The next project...

The Edwardian wardrobe sold pretty fast and is being collected this morning. I haven't been able to start on the 'new' dresser as the wardrobe is in the same room and there's no room to swing a cat. (What a curious expression that is!)

I haven't made a start on the kitchen as I really need to steel myself for that. Food preparation, paint and dust are not a good combination.

So here's what I chose to get stuck into...

 

...my daughters bedroom floor. I don't dislike the dark wood. I stained the floorboards of my last house dark. But these ones have seen better days.

Paint spots and a certain amount of butchery by plumbers over the years mean they're pretty buggered.

I could lift the damaged ones and replace them but I really can't be arsed. So the look we shall be embracing here is RUSTIC.

Rustic allows butchered boards and even a bit of a hole in one area.

I like pale floors but here's the thing. The cupboard in this room is this one...

 

White painted boards. If I do white painted boards on the floor too I think we risk snow blindness and too much of a good thing.
Also would perfect white painted floorboards just show up all the cuts and holes? I think so.

So I think I'm going to try something a bit experimental.
I'm thinking of a dingy grey/white paint wash over the boards to break up the monotony and add some interest to the room.

Like this...

The trick is to choose the right colour. The floorboards are pale when freshly sanded but get more orange over time. If you just use a white paint wash you can end up with pinky tones.

I thought that the addition of a bit of cool grey would calm down any orange in the future. If you dilute the paint 50/50 with water you get a wash which lets the wood grain show through, looks tres rustic and forgives shoddy boards. I hope.

So seeing as I'm tight frugal I decided to sand the whole floor by hand with a belt sander.
This was stupid.

After five hours I was only half way through.

I've given myself 'white knuckle' and had to take strong painkillers last night to soothe my aching arm.
I'll have to hire an edge sander to reach the edges. I probably could have done the whole room in a few hours with a floor sander. I've used them before.

While I'm already creating utter chaos and mess, I think I'll also replace the shallow 1960's skirting for something deeper and prettier. It'll be a bugger to get off as it runs through the cupboard and I don't have the right sort of saw. Perhaps I can hire one of those too.

Sanding floors has to be The. Most. Disgusting DIY job imaginable. The dust gets everywhere. I'm having a day off today to prevent nerve damage and do more pressing things like shop for food.

Until this room is sanded my daughter is sleeping in my bed. She burrows into me all night. So I'm not sleeping. The upstairs is an obstacle course of books and furniture. My husband is a bit cross. I really hope this job is over by Tuesday.

Wish me luck!