Howdy,
Lots of experts here; never seen anyone here as neophyte as I am, so this
ought to be an easy one <g>
Love woodworking, but I'm disabled so most of my work is done while I'm on
my butt or one one of the occasional "good" days I get.
My problem: Our LR floor looks like an old school gymnasium floor that's
been ignored for a century and a half while the neighborhood kids and
wildlife used it for their playtimes. Oh, and the occasional spill & cat,
uh, "stuff".
I know HOW and WHATto do. Well, almost, anyway. My main problem is that it
takes a -long- time for me to do things.
Since I would like to refinish the floor as opposed to painting it, I get
the problem of having it lying in mid-conditioned/stained/poly'd/waxed
states for relatively long periods of time. Most areas I can put a sofa or
something over to protect for the durations, but ... well, that won't work
for the whole area. DW just won't allow it, plus occasionally I need to
pass a wheelchair thru the room. The specific question:
Is there a way to cover/protect the floor while it's "in process"?
Particularly pre-stain and post-stain. People would have to be able to walk
over it. There is no other passage in the house to use, so the LR must be
crossed.
The only thing I can think of is to put down one of those big blue tarps
sold everywhere for a few bucks, but I don't know what damage they might
cause to stained areas after a few days of traffic - if damage is an issue,
which I feel sure it must be. Do those tarps mark or distress a bare wood
or wood stains? All stains, finishes etc. would be oil - no water base.
Before anyone asks, yes, I know the pitfalls of lap marks, aging effects and
shade issues of differing drying durations, etc.. The boards are 2 1/2"
wide so I should be able to use board edges and a little 6-day masking tape
for transitions. The wood itself is actually in good shape, so I think as
long as I want a dark stain, sanding will be rather easy to accomplish, and
maybe a little work on some small-area discolorations. It had carpet over
it for about a hundred years.
Any & all polite or humorous ideas accepted with cheer and/or gratitude.
Thanks
Pop Rivet
I don't have an answer to your problem, but why stain at all? Sand it down as
good as possible, and finish it. The worn rustic look is really pretty nice.
I put down some Used maple in a bedroom, sanded it, finished it, and it looks
beautiful. It has character! I don't think clear finish will show lap marks
as much as lapping stain. Just my opinion.
I was afraid I'd get responses like that: In fact, that's what I'd probably
tell anyone that asked that question too. Looks like back to the drawing
boards; I originally thought about carpet with a painted perimeter, so ...
who knows?
Wonder what my nephews are doing next weekend? Then wifey & I could both
go away for a weekend & have a good excuse to do it!
Thanks, appreciate the comeback.
Pop
"Pop Rivet" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Howdy,
>
> Lots of experts here; never seen anyone here as neophyte as I am, so this
> ought to be an easy one <g>
>
> Love woodworking, but I'm disabled so most of my work is done while I'm on
> my butt or one one of the occasional "good" days I get.
>
> My problem: Our LR floor looks like an old school gymnasium floor that's
> been ignored for a century and a half while the neighborhood kids and
> wildlife used it for their playtimes. Oh, and the occasional spill & cat,
> uh, "stuff".
>
> I know HOW and WHATto do. Well, almost, anyway. My main problem is that
it
> takes a -long- time for me to do things.
> Since I would like to refinish the floor as opposed to painting it, I
get
> the problem of having it lying in mid-conditioned/stained/poly'd/waxed
> states for relatively long periods of time. Most areas I can put a sofa
or
> something over to protect for the durations, but ... well, that won't work
> for the whole area. DW just won't allow it, plus occasionally I need to
> pass a wheelchair thru the room. The specific question:
>
> Is there a way to cover/protect the floor while it's "in process"?
> Particularly pre-stain and post-stain. People would have to be able to
walk
> over it. There is no other passage in the house to use, so the LR must be
> crossed.
> The only thing I can think of is to put down one of those big blue
tarps
> sold everywhere for a few bucks, but I don't know what damage they might
> cause to stained areas after a few days of traffic - if damage is an
issue,
> which I feel sure it must be. Do those tarps mark or distress a bare wood
> or wood stains? All stains, finishes etc. would be oil - no water base.
>
> Before anyone asks, yes, I know the pitfalls of lap marks, aging effects
and
> shade issues of differing drying durations, etc.. The boards are 2 1/2"
> wide so I should be able to use board edges and a little 6-day masking
tape
> for transitions. The wood itself is actually in good shape, so I think as
> long as I want a dark stain, sanding will be rather easy to accomplish,
and
> maybe a little work on some small-area discolorations. It had carpet over
> it for about a hundred years.
>
> Any & all polite or humorous ideas accepted with cheer and/or gratitude.
>
> Thanks
>
> Pop Rivet
>
>
Been there done that.
As you suspect, It's not a very good job for piecemeal work. Seriously, can
you send the family away for a long weekend? It can be done, start to finish
in 3 days.
Tape and plastic all the doors, or the dust from sanding will get
**everywhere**. Between coats lightly sand (to remove nibs), vac, vac again,
then maybe vac again. then wipe *everything* down with adampened cloth to
tack up the remaining dust. dust is the enemy.
The dust is so much of a problem that you DO NOT WANT to do this bit by bit.
I know, it's specifically what you asked to no hear but....
-s
"Pop Rivet" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Howdy,
>
> Lots of experts here; never seen anyone here as neophyte as I am, so this
> ought to be an easy one <g>
>
> Love woodworking, but I'm disabled so most of my work is done while I'm on
> my butt or one one of the occasional "good" days I get.
>
> My problem: Our LR floor looks like an old school gymnasium floor that's
> been ignored for a century and a half while the neighborhood kids and
> wildlife used it for their playtimes. Oh, and the occasional spill & cat,
> uh, "stuff".
>
> I know HOW and WHATto do. Well, almost, anyway. My main problem is that
it
> takes a -long- time for me to do things.
> Since I would like to refinish the floor as opposed to painting it, I
get
> the problem of having it lying in mid-conditioned/stained/poly'd/waxed
> states for relatively long periods of time. Most areas I can put a sofa
or
> something over to protect for the durations, but ... well, that won't work
> for the whole area. DW just won't allow it, plus occasionally I need to
> pass a wheelchair thru the room. The specific question:
>
> Is there a way to cover/protect the floor while it's "in process"?
> Particularly pre-stain and post-stain. People would have to be able to
walk
> over it. There is no other passage in the house to use, so the LR must be
> crossed.
> The only thing I can think of is to put down one of those big blue
tarps
> sold everywhere for a few bucks, but I don't know what damage they might
> cause to stained areas after a few days of traffic - if damage is an
issue,
> which I feel sure it must be. Do those tarps mark or distress a bare wood
> or wood stains? All stains, finishes etc. would be oil - no water base.
>
> Before anyone asks, yes, I know the pitfalls of lap marks, aging effects
and
> shade issues of differing drying durations, etc.. The boards are 2 1/2"
> wide so I should be able to use board edges and a little 6-day masking
tape
> for transitions. The wood itself is actually in good shape, so I think as
> long as I want a dark stain, sanding will be rather easy to accomplish,
and
> maybe a little work on some small-area discolorations. It had carpet over
> it for about a hundred years.
>
> Any & all polite or humorous ideas accepted with cheer and/or gratitude.
>
> Thanks
>
> Pop Rivet
>
>
On Thu, 15 Apr 2004 15:39:30 -0400, "Pop Rivet" <[email protected]>
wrote:
snip
> refinish the floor
snip
>Is there a way to cover/protect the floor while it's "in process"?
>Thanks
>
>Pop Rivet
>
rosin paper.