Wood Floor Pictures

Well, we made it to Colorado and we’re currently sitting in a spiffy little hotel room in the heart of Engelwood. Our design TV meetings start at noon today, and we’re hoping to get a peek at the DIY Network Disaster House before we leave town on Wednesday too…

We’re big Josh Temple fans! Here’s a snippet from an episode where he showed how to repair damaged wood floors…

And speaking of hardwood floor projects…we finally started tackling another big one at our house, a few days before we packed up and headed off to Denver. (Hi. We’re the Palmers and we work better under pressure.)

We’ve already refinished the floors in the future kids room and office, but we got a hankerin’ to do the living room floor the other day, so off to Russel Do-It Center we went to rent another floor sander.

Here are a couple of photos of the living room before we moved in…

That’s me, with my head out the window, gasping for air.  I’m kidding- but for real, can you say “stretched out, pee-stained carpet”?

Visions of Toby danced in our heads…

…but, we bought the place as-is, and Kev ripped out that nasty stuff the day we closed on the house. Over the next few days we quickly installed some really inexpensive (and temporary) wood laminate flooring. It did the trick for the past (almost) four years, but little by little we’ve uninstalled it, donated to other folks, and we’ve slowly but surely been refinishing all the hardwood underneath.

Check it out- here’s what the floor looked like as of last week…ya know, when we got the aforementioned hankerin’…

And here’s a super short video of what we got ourselves into…

And here’s what it looked like when we got done sanding and sealing…

We used a water-based, semi-gloss Varathane from Lowes.

Pretty rooty tooty, fresh n’ fruity, eh?!

Obviously we still have that pesky little strip of concrete to deal with down at the far end of the room (don’t worry- I think we’ve come up with a pretty cool plan and we’re pretty darn excited to put it into action!), and we look forward to refinishing the hardwood in the dining room when we get back home, too. Then there’s baseboards to prime, paint and trim out…walls to touch up….etc, etc, etc.

After that, we’ll move onto the cracked, stained, ugly floors tiles in the kitchen. We’ve got a plan for those bad boys too. (Insert sinister-style laugh here)

• COMMENT
• VIEW COMMENTS
• TWEET
• LIKE

• 
• 
• 
• 

95 Responses to Wood Floor Pictures

1. Sue says:

   Jul 25, 2011 at 9:46 am

   You’re a nut, lol!

   The floors look fabulous; can’t wait to see your sinister plan for the concrete strip … waa-ha-ha!!!!

   S
   xo

   

   Reply
2. Sue says:

   Jul 25, 2011 at 9:47 am

   Oh! P.S. Come see my new kitchen!

   S
   xo

   

   Reply
3. Gloria says:

   Jul 25, 2011 at 9:47 am

   The floors look great! Weird that it only goes to that point and stops. Can’t wait to see what you do with that.

   

   Reply
4. Andrea @ Big Creek Cottage says:

   Jul 25, 2011 at 9:47 am

   Beautiful…..and all before you packed up and headed to the moutains! Whew! I am tired to hearing about it….but it looks so pretty…I am really anxious to see what you do with that concrete………!!!!!! Have fun and safe travel!

   

   Reply
5. Sarah says:

   Jul 25, 2011 at 9:48 am

   Wow! It looks amazing!

   We redid all the hardwood floors in our home too, so I know how you must be feeling. Such a great payoff though for some serious sweat-equity.

   Love what you’re doing. If you ever want to come to PA, let me know! There’s not nearly enough DIY love in this state!

   

   Reply
6. ashley @ the handmade home says:

   Jul 25, 2011 at 9:49 am

   amazing. as usual. love how you did this!

   

   Reply
7. Heather says:

   Jul 25, 2011 at 9:51 am

   All of your hubby’s sanding work payed off! The floors look great! I love all the different color tones of the wood. Great job guys, can’t wait to see the final product!

