around the frame to hide the rough edge.

• The repairs took a long time. I let them know about the drywall problem and they promised to address it. About a month and a half later they called me. I didn’t pay the remaining 2/3′s of my bill until the job was complete. I think that gave them some motivation to get the repairs finished but it still wasn’t done until the end of summer (about 2 months after the roof was replaced).

I’d still recommend Columbia Roofing. I’m very pleased with the work they did. I just wish the loose ends had been resolved quicker.

What do you think? What’s your experience with roofing companies?
Image courtesy of Striatic

How to Install Electric Radiant Heating Wire on a Cement Slab

Using electric radiant floors as a supplemental heating source in a room has become very popular in the last few years.  We’ve decided to install 1000 sq. ft. of electric radiant heat in the basement of our house to take the cold edge off the concrete slab, which otherwise stays a brisk 55 degrees all year round.

When installing electric heating wires on to a slab (or really any substrate), a professional installer (read: DIYer) has a vested interest in keeping the radiant heating wire and any mesh bonded tightly to the slab.  A close, secure bond to the slab ensures:

• The heating wire maintains a very low profile, making it easier to cover with a thin layer of thinset or self-leveling mortar.  This is advantagous because wires that stick up through the initial layer of thinself or self-leveler can be easily cut or knicked, rendering the entire heating mat useless.  Also, since both SLM and thinset are expensive, the lower profile of the wire ensures a minimal amount of SLM/thinset is required, thus reducing overall cost.
• The wire doesn’t “come loose” while spreading thinset or SLM, which might move the wire in a way that compromises the installation.  For instance, all electric radiant heating systems require that the heating wires never cross.  Crossed wires create an unsafe condition and will likely cause the mats to overheat when they are operated.  Gluing down the wires ensures they don’t move.

Most radiant heating wires are approximately 1/16″ – 3/32″ thick.  Hot gluing the mats allows thinset or SLM used to cover the mats to be poured at a mere 1/8″ – 1/4″ thick.

Steps for Hot Gluing Radiant Heated Flooring Mats

1. Lay out the mat according to your plan for the room.  (All radiant heating flooring vendors will provide you a plan for how to lay out the radiant wire if you first give them a drawing of the room).
2. Plug in and heat up an electric glue gun. You’ll want to use a “professional glue gun” that can take 1/2″ glue sticks.  Hobby models that use 1/8″ sticks will go through glue sticks too quickly).
3. Drop a pool of hot glue onto the slab under where the wire will go.  Press the wire into the glue.  If your slab is below-grade, it is probably 50-60 degrees.  The hot glue will begin to freeze quickly, creating a tight grasp around the wire.  (Note that in some places you may have to cut the radiant heating wire out of the mesh, as shown in the picture above).
4. Move down the wire hot gluing the wire every 12-18″ or wherever the wire protrudes from the flat plain of the surface of the slab.
5. After you finish the install, carefully recheck all the wire to ensure it is tightly bonded to the floor.  Be careful walking with shoes on across the wire, as a stone or other object caught in the treads could nick the wire.

What do you think? Did this article help you?  Do you have any other tips for radiant flooring installation?

Laying Hardwood Floor: Trouble Spots

A few weeks back a couple good friends came over to help me install hardwood floors.

It was a lot of work but I’m very pleased with how things are going. The project isn’t complete; a little more in the dinning room, bathroom and hallway closet.

We came across a few trouble spots and I like to share how we tackled these problem areas.

Uneven Sub-floor

Most of my sub-floor was uniform and in good shape. I found one instance where two pieces of plywood were not even. The easiest way to resolve this is to drive a few screws into the sub-floor to pull things snug and even. Fortunately, the area beneath my dining room is unfinished. We cut a 2 x 4 and I held it in place while another friend put in some screws. Unfortunately, this did not resolve the problem. The next solution is to use a sander or grinder. Be careful not to remove too much. You still need something to nail (or staple) your floors to.

Hardwood Meets Carpet

I’m laying hardwoods on my entire first floor. This does not include the stairs going up to the second floor. How do you make the transition? One solution is to use quarter-round to hide the transition from wood to carpet. Instead, we choose to put the wood tight against the carpet. We made sure to use the manufacturers edge and hide any cut edges on the opposite side with baseboard. Make sure each board is snug but not more (or less) so than any of the other boards. This will create a professional, uniform looking transition to carpet.

Cutting the Door Jam

Often you’ll find that the door jam is too low for a board to fit underneath. Here is the best way to cut your door jams. Lay a scrap piece of flooring against the door jam. Take a handsaw and cut away the jam using the scrap to maintain the correct height. A typical handsaw will be very awkward to maneuver. We used the Irwin Reversible Flush Cut. It’s a useful tool with an ergonomic handle that will swing around, letting you reverse the blade. The handle made it so easy to use and it saved us a lot of time.

Slip-Tongue to Reverse Tongue and Groove Orientation

We started laying the floor on one side of my house and worked toward the opposite side. This resulted in a few unfinished spaces. The picture shows how we continued the boards from the hallway straight into the bathroom which basically created an unfinished area “behind” us. A slip-tongue is a slender spline of wood that fits into two grooves, allowing you to reverse the direction of the boards. I used a slip-tongue to complete these areas.

