AllExperts > Flooring and Carpeting 
Search      
Flooring and Carpeting
Volunteer
Answers to thousands of questions
 Home · More Flooring and Carpeting Questions · Answer Library  · Encyclopedia ·
More Flooring and Carpeting Answers
Question Library

Ask a question about Flooring and Carpeting
Volunteer
Experts of the Month
Expert Login

Awards

About Us
Tell friends
Link to Us
Disclaimer

 
 
 
 
About Dave Coil
Expertise
I can help. I have installed wood, laminates, tile, marble, ceramics, vinyl, and painted applications. I have done some stone work, but that is seldom used anymore.

Experience
My first work was in flooring and interior designs.   My first job... every room of the house was a different color of walls and carpet.   It can work...

 
   

You are here:  Experts > Style > Interior Decorating > Flooring and Carpeting > Trying for a specific look: old farmhouse-type flooring

Flooring and Carpeting - Trying for a specific look: old farmhouse-type flooring


Expert: Dave Coil - 5/8/2004

Question
-------------------------

Thanks so much for answering my question. That's what I was thinking, pine T&G, although I'm not sure what to do then to achieve that look. If you don't mind, could you point me to or give me quick directions, to see if this is too much for me to undertake.
thanks,
Robin
Followup To
Question -
Hi,
I am hoping you will be able to help me. I live in a newer home(6 yrs old) and already I have to replace the carpet in a child's bedroom.  I LOVE the look of old white-washed plank flooring. The best example I can give you is it's featured in many of the pictures of bedrooms in a Pottery Barn catalag.  How can I get this look?  My husband wants something easy but I haven't been able to find a laminate like this.
Your help is greatly appreciated,
Robin
Answer -
Some lumber yards still have access to T&G Pine flooring.  You may also have the option of finding a "milling house" that can fun the flooring for you.   A pine or fir floor looks great whitewashed.  Some of the hardwoods CAN look good, but you would have to experiment to find the one you like best.   Whitewashing is time consuming but easy enough.

Answer
After the installation.... vacuum thoroughly...sand with 220 grit or finer sandpaper...white paper is preferred to remove all sanding marks.  After you experiment with the look you want on the leftover scraps....apply the stain/wash as evenly as you can.   Take into consideration that it will not dry as fast and just paint would.   The additional water will slow it down a bit...a good thing.  It could take a couple of days for it to thoroughly dry and allow the boards to seal.  Still relating to your sample scraps...check to see what sealer you can use conveniently for the large area of a floor.  A sanding sealer is prefered if you can handle the fumes.  It dries very quick and allows a much harder surface to be applied.  For your final coats I would recommend Shellac vs a Polyurethane.  It dries much harder and I think it is easier to work with.
I hope you can get some helpers for this...it can get ahead of you real easy as a one man job.

Add to this Answer   Ask a Question


 
User Agreement | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy | Help
Copyright  © 2008 About, Inc. AllExperts, AllExperts.com, and About.com are registered trademarks of About, Inc. All rights reserved.