   -Heather

   

   Reply
8. Myra @ My Blessed Life says:

   Jul 25, 2011 at 9:53 am

   Oooo la la! The floor looks beautiful!!!! Can’t wait to see what you do with the nekked section. xo

   

   Reply
9. Roeshel says:

   Jul 25, 2011 at 9:56 am

   Looking good! haha! We had that same Toby vision when we purchased our home. Couldn’t rip the carpet out fast enough! (gag!)

   Can’t wait to see more!

   

   Reply
10. Cyndee Jones says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 9:57 am

    You two area awesome~~ Keep up the good work!

    

    Reply
11. Sherri Miklos says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 10:00 am

    just beautiful! you are always inspiring layla!

    

    Reply
12. Luciane At HomeBunch.com says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 10:00 am

    Oh, so much work, but for a great result, Layla!

    Have a great week!

    xo

    Luciane at HomeBunch.com

    

    Reply
13. Erika says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 10:01 am

    We have the same knotty pine on our walls and cabinets. I hope I can find a post on what you used and any tips for covering those knots!

    

    Reply
    • Kevin says:

      Jul 25, 2011 at 10:53 am

      Hi Erika! We primed the knotty pine walls with two coats of oil based primer to make sure the knots didn’t bleed through. Then we painted two coats with a regular latex paint called Natural Choice by Sherwin Williams. Hope this helps! Thanks for the comment!

      

      Reply
14. Liz says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 10:04 am

    the floors are beautiful. disaster house? i haven’t seen that one. i am totally sure my house would qualify as a candidate

    

    Reply
15. LoveFeast Table says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 10:05 am

    The floors are g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s! Can’t wait to see how you tackle the concrete slab. I have to tell you, I have a love affair with concrete and wood mix!
    ~Kristin

    

    Reply
16. Sarah @ Cozy.Cottage.Cute. says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 10:06 am

    Um, the floors look awesome. Ours are in such rough shape. They’re only coated in wax and it’s all come off in the high traffic areas….. I can’t wait to refinish them but am NOT looking forward to the dust. Poor Kevin.

    

    

    Reply
    • Kevin says:

      Jul 25, 2011 at 10:53 am

      

      

      Reply
17. Simple Daisy says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 10:10 am

    WOW!!! It looks fabulous!!
    I sure do know all about how much work it is to refinish hardwood floors!! We did it in a previous home of ours!! But they sure look beautiful when you’re finished!! :)

    

    Reply
    • Kevin says:

      Jul 25, 2011 at 10:56 am

      It is totally worth it!

      

      Reply
18. Julie {CalleLillyCafe} says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 10:15 am

    The floor is gorgeous! I love it!

    

    Reply
19. Mandy Ford says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 10:16 am

    It looks great! Such an amazing before and after. We recently had our hardwoods refinished and it made a world of difference. Can’t wait to see what you do to remedy that concrete area as well!

    

    Reply
20. Kim in MD says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 10:28 am

    The new floor looks beautiful! Poor Kevin- he look exhausted after sanding those floors. I can really see the pain in his eyes! It looks like it was worth it, though! Have a great trip!

    

    Reply
    • Kevin says:

      Jul 25, 2011 at 11:12 am

      Hi KIm! I was exhausted, Layla came in with the camera about one minute after I finished. I was plum tuckered! It was 100% worth it though, it feels like a whole new room now! Thanks for the kind words!

      

      Reply
21. Sandra says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 10:30 am

    The floors look great! I cannot even imagine tackling the same job knowing there was a large concrete strip to the one side, so I’m REALLY looking forward to seeing what you do with the space.

    

    Reply
22. Ronnie Gunn Tucker says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 10:33 am

    Way to go Kevin!

    

    Reply
    • Kevin says:

      Jul 25, 2011 at 11:29 pm

      Thanks Ronnie!!!

      

      Reply
23. freckled laundry says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 10:38 am

    Beautiful job! They look awesome. Can’t wait to see that concrete solution and what you do the kitchen tiles. I loathe my nasty kitchen tile so I hope the solution is something awesome (sure it will be) and inexpensive.

