So.. after 10 years the kitchen floor is going in.

8 years ago

I have beautiful, hand scraped oak floors throughout my house. Something my ex- almost finished. Almost.

That said, I've had OSB floors in the kitchen now for a while. Talk about impossible to keep clean.

I've been collecting interesting pine for a while. 12" wide, 16' long. 2" wide 4' long. 6" wide, various widths. You name it. I've been looking for interesting grain and knots and have finally put something together. Reused lumber, shelving, packing crates, and yes, pallets.

I'm beveling the edges, because a butt joint is (stupid) due to expansion and contraction. This is taking my friend hours on end trying to work with reused lumber with knots in it. Oh, the patience and OCD-ness of a saint. (He's cutting, I'm nailing and will sand and finish.) I've got probably 6 more courses to go.

The good news is the holes where mice come up are being sealed up. I defy these little %&#$*@! ers to get through those layers of wood, underlayment and lots of nails. (God, please. Hear me. That was NOT a challenge!)

So.... when it's done, it will be the oddest, interesting, floor no one else in the world ever wanted. Just like the rest of my house! LOL!

I promise. When sanded, pics.

I am so glad to get rid of this OSB. but now I'll have to figure out somewhere else to strip furniture, stain things, paint, etc. It sure did come in handy! :)

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CEFreeman_GW DC/MD Burbs 7b/8a
Original Author

8 years ago

And finally, the last row until tomorrow when my great, OCD Beveling Fool friend comes back. He's not only a nice friend, but worth every penny! Beautiful work and [drum roll again] he listens. My toes are waving hello.

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Comments (40)

lisa_a
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I promise. When sanded, pics.

You know we're going to hold you to that promise. =) Looking forward to see your new floor!

Oh, and having dealt with mice in the walls (but thankfully, never in the house), I can relate to how you feel.
Terri_PacNW
8 years ago
woohoo Christine...it's nice to see a plan come full circle!
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Nothing Left to Say
8 years ago
How about some in-progress pictures to tide us over?
CEFreeman_GW DC/MD Burbs 7b/8a
Original Author
8 years ago
Nope. Only because it's so dark the ones I've taken don't look like anything but my toes.
gramarows
8 years ago
Um, how long does it take to do 6 courses....are you working on it ? almost done?...tap tap tap we're waiting.
ediblekitchen
8 years ago
I think it sounds like just about the coolest floor ever. I can't wait to see pics.
ginny20
8 years ago
Congrats on your latest accomplishment, Christine! You are amazing, and your floor will be, too.
Texas_Gem
8 years ago
Yay!!! That floor is definitely a labor of love! Can't wait to see pics!
eam44
8 years ago
We're all rooting for you!! GO CEF! Can't wait to see them.
romy718
8 years ago
Yes, Christine, you are amazing!
dcward89
8 years ago
Done yet????
oldbat2be
8 years ago
You go girl!!
bobcatralph
8 years ago
You are too talented for your own good!!!! Add to it, always such a good sense of humor. Signed "so envious" from New England. Can't wait to see.
Carrie B
8 years ago
Sounds awesome! I can't wait to see the photos. LOVE interesting wood floors. What's OSB?
CEFreeman_GW DC/MD Burbs 7b/8a
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
It's (something) strand board. It's that ugly plywood that looks like tons of pieces of scraps glued together. It's very strong and doesn't shift or expand like regular plywood.

I'll be working on it again on Wednesday. In the meanwhile, I work!

You guys are too kind and encouraging. This time, I actually have some help I trust, will do what I want, is picky-picky, and isn't look for any type of [ahem] bonus on the side. So I can't claim it all myself.

But I can claim the shelves I just built in my closet. and building the closet!
funkycamper
8 years ago
OK, how about photos of your closet while we anxiously wait for floor photos! I love how unique your floor sounds. It's going to be fab.
LE
8 years ago
Oriented Strand Board. Which is funny because it looks pretty disoriented! Not usually seen on those lists of Best Kitchen Floors, is it? But after that, you will never NOT notice and appreciate those pine planks. Can't wait to see them.
User
8 years ago
You are getting rid of your OSB and due to some water issues, I now have it as my floor. Did you paint or stain yours? You have my respect for being able to manage it for 10 years!
CEFreeman_GW DC/MD Burbs 7b/8a
Original Author
8 years ago
Hmm.. Guess my pics were too big.
Well, mobuddy, I did nothing to the OSB but ignore it. It's the subfloor and I pretended the floor was actually in. 10 years is nothing if you just ignore it. Thank goodness, no splinteres!
CEFreeman_GW DC/MD Burbs 7b/8a
Original Author
8 years ago
Here are some pics. If they turn out to be a duplicate post, sorry. But I uploaded them and they didn't appear. Trying again.

