mobrien24, We also installed 8-3/4" eastern white pine, probably close to equivalent to what you are calling "frontier" grade, if that means that there are more knots per board than more expensive grades. Like kimberlyinva we used Waterlox also. With Waterlox, if you use an oil-based stain like Minwax, you can mix a portion of the stain with the first coat of Waterlox and stain it at the same time. Adding the stain to the first coat of Waterlox also helps to even out the stain absorption in soft woods like pine. We used a mixture of Minwax Red Chestnut with a little Dark Walnut mixed in. We used the original Waterlox Sealer for the 1st two coats and switched to Waterlox Satin for the next two coats. If you want the knots and soft spots to blend in a little better in sheen in the final coat, after the 2nd coat, spot finish with a brush dipped in the Waterlox sealer any knots or soft spots where the Waterlox is soaking in a little more. You may need to spot finish those things a couple of times before continuing to the 3rd coat depending on your taste. Not a big deal, don't worry about being precise - just slap it on and smooth it out. The spot finish areas blend right into the 3rd coat. You can spot finish these areas in 15 minutes per room. The idea is just to let those areas catch up with the rest of the floor so the floor takes the 3rd and 4th coats pretty evenly, knots and all. Waterlox is easy to install -just follow the directions on the website and restrain yourself from trying to work the finish. Just apply it evenly with a lambs wool applicator and walk away. Applied properly, the finish self levels and nearly all imperfections you think you might see in the finish as you are applying it disapper by the time the coat is cured. Once I got the first coat on the first room it felt more like I was mopping the room instead of applying a finish - that is, stress free. Waterlox is very forgiving. We installed about 3000 sf of the flooring ourselves after purchasing it from Lumber Liquidators. We even put it in the kitchen and the powder room. We like the dark color. We like the glossier finish, but chose the softer sheen of the satin finish and are pleased with it. We didn't even sand the boards, they were milled with a very smooth finish, and any slight differences in thickness just add to the casual look. The Waterlox finish is slick when you have socks on. If you go click on "My Page" there is a link to our pictures on Webshots. I would insert the pics here, but for some reason I cannot pull up Webshots from work. Good Luck! Don

El...that's very very kind of you to do this for our wonderful and loving friend Bjorn. I am going to have to figure out shipping costs as I think it will be very expensive however I'm guessing at that, I really have no idea..if its not to expensive I can get package in mailer sooner than I'd hoped to..but it's going to be at least weeks before this happens. I was just thinking about how Bjorn is left out of all of this fun, do to him living so far away and with him not being well it can't be easy for him. And he had a heart of Gold. Apparently El, you also have a heart of Gold...which so many here do. No wonder this is such a wonderful place to spend time!!

Hello again....this is the last post on this thread, but I felt it needed to be officially retired.....just like my husband. Yesterday was his official paperwork day and I so appreciated that he asked me to be part of it. (He's very IN to celebrating the moments.) He had to sign paperwork at his bank regarding the direct deposit of paychecks. We are friends with the manager of that branch, so it was fun. She had a balloon for him, lol. Then, we went to HR to sign a bunch of things, as well as receive a very nice retirement information package, including a special ID that allows him free or discounted access to all UAH activities. Lots of hugs in that group, some of whom he has butted heads with for many years. Lots of love, regardless. From there we had to go to campus police to turn in his parking tag in exchange for his (free) retiree tag. It allows us to park anywhere at UAH, a big plus since we (or I) attend concerts, lectures, art shows, and other events frequently. Plus, he may want to participate in a retiree organization that's active in the community and meets on campus. Back to his building where a group of his (and our) closest campus comrads was waiting to take us to lunch. We went to a Vietnamese restaurant, our favorite, and probably the best food in Huntsville. I tell you....he has had a royal week, what a celebration of his time there. He's been hilarious since we arrived at home. "This is the first time walking into the house as an unemployeed person." "This is my first beer as a retiree." And on and on. Great fun. It's about 6:30 a.m. here, the sun is up and birds are squawking all over. But he's still in bed, snoring softly. That's another first, lol. I'll fix him a favorite breakfast when he gets up, an event on a Friday, lol. (He won't get used to it, trust me.) I'd like to thank you all for your lovely comments to this thread; we appreciate it very much.

^David Cary is right. No Realtor with any new home experience at all would make that claim that a 'new house construction will be perfect'. That is a ridiculous statement on it's face. As to protections in the contract, the Realtor is limited and can't practice law without a licence to do so. She should have recommended you seek legal counsel. She should have given you appropriate warnings about new construction: it's not perfect, appropriate inspections, title information and financing info (if this is a builder that has their own lender partner) etc. This is your first home so the entire process is new to you. I would re-read Joseph Corlett's last post and Charles Ross Homes last post and act accordingly if you are planning to close on this home. Or, if you can't or won't go through the repair process with this builder, make the decision to walk away but understand that there are NO perfect homes. There are well made homes and homes that have been maintained properly, but even those homes may have a defect somewhere that the seller missed - we are human. Having said that, once you own the home, be prepared to begin the maintenance process during your ownership so you don't end up with missed items and systems that don't work during your ownership. Bottom line: don't look for perfection. Get it fixed when you find it.