    

    Reply
24. Angie Meyer says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 10:43 am

    Very pretty. All the hard work definitely paid off! I want to redo our floors, but don’t know where to begin. We used the back side of car siding for our flooring so it looks like old pine planked floors. We sealed it with danish oil, and it looked great six years ago, but now it’s developed a kind of orangey glow. Blah! Hoping we can sand and start over!

    

    Reply
25. Beth says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 10:44 am

    Beautiful! And I love the video – you guys are just 100% absolutely adorable in every way imaginable(and even unimaginable!).

    

    Reply
    • Kevin says:

      Jul 25, 2011 at 10:48 am

      Thank you Beth!

      

      Reply
26. Elizabeth says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 10:50 am

    That’s a beautiful room now such hard work but it payed off look’s fab boo. The floor will be gleaming with a roaring fire in the fireplace. Have safe travels hope you get to P dub’s ranch take lots of pics….

    

    Reply
27. gertie @ The Old Block House says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 10:59 am

    OHMY I wish that was what I found when ripping up my craftroom carpet. Mine looked more like a jigsaw puzzle that had been slowly pieces together over decades. That’s one of my projects for this fall.

    

    Reply
    • Kevin says:

      Jul 25, 2011 at 11:13 am

      It’s always scary to pull up old carpet and see what’s underneath!

      

      Reply
28. Katy Lunsford says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 11:16 am

    You guys are awesome!

    

    Reply
29. Susan says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 11:18 am

    SO tickled for y’all!!! Just thinking about your mtg. today….you’ll rock it! (the floor is fantastic….the video makes the story!)

    

    Reply
30. Dori says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 11:20 am

    It looks really great. Love how spontaneous you guys are. How inspiring!

    

    Reply
31. Wendy @ The Shabby Nest says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 11:51 am

    The floors look fabulous! I can’t wait to see what you’ve come up with for the concrete…your creativity always amazes me! Good luck with your meetings!

    

    Reply
32. Sharleen says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 11:56 am

    Looks Fab! Glad you went with the wood in the end! Looking forward to seeing the plan for the concrete area

    

    Reply
33. Amanda says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 12:03 pm

    Love the floors! I can’t wait to see what you guys have planned for your “scary” kitchen tiles – we just replaced all our cabinets and have been walking around on mastic for a month because we could. Not. Take. Our scary tiles anymore. Yanked ‘em all out. Former owner had apparently seated them right on the concrete slab. Yay! We’re strategizing now!

    

    Reply
34. Jude says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 12:10 pm

    glad you made it safe and sound. it’s funny that we both like to slip the word ‘hankerin’ into conversations Floor is WONDERFUL!!! call me sometime soon and let me know all the HGTV details…or will they be posted tomorrow????

    

    Reply
35. Loui♥ says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 12:12 pm

    OMG!
    you are just around the corner form ME!!
    if you have/find a few spare minutes, and want to meet up..
    give me a call!!
    I’ll be there faster than..
    well pretty darn fast!!
    hugs..
    Loui♥
    email me and I’ll give you the #

    

    Reply
36. s says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 12:16 pm

    Kevin is sooo cute in that video…poor tucked out guy. I know how he felt…I’ve been there through a few projects…wishing fairies would come out of the sky and help me. lol I really love that you didn’t go dark with the floor stain. I LOVE the light flooring…your hardwoods are gorgeous and you guys did an awesome job! Way to go Kevin!

    

    Reply
    • Kevin says:

      Jul 25, 2011 at 11:28 pm

      Thank you!!!

      

      Reply
37. Gini says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 12:38 pm

    Your floors are Gorgeous! Great work!

    

    Reply
38. {darlene} says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 1:20 pm

    fresh n fruity! no doubt!

    

    Reply
39. kelly says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 1:20 pm

    well worth the work~ or i hope kevin thinks so! it looks really great! did you just paint the paneling in there, i love it it looks really cool!

