Happy Easter, Everyone!
Whilst hiding chocolate eggs and marshmallow chicks around the house for Glen to find tomorrow, I also had the chance to stain the dining room floor...
I'm trying to do a
'French polish' finish with some
hysterical results. I've never done such a finish before so
don't judge me! The stain went down nice enough --better than I
thought it would. So the next day I put on the first coat of shellac and when it was dry, sanded with fine paper. I guess there wasn't enough shellac on the surface so I ended up
sanding big, unsightly streaks into my newly-stained floor.
Oooops! Pardon my blooper! So I ended up having to sand everything down to bare wood and start a-fresh.
In the pics above, I now have
four thin coats of shellac on the floor over the stain. I
assume that's enough to start sanding, but
you know what happens when you make assumptions!
Maybe I'll slap on a few more coats first, just to be safe...
The floor looks Fabulous!
ReplyDeleteHave a Happy Easter :)
Victoria
Happy Easter John!
ReplyDeleteYour floor looks great!
The floor looks great--brave of you to try a "french finish", although I hear that makes the nicest floor.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, have a hip-hopping Happy Easter!
Iris
The floor looks great, i think you don't have to sand it anymore.
ReplyDeleteI wish you a Happy Easter.
Hugs
Maria
Happy Easter John.
ReplyDeleteThat dining room is beautiful! The floor looks awsome. I used french polish on all my wood floors. I gently rub between each with 0000 steel whool...but no real sanding. I hope you and Glen's Easter is a real extravaganza Eleganza!
Hugs,
Giac
Happy Easter Bunny!!!
ReplyDeleteLove the rabbits and the floor looks great, it's just how I love a floor to look, lots of depth and character to it. I really love this dining room.
Have a great weekend.
Fi xx
Hey Kiddo
ReplyDeleteI started reading and thought you were referring to your "real life" dining room LOL
You did a great job at saving the floor, I can imagine the horror of it all though. I really love this room, I think it's my favourite so far. I particularly like the tall windows, and remember your posts when you were making them from scratch. You thought they would never end LOL
Have a great Easter Both,
Hugs
Simon & Scott -x-
The floor looks wonderful John, and so does the whole room! In my (very limited) experience with shellac I have always sanded between coats, but only very lightly and with a very fine grain. With a couple of coats you should be able to lightly sand without taking off the stain.
ReplyDeleteI saw that I missed your previous post. Like you I also like to work with matt board and spray adhesive. It has always worked well for me! The only thing I am now slightly worried about is what the adhesive will do to the paper over time. That said, the first rooms in my house have been in for nine years now, and the wallpaper - which has been put up using spray adhesive- is looking as good as it did nine years ago.
Have a happy Easter John!
Happy EAster t you !
ReplyDeleteThe floor is great! love the colour and hw you finished it.
Best wishes, Rosanna
¡¡Feliz Pascua John!! Me encanta el gato con orejas de liebre de la foto, se ve adorable!! Encuentro el suelo un tanto rústico para esta habitación, creo que tendrías que haberlo sellado más con goma laca antes de envejecerlo. No obstante los suelos siempre sulen lucir poco, ya que siempre terminamos por cubrirlos con amplias alfombras... ¡¡Un abrazo enorme!!
ReplyDeleteOOOOH..! I LOVE the dark floor!!!! Beautiful! Worth the work you put into it! This room is Gorgeous and just keeps getting better!
ReplyDeleteHoppy Easter to you Both!!!!
A mi me gusta mucho cómo te ha quedado el suelo. Tu casa es una mansión preciosa. Besos y feliz semana
ReplyDeleteGorgeous room! And that Easter pic is hilarious! :D
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter, John.
ReplyDeleteWell done you on having a go with the French polishing - it's looking great. I love the deep skirtings too. This is going to be a very grand room.
Hi everyone!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement. I was so bummed when I wrecked the first floor attempt, but I think the second try is working out better. (It's NOT finished, Pedrete --don't worry)! I think I'll try the steel wool, Giac, since the fine sandpaper was such a bust. Have a great week!
--John XO
Hello John,
ReplyDeletesorry I am so late to join the party, haven't had much of a break over Easter, been a very busy bunny!
The floor looks good, like the colour. I think Giac's suggestion of using fine steel wool is spot on!
The room is looking FAB!! Have you decided on what to do about the lighting yet?
Absolutely fabulous!!! Also LOVE all of your Chicago embedded videos. You are just too much!!! Hope you have a wonderful time in Chicago. I see from the convention roster that Jacqueline Kerr Dieber will be there as a vendor. Hope you are able to visit her 'booth' and see her wares. I'm so envious--I love Chicago, and I love the miniature shows. But I am so happy you are able to get away for such a 'fab' weekend.
ReplyDeletePeace and love always,
Dottye
Thanks, Dottye! I'll be sure to seek out JKD's booth at the show. How's your Thornhill going?
ReplyDeleteSteel wool is definitely the right thing to use bewteen coats. I have a pdf of a guide to French polishing that I would be happy to send you--just let me know.
ReplyDeleteI made such a mess of one of my floors that my friend Bill had to rescue it for me...LOL!
xo,
sophia
info@smalltreasuresminiatures.com
I am dying to hear (read) how you experienced the Chicago showwwwww
ReplyDelete