Steps
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Remove old carpet. Easier to cut carpet down the middle to make it lighter to carry.
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Remove carpet padding
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Remove tack strips with pry bar
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Remove staples with pliers
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Nail down all nail heads to create flat subfloor
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Lay down moisture barrier and staple it (used staple gun with air compressor)
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Most difficult part was removing old wood at door frame. Since it was put in tooth its very difficult to pry it out. Ended up using dremel to cut it out.
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Buy wood (I got rustic hickory in 3 1/4” and 5” planks unfinished from original company who put floors in house).
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Start first row and use finish nailer to lay first couple rows. Bought plastic spacers on amazon to keep 1/2” gap from baseboard. 10. Use rubber mallet to get rid of spaces
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First row needed thinner cut so used table saw
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Used circular saw to cut off last plank to fit
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Repeat and put down more moisture barrier with staples with overlap.
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For custom to fit places around doors used jig saw. Can always use wood putty layer if not perfect.
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I had tile-wood interface for bathroom that needed custom piece. Heights were different so had to cut at angle to fit 1” wide strip.
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Cut to fit last row and use pull bar to seal gaps with rubber mallet.
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Fill in imperfections/holes with wood putty
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Rented drum sander and got 36/60/80 grit paper for it. Did two passes with ease grit.
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Used corner finish sander for outside. In between sands vacuum up saw dust
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Final 120grit sand
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Vacuum and used mineral spirits with hand towel to wipe down boards to remove last bit dust.
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Let dry for day and applied painters tape around edge of room and doors
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Custom stained using two parts ebony-one part red mahogany. This was general directions. I didnt measure exactly. Put mixture into paint tray.
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Started far end with applicator and handle. Worked my way down.
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Waited awhile to dry and applied second coat stain
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Waited 48 hours to dry
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Switched to water based poly as we have pets and kid and couldnt leave house for 2-3 days
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Mixed poly per directions and applied with applicator. Poured poly lengthwise across room and brushed it on (per youtube videos)
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Wait 2 hrs in between coats
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Applied 3 coats
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Screen with 120/220grit paper and apply final topcoat poly
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Done
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Begin second bedroom
Made a time lapse video of me installing unfinished hardwood floors, sanding, staining, and finally poly top coat.
Overall pretty happy. Its not as silky smooth as original floors are but its not high traffic area. I may try sanding again with 120/220. I know second room will be a lot easier and better overall from just practice.
Lots of tools supplies needed but just follow youtube videos to figure out what to do. Most difficult DIY project Ive done so far. Very time consuming but worth it. Company wanted $5500 for two bedrooms and I have $1800 in materials but that can fluctuate based on what you have in tools already.
Tools:
Bostitch Air Compressor Package (Finish nailer, brad nailer, staple gun) with compressor tank
Bostitch Flooring nailer
Minwax Red Mahogany
Duraseal Ebony
Varathane water based flooring poly – semigloss
Pry Bar
Pull Bar
Rustic Hickory Planks in 3 1/4″ + 5″ alternating
Moisture Barrier
Plastic spacers from amazon
Stain Applicator
Extension Poll
Painters tape
Measuring Tape
Ryobi Circular Saw
Ryobi Jig Saw
Ryobi table saw
Eye protection
Knee pads
Ear Protection (costco kit with wireless bluetooth speakers)
Aspirator Mask
Plastic painters wrap
Rigid Shop Vac
Wood Putty with spade
Rented drum sander – 36/60/80/120 grit paper
Black and Decker finish corner sander
Mineral Spirits
Used fan from my son’s blowup bounch house to dry it out