    

    Reply
40. Leigh in Dallas says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 1:38 pm

    I’m jealous! We HATE our floors…we have wood laminate in our formal dining, formal living, and den and the fugliest tile throughout the rest of the downstairs. The wood laminate is an orange-y color, I think the tile is supposed to look like a natural stone except for the high gloss crackley glaze (what the…???), and we have cheap blah carpet throughout the whole upstairs except for the bathrooms. Lowe’s is running a sale on flooring, but when we went this weekend, the stuff that was marked down was as bad if not worse than what we have. Oh well…guess we’ll work on some other projects for now. Can’t wait to see what you do with your concrete area! Your hardwoods are looking lovely!

    

    Reply
41. Aimee says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 1:52 pm

    Wow! You are so close to me right now. How exciting. If you need fun stuff to do, let me know, although it sounds like you’ve got lots going on! The floors look great. I am so desperate to get rid of our very inexpensive laminate, and put in real hardwood floor, but I fear its just not in the budget!

    

    Reply
42. shannon says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 2:18 pm

    Is there a post about you painting the paneling in that room? I have identical paneling that I would like to paint.

    

    Reply
43. A Little Junk in my Trunk says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 2:26 pm

    You did it once again! Your hard word really shows…..Welcome to Denver! I work for Goodwill in PR and we would love to give you a thrift tour!
    DeeAnna

    

    Reply
44. Allison A says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 2:36 pm

    Poor Kevin. I love the floors though. It came out beautiful and I like how light it is in there. lol at Max.

    

    Reply
45. Leanne says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 3:03 pm

    Beautiful!!! Your hard work paid off! The floors even match that gorgeous door now!

    

    Reply
46. Kari says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 3:10 pm

    Floors look great, but where did you get your front door??

    

    Reply
    • Kevin says:

      Jul 25, 2011 at 11:26 pm

      Hey Kari! We got our front door from a local place here in Alabama, you can read about it here: http://theletteredcottage.net/a-door-with-a-view

      

      Reply
47. laura says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 3:22 pm

    um…..POOR KEVIN! He looked so unbelievably zoned out! lol but all that hard work he put in TOTALLY payed off – it looks GORGEOUS! well done!

    

    Reply
    • Kevin says:

      Jul 25, 2011 at 11:22 pm

      Thanks!

      

      Reply
48. AnnW says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 3:33 pm

    La Dolfina had a post on the Buckhorn restaurant in Denver the other day. A real old-timey cowboyish place with elk, buffalo, and venison. You should check it out. I don’t know how to get the DIY network. Can’t get it in Colorado from Comcast or in Connecticut from Cablevision. Wonder why?

    

    Reply
49. Rhonda says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 4:24 pm

    The floors look great!! I feel your pain, we refinished the floors in an eighty year old home and it was tough! I think it was August. It was really hot! At least Kevin was smiling…I took a picture of my husband when he finished sanding and he was NOT smiling He thought it was worth it too when he saw the finished product though !!!

    

    Reply
    • Kevin says:

      Jul 25, 2011 at 11:21 pm

      

      

      Reply
50. Jessica Singletary says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 5:48 pm

    Looks amazing! We refinished the floors in our guest room & daughter’s room last year and love the way they turned out! Our entire house has hardwoods but most of it is covered up by ugly linoleum or carpet. The sander y’all rented looks small! Great job as always Palmer family!

    

    Reply
    • Kevin says:

      Jul 25, 2011 at 11:12 pm

      Hey Jessica! The sander in the video is just the edger. I only used it to go around the edge of the room. I used a bigger push sander to go over the main floor. Here’s a link that shows the big sander. Thanks for stopping by!

      http://theletteredcottage.net/hardwoods

      

      Reply
51. trish says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 6:03 pm

    Kevin, you look so worn out in that video! But look at how that floor came out… well worth it! Layla is so lucky to have you…love you too Layla!!!

    

    Reply
    • Kevin says:

      Jul 25, 2011 at 11:05 pm

      Thanks so much Trish! It was well worth it and I appreciate your sweet comment!

      

      Reply
52. Carolyn Pruitt says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 7:59 pm

    Wow, The floors look lovely. Is it really possible to just do one room at a time? We are about to put some in the kitchen, but not quite ready to remove carpet to the original wood floors to the rest of the house. It’s a project I’d like to tackle, but couldn’t to the whole house at one time. Did you tape off the rest of the home to avoid the dust from your living room? Just curious how you did it! Thanks for the inspiration.