The 1st board:
CEFreeman_GW DC/MD Burbs 7b/8a
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago

Moving left to right... I love the oxidized, almost-blue boards. I've not seen this in any boards other than pine. They're packing crates. I am trying to figure out how to blue some of the larger boards' grains. I don't want the "mellow (to yellow) with age" thing. I want the "oxidize with the sun and weather" thing.
bpath
8 years ago
That floor is SO COOL!
mama goose_gw zn6OH
8 years ago
That looks wonderful, and, as always, I'm such a fan of your repurposing brilliantness. I lived with an OSB floor in the new addition for only 5 years--nothing compared to your record. Congratulations on the progress!
Nothing Left to Say
8 years ago
Beautiful!
oasisowner
8 years ago
Great job and I love that floor!
ediblekitchen
8 years ago
Love it! Did you say you collected the wood over time? That is amazing.
Texas_Gem
8 years ago
It looks great and I agree with you, I think the bluish tone looks nicer than the yellow. Reminds me of a worn picket fence.
lisa_a
8 years ago
That is so cool! Love it! (waving back at your toes.)
tracie_erin
8 years ago
I went about 4 years with plywood floors. It was more than enough. Congratulations - they are beautiful!
ci_lantro
8 years ago
The blue streaking is probably 'Bluestain'...a fungus associated with (carried by) insects...prolly pine bark needles.

More info
Errant_gw
8 years ago
Cute toes! *grin*
powermuffin
8 years ago
Here in Colorado, we call the blue boards "beetle kill" since we have tons of the stuff. A few years back we had a horrendous infestation of pine beetles, killing Ponderosa Pine trees all over our mountains. You can still see huge stands of dead trees in the forests here.

But, the wood is beautiful as are your floors. I too applaud your use of recycled, upcycled, and re-purposed materials!

Diane
Errant_gw
8 years ago
Same thing here in the mountains of SoCal, powermuffin. I had to remove 18 100ft+ trees from my yard. I call that house Stump Farm now :(
CEFreeman_GW DC/MD Burbs 7b/8a
Original Author
8 years ago
I was in Utah 8 or 9 years ago, assisting at a yoga retreat in the mountains. For 100 miles+ around, the mountains were dead. Like Mt. St. Helen's. Seems some infestation of something got into the trees, pines, I think, and they were going to cut it out. A very small, containable area.

Environmentalists got involved and stopped them, and the bugs razed miles and miles and miles of trees. They had to bury the trees, because evidently they couldn't be burned on such a mass scale. I guess they couldn't even use the wood!

I'm an environmentalist where growing, live things are concerned, both plant and animal, but that was a very short-sighted group and that devastation can be laid directly at their feet.

In the meanwhile, where do I get those blue-woodmaking bugs? Or are they a bad bug? Should I just settle for the gorgeous lumber? :)
cluelessincolorado
8 years ago
Settle for gorgeous lumber

DH clad a BR wall and ceiling in beetle-kill. I LOVED to look at it, but I loved the pine trees more!
dcward89
8 years ago
CEFreeman...my husband and I built our front porch out of reclaimed pallet wood and there are many boards that have the "blue" hue. I love those particular boards the best.
CEFreeman_GW DC/MD Burbs 7b/8a
Original Author
8 years ago
Wow. I wonder if one can just buy bluestain?

I was to deconstruct a building made of pine that looked blue when wet. The fellow never called when they were ready, so as far as I know it was destroyed or they haven't moved yet. I can only nag them so much...

That is absolutely beautiful.

And yes, These are definitely collected. It's amazing what ends up looking good -- to me! :)
User
8 years ago
Carrie B: OSB - Oriented Strand Board. It can look great on walls, if finished to seal it, but as a floorit would suck

OSB PICTURE: http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/400/7a/7ab6df0f-a124-4071-8d20-1636bf08e4fd_400.jpg

CEFreeman: " I am trying to figure out how to blue some of the larger boards' grains.

You need to use something tannic (I have some taxidermist's tannin that's powerful) and then the Steel wool/vinegar solution that is so popular on Pinterest.

The tannin solution (cheap strong tea will work) followed by the Iron Acetate (steel wool dissolved in vinegar) turns various shades of blue/grey
happy2b…gw
8 years ago
Christine, your floor is looking amazing. You have great vision and patience. Hi to your tootsies and dedicated assistant.