Home improvement projects can be both costly and time-consuming. They can range from very big tasks to small, minor ones.
But when it comes to repurposing your floor, that’s a job that most of us would consider to be very big. I mean, the floor of your home is something you use every single day, so the cost for this is incredibly high.
But for one DIY-er named Ashley, she decided to take matters into her own hands. Rather than outsource the job, she buckled down and repurposed her floor herself. You won’t believe what she used!
Ashley runs her own blog called Domestic Imperfection, and she decided to document her progress on her blog.
She needed to fix up her son’s bedroom floor. When she surveyed contractors, they quoted her prices in the hundreds and even thousands for a simple resurfacing. After some research online, she found a tutorial that used paper bags on plywood floors.
With just $80, Ashley purchased all the supplies she needed to resurface her son’s 10 feet by 12 feet bedroom.
To start, she needed the following tools:
- Roll of brown paper (Ashley recommends “builders paper” from Home Depot)
- Water-based floor polyurethanes
- Oil based stain (Ashley recommends Minwax in “provincial”)
- Gallon of Elmer’s Glue
- Deck pad or mop
- Small amount of concrete to patch holes from carpet tacks
- Pole sander and sand paper
First, Ashley needed to remove all the trim along the walls. It’s really easy to do, and even her son joined in to help Mom out. Then, you will need to prep the floors by patching any holes and sanding the concrete down.
Once the floors are ready, start ripping the brown paper. Ashley recommends that each piece measure 12 inches in diameter for ideal results. Don’t worry about the size or shape, that does not matter!
After you rip up the paper, then you need to make the glue mixture. This is a 1:1 ratio of Elmer’s glue and water. Ashley states that you shouldn’t mix everything at once because it will dry out if it’s not used quick enough.
Scoop glue onto some paper and spread it over both sides. Then, lay the piece on the floor and smooth it out to eliminate any air bubbles. Make sure to overlap the paper since it will shrink when it dries.
Once the floor is completely dry, then you need to start staining. You can either leave the floor in its natural color or add on the stain. You want this to look distressed, so you should add some discoloration.
“Feather’ the stain to ensure there are no lines or blemishes. Once the stain has dried, roll the poly to seal the flooring. You will need multiple coats, and make sure to let it dry between each coat.
Wait a week before moving any furniture back into the room. This will allow the flooring to set. Then enjoy all your hard work!
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
[Source: Domestic Imperfection]