    

    Reply
    • Kevin says:

      Jul 25, 2011 at 11:02 pm

      Hey Carolyn!

      Yes, we used plastic drop clothes and taped off the doorway to the hall and the entrance to the dining room. When we tackle the dining room next week, we’ll seal off the entrances to the kitchen and living room. Thanks for the comment!

      

      Reply
53. Catherine Cook says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 8:52 pm

    The room looks lovely but, what really caught my eye is the panelling. I have that same solid wood panelling in a room of my older home. We used the room as an office for years but, not so much anymore. I’ve been daydreaming of painting it white and turning it into a cute little sitting room. Your room has convinced me that its a must. Thank you. I really enjoy your blog.

    

    Reply
    • Kevin says:

      Jul 25, 2011 at 11:04 pm

      Thanks Catherine, painting it really changed the feel of the whole room!

      

      Reply
54. Tiff says:

    Jul 25, 2011 at 11:14 pm

    Wow! Looks fabulous guys. It’s amazing how old wood can be made so fresh & new again . . . just like people I suppose.

    

    Reply
55. Fiona's Mosaic says:

    Jul 26, 2011 at 12:47 am

    Oh my goodness!! Poor Kevin! I hate to giggle but I have picture of my husband completely dust covered from about 20 years ago that was so similar. And D could hardly talk too! lol

    My favorite part was max behind the plastic though. SOOO cute! You could tell he wasn’t too sure about being away from his mom and dad.

    The floor looks FAB U LOUS!!!!

    

    Reply
56. jeanne says:

    Jul 26, 2011 at 10:39 am

    I wish I would have been paying attention to you being in Denver. I would have loved to meet up with you I know your schedule is crazy busy. I hope you are loving our pretty state.

    

    Reply
57. Erin says:

    Jul 26, 2011 at 3:13 pm

    I am amazed at the power of paint and new flooring in terms of room transformation. Makes me consider a more neutral palette for my own home (there’s a first for everything!)

    

    Reply
58. debbie says:

    Jul 26, 2011 at 4:22 pm

    floors look great and i must say, Kevin looked so cute all tired and sweaty.

    

    Reply
59. Lindsey says:

    Jul 26, 2011 at 5:17 pm

    Give that poor guy a drink of water!!!

    

    Reply
60. Susan Sutherlin says:

    Jul 26, 2011 at 5:40 pm

    Great job on the flooring, it makes the room look so much bigger and brighter.

    Susan
    http://www.susansutherlin.blogspot.com

    

    Reply
61. Casey says:

    Jul 26, 2011 at 6:15 pm

    Gorgeous!
    As I was watching your video my two year old responded when you asked your puppy if he wanted outside: “yes” Then said “puppy outside.” He was obviously more concerned with the pup than the gorgeous floors!

    

    Reply
62. Lisa Cole says:

    Jul 26, 2011 at 6:26 pm

    Truly a great example of how you can turn something from drab to fab with a little elbow grease and some paint! -I have to admit, I’m totally curious why the wood stops short of the end of the room? Was there an addition or something?

    

    Reply
63. Sabrina says:

    Jul 27, 2011 at 9:24 am

    Looks GREAT! I have a question…..how are the fumes? We just had our floors refinished almost two weeks ago and the fumes are still awful! Running our gas dryer also causes additional fumes! ACK! Any suggestions?

    

    Reply
64. Ashley {Hooked on Hickory} says:

    Jul 27, 2011 at 10:41 am

    this post came at the right/wrong time. we just pulled up the last of the carpet in our cottage. it doesn’t look half bad, but your post only reminds me of all the work we have ahead.

    goodluck and enjoy your trip.

    ashley

    

    Reply
65. Natalie Meester says:

    Jul 27, 2011 at 11:26 am

    heading to tybee island next weekend for a week… staying at the mermaid cottages and the one in particular is Old Love Cottage. My question for you is what are some neat attractions and places to visit while on tybee island or savannah. I have 3 kids and hubby. Age 18, age 11, age 7 plus hubby and me
    I love decorating and antiquing …love flea markets. Kids love anything outdoors and fishing.

