I never thought about it before, but critter control? If they could be cut up it sounds like pieces could be placed upside down in key spots to keep kitty cats from digging in the garden. I have kitties and don't have too much trouble but I have heard others complain. Larger pieces could be buried upright where woodchucks have been trying to dig under the fence. The only problem, other than how to cut it up, is that picky side may be dangerous to humans too! Another thought is in the bottom of a raised bed where you want to keep maple or other tree roots out. Those darn maple roots get into everything. It would have to be for annual plants - kind of like a giant planter, and have drainage directed out the sides or something. Being able to cut it would be important for most ideas I have: water proof a bird house roof for example. I'm intrigued by how durable they are. I wonder how they last outside in the weather? Could they be incorporated into a cold frame? I guess they kind of yellow over time so maybe not the best. Wind protection for the veggie garden? I have an extra one at work that someone left in an office. Now I'm totally intrigued. Here are suggestions from a recycling database on the web (there's not much and they don't say how to cut them): Carpet Protectors (Plastic) Cut to the desired size and use as a boot tray. Keep on the floor in front of the back seat of the van to keep snow/mud off of the carpet. Use as a drop cloth. xxx I'm hoping someone here has already used them. I think I may have broken a piece off one once by bending it (by mistake). Kathy

Sanding, depending on how vigorous, will either scuff the sealing top-coats or remove them to bare wood. If the floor guy only sanded, there is a reason it looked dingy. Seems to me the flooring guy was responsible for properly fixing his damage; it sounds as if he did not. Can you post a picture so we can see what you have to work with? You will definitely have to re-stain and apply coats to seal/top-coat (varnish, poly, etc.). The question is whether you can just stain and then apply sealing coats to repair what you have sanded. Do you have any idea what was used to seal/ttop-coat after the flooring guy stained? Different product will age differently and have different sheens. If you cannot figure out the original products used (including the original manufactror and formula for the stain), I would sand every tread or at least the part that will be exposed (once away from the spindles, you should be able to use an electric finish sander), stain again, and put on uniform sealing top-coats of something like water-based flooring poly to all the treads. Researching the best products to refinish stairs will provide name brands for the final, protective finish coats. I do not think that something like Rejuvinate will work since you have probably taken off the stain and protective top-coats.

Another view...we've used self adhesive carpet film a lot and it does work well for these situations. You can just use a brush to try to get behind it, but inevitbly you will either get paint on the carpet or miss a spot on the baseboards. I find that if you lay out the carpet film so that its still loose on the carpet and the side nearest the wall is touching the baseboard, you can then push down and "tuck" the film under the baseboard. This way, you have th best of both worlds -- a complete barier for the bcarpet and since it tucks under, you can paint very quickly . hope this helps! Here is a link that might be useful: polypropylene - 3.0 mil - carpet protection film

Agree that paper booties are the best protection....but open house? How many are you expecting? Anything fewer than 40, don't stress. Those booties are for houses that are open to hundreds. And frankly when I am invited as a guest to someone's home for a party and greeted at the door with a basket of shoe coverings.....I turn around and leave. If your house is so fragile that it can't stand the wear and tear of a party....then have your partys at a hired venue.