Frugally getting this done.: Lake House Bliss -floors

The ugliest tile you have ever seen. Terrazzo tile, but I swear it looked like the .99 cent peel and stick stuff. Not to mention that the kitchen, entry and the hall were black, while the bathroom right off the hall was brown/that really leaned more orange than brown in color. Add in the golden oak, and it was just plain U G L Y. We rented a tile stripper from Home Depot. (which ripped it up like butter on the concrete floor) FYI it does not work on plywood. The machine wanted to eat wood floor. A hammer, chisel and man power is the best way to get this stuff up when laid over plywood. I was on a strict budget -yet I wanted hardwood floors. When I say I am a "woman on a mission" trust me I am. I hit websites, and every flooring store in the Houston area.

I found cinnamon maple 3/4 inch hardwood at Lumber Liquator's for $2.10. He said he would sell me the entire pallet for 1.99 a square. I played hard to get, ;-) It was not what I really wanted so I could walk away. I went back a couple days later and got him down to $1.70 per square(including tax), but I had to buy the entire pallet. Which was no problem. I needed over 2,400 squre feet. Extremely proud of my find. (Oh, and we primed and painted all the trim. It is now off white.)

A good frind of ours routed the front of "long" boards for us so I could use the same wood down the stairs. It is just a simple bullnose route. I left the stair runners and glued and nailed the wood to the construction treads. I then went to Sherwin Williams and they custom tented the stain for me. The stairs going up we tiled the risers and you can see the stain matches perfectly. The basement stairs we used the wood for the rise and the run. We are tired of painting at the moment so the basement trim remains the golden oak, it doesn't do the floor any justice. (but I am tired) To use the wood on the risers you have to face nail all the boards. But honestly you can't see the tiny finish nails.