    

    Reply
66. Courtney Walsh says:

    Jul 27, 2011 at 12:16 pm

    Gorgeous!!! I just started posting pictures of our house remodel and I absolutely do not know what I’m doing! Thank you for your endless know-how and impeccable taste. I love learning from you!!! And Denver? You’re in my neck of the woods…weather is gorgeous, I hope you have fun!!!

    

    Reply
67. Kristin says:

    Jul 27, 2011 at 10:49 pm

    The floors look great! I love your blog and am truly inspired by everything you post!

    My sister actually lives in Prattville and is opening a bakery and restaurant downtown in a few months. It’s in a home built in 1850 and is in VERY bad condition right now…but it should be neat when it’s done!

    

    Reply
68. Sawdust and Paper Scraps says:

    Jul 28, 2011 at 8:04 am

    Your newly finished floors look fabulous. I can imagine what Kevin’s back felt like. It looked like he sanded the whole floor on his hands and knees. That is commitment!

    

    Reply
69. Stephanie@Geezees says:

    Jul 28, 2011 at 8:39 am

    WOW! What a difference, The floor looks amazing!

    

    Reply
70. the domestic fringe says:

    Jul 28, 2011 at 9:56 am

    Wow! Gorgeous floors.
    ~FringeGirl

    

    Reply
71. jeanne winters says:

    Jul 28, 2011 at 9:56 am

    Oh, yeah!!!!!!!! LOVE, love, love rich wood floors. Terrific!!!!

    

    Reply
72. Rachael says:

    Jul 28, 2011 at 5:44 pm

    looks sooooo good!

    

    Reply
73. Rachael says:

    Jul 28, 2011 at 5:44 pm

    looks sooooo good!

    

    Reply
74. Jenna says:

    Jul 29, 2011 at 7:24 am

    Nice job on the wood floors. My husband and I have not only refinished floors in our old house but put brand new ones in our new house. It was a project but I learned quickly how to use a saw!

    Jenna

    

    Reply
75. Mz V says:

    Jul 29, 2011 at 2:00 pm

    Poor Kevin! He looks absolutely done in! But, the finished pictures show that all his hard work was well placed. You guys continue to amaze me. Looks just GREAT!!!!

    

    Reply
76. Diana @ Our Vintage Home Love says:

    Jul 30, 2011 at 12:25 am

    I agree with Mz. V. Poor Kevin looks done in!! Floor looks good, though.

    

    Reply
77. Christina says:

    Jul 30, 2011 at 7:27 am

    Oh.My.Word. I just laughed so hard at Toby that my 7 kiddos came running. That was so gross and all too familiar. Being married to a veterinarian means we get some interesting pets and hospital stays on IVs in our living room/bedroom floor b/c owners don’t want their pets dying in their home, but also don’t want them dying alone at the clinic…so we bring them to our home to completely traumatize our children. That clip, however, shows the ‘lighter’ side of having guests. Thanks for the great laugh as we don’t have TV, so that was a first for us. I’ll be bringing my husband by to see that one after he gets off work today!

    

    Reply
78. Janny A. says:

    Aug 1, 2011 at 9:06 am

    Poor Kevin looks exhausted!!! What a good husband you have! Thanks for the inspiration! I have parque’ floor in our bedrooms and I think they would look beautiful if we had them refinished but with three kids and lots of responsabilities we can only wait, save and hope!

    

    Reply
79. Bridgette says:

    Aug 5, 2011 at 9:35 pm

    I LOVE IT. It looks like hard work but when you get such a huge transformation…it is worth it. I am new to your blog. I look forward to going over some old posts and getting to see new ones.

    

    Reply
80. Marietta says:

    Jul 3, 2012 at 8:37 pm

    gorgeous wood floors! I know this is an old post but could you let me know what kind of new floors you put in? We are putting in new floors and haven’t found any that we love.

    

    Reply