Floor not Square with Hearth

I almost assumed that the walls and other various items would not all be square with each other. One of the first trouble spots we came across was the hearth. It wasn’t square with the floor or walls. I choose to use some T-molding transition strip to hide this. By laying the transitions strip parallel with the floor boards, no one will ever know the hearth is skewed.

Hardwood Flooring Tools Information

If you’re considering installing hardwood floors and are looking for a top quality hardwood flooring nailer, check out this post on two hardwood nailers we frequently recommend.

Also, if you need the compressor and trim finish nailers for this job, just follow that link for a very inexpensive compressor kit available from CPO Bostitch.

What do you think? Are these helpful tips? What tips can you share?

Before & After: Rustic Wood Floors Renovation by Melanie in Richmond

This week’s Before and After is brought to you by Melanie in Richmond. Melanie didn’t leave a blog address with her submission, so we’re not sure whether she has a blog or not. But, when you see her Before and After story below, I’m sure you’ll agree she should have one if she doesn’t already. (Apparently there are actually folks who work on their homes and don’t blog about it–shocking!)

Melanie’s Before and After is a superb restoration of rustic wood floors in her Richmond, VA Rowhome. The result is a beautiful floor with a lot of character. It’s a bold design move, and one that paid off.

As a result of her submission, Melanie is automatically entered into our contest for a $50 home improvement gift card. And, as always, OPC will make a $25 donation to Habitat for Humanity in her honor.

Continue reading below Melanie’s post for this week’s Habitat Quick Fact, and a link where you can financially contribute to Habitat or locate a local affiliate where you can volunteer.

Rustic Wood Floor Restoration by Melanie

So about three months ago Kris and I decided to test what was under our black and white checkered vinyl kitchen floor. I didn’t mind the look of our kitchen, other than it being kind of mini and not having any drawers.  I like my original wood cabinets and the Formica countertop….. But I really didn’t like the floors. So, we did some investigating and this is what we uncovered.

Underneath the black and white vinyl was red and white checkered linoleum tiles. These things took us (Kris) a few days to chip away at, which exposed this black tar…..also known as cutback adhesive. We tried tons of adhesive removers, all unfortunately pretty harsh since the safer methods we heard about just weren’t cutting it. After about a month of working on small sections each night after work and living with plastic on our floors we got as much of it up as we could. We were also simultaneously demo-ing our existing basement stairs and pantry, having new ones built by our green builder friends at New Earth and creating a 5 ft. opening between our kitchen and pantry.

After as much of the cutback was off as we could handle and the “new” floor was in place, it was time to rent the floor sander. I believe we needed a drum sander for this amount of adhesive, but the man at Home Depot suggested an orbit sander, called U-Sand-It. It took driving back, buying lots more sand paper and extending our contract from 4 hours to 24 hours…..but eventually we got it to a point we were happy with.

Some of the black marks from the adhesive….or possibly water damage (who knows, the floor is 90 years old) didn’t come off, but hey, if we wanted a new looking floor we could have bought one! Next was time to finish it off!

We used an oil based semi gloss polyurethane because that is what is on the rest of the floors and we have liked it so far. The first coat, by recommendation of my dad, we cut with half paint thinner. It made it easy to get used to applying the finish with the wool mop head that Home Depot suggested, and then we progressively used less paint thinner in each coat until the fourth and final coat was all polyurethane. This is how is looked before drying….it is not this shiny at all anymore and we love it!

Thanks from OPC!

Melanie, thanks so much for submitting your article to our Before and After event… Your rustic floors are great… quite a restoration!

Habitat Quick Fact

One of Habitat’s most lauded strengths is that they do not merely provide hand-outs in communities.  They engage the community; each Habitat house is built by and for partners within their program.  From Habitat’s web site:

How does [Habitat] work?
Through volunteer labor and donations of money and materials, Habitat builds and rehabilitates simple, decent houses with the help of the homeowner (partner) families. Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit and financed with affordable loans. The homeowners’ monthly mortgage payments are used to build still more Habitat houses.

Habitat is not a giveaway program. In addition to a down payment and the monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor — sweat equity — into building their Habitat house and the houses of others.

To read more general facts about Habitat, visit their Frequently Asked Questions page.

If you’re inspired by Habitat’s mission as much as we are, please consider giving financially.  You could match our $25 donation today.  Just follow this link to Habitat’s online donation page.

If you did give to Habitat this Summer, either because of this program or for any reason, please let us know so we can honor you in an upcoming article.

How Can I Submit an Article?

There’s plenty of weeks left this Summer and more room for articles.  If you have a Before and After project that you’ve finished, consider submitting it!  Odds are, you’ll get picked, make a difference for a Habitat homeowner, and have a chance to win the $50 gift card.

Submit articles to oneprojectcloser@gmail.com.

What do you think? Have you ever restored original hardwoods?  Leave Melanie a note and let her know what you think!

Next Page »