LuLu is getting a new floor! Here, I’ll be talking about what I’m doing. In Part 2, I’ll show you what tools and methods I used.
First off, I needed to prep her floor for floor covering. I’m always nervous about needing to undo my projects, so I don’t want to permanently put the floor down until the very last moment when I’m sure I have everything ready. I started with an absolutely blank slate covered by an area rug. To prep, I just removed the rug, did some heavy cleaning, sprayed mold preventative, and removed any peeling paint. There were also a few rust spots I needed to treat to prevent them from spreading. I did some reinforcement on those, but then it was good to go. I do plan on doing a one-over on cleaning just to be sure before I start putting the floorboards in place.
Up next was insulation. I chose to do an XPS foam. Its graded for subfloor use as well as near water, so I knew it would hold up under the pressure of being under my floor. I also put down extra insulation specifically to quiet rattling and decrease road noise. I cut strips of sound dampening sheets and put them in between some of the floor grooves.
Next, I used plywood for the underlayment. That’s pretty common in floors in houses, so I felt good about it. That provides a nice smooth base for my floor boards. I also sealed these to ensure that they wouldn’t become damaged if water did make it down there.
Did I mention I’m doing a wood floor?! Very excited about it. The underlayment will also provide me a base with which to nail the wood down to secure it.
Finally, my top layer is made of reclaimed wood from pallets (aka pallet wood). This is the part of the floor you’ll actually see. I disassembled several different pallets for this and I think the character of the wood is absolutely stunning. I can’t wait until its done and I can show it off! The tiling pattern is my own creation and it is so lovely. I’ll be preserving the knots and nail holes so they keep that amazing uniqueness of reclaimed wood. The best part? Absolutely free! Only labor and love!
Next Steps
After much thought, I’ve decided to stain the floor and then oil the wood. I am taking extra measure to make sure that my floor is sealed, but I decided against doing a lacquer or varnish. Every project I’ve done that requires a clear coat of any kind I end up hating. I don’t want to do all this work and then varnish and end up hating it, so I’m just going to skip it and protect the wood a different way. I think it will look better and be more “me” anyway.
While I’m working on all that, I need to cut and fit my some panels so that they fit appropriately with the floor. Once both of these are done, I can take some caulk and seal the edges of the floor from water and debris.
Never in a million years would I think that I’d randomly just be putting together a wood floor. Obviously, it requires less than putting floor into a house does, but I’m still super proud of my accomplishments. I’ve done all of the measuring, designing, decision making, and cutting (with a few extra sets of hands along the way)!
Next up, check out Part 2 for some tips and tricks and some shout outs to folks that I gained inspiration from and who helped me learn the best way to do things!
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