Love the look of wide plank floors but dont have the money?

I can help:)
I actually did this in my own home in 2002 in every room but the bathroom, all for a little over $100!!!

Here what you need:
Circular Saw
Chalk Line/Chalk
Measuring Tape
Stain
Poly
Sandpaper
Knee pads
Paint Brush
Music:)

If you don't have the luxury of affording real hardwood or plank flooring this is a great technique done on the plywood sub floor with just a score of the circular saw!


First decide how wide you want your "planks".

Decide which way you want your "planks" laying.

Clear out the room of everything, this is a messy job!

If your plywood sub floor is stamped with numbers/manufacturers or has old drywall mud on it just take a green scrubby and hot water and it will come off.

When you have decided how big your planks are going to be and which way you want them laying go ahead and snap a chalk line to make your first line. Continue with your chalk line until you have all of your planks drawn out. Using your circular saw you will SCORE the chalk line making sure not to go too deep. Once you stain your plywood sub floor you will NOT be able to tell if it is a real hardwood floor or a faux one!
Unfortunately the scored lines will NOT run all the way to the wall, there will be a gap but if you have alot of furniture and stuff like I do you'll never even notice it! You can use a dremel to score to the wall.

Once all planks are scored vacuum and mop. Sand all rough edges, vacuum and map again. You can distress as much or as little as you want. I had a ball with the hammer and a chain. Took out alot of frustration:)

After distressing vacuum once more. Now it is time to stain. I used a paint brush when staining mine and applied 3 coats of stain. After you're happy with the color go ahead and poly. Again, I used a paint brush, I found I could control the stain and the poly better on my hands and knees using a pain brush rather than a roller. I applied 4 coats of poly.


That's it - Faux Hardwood Floor!


It is messy and takes a LONG time, but it is WELL WORTH IT.
Everyone that comes into my home comments on my plank floors and cant believe it when I tell them its just a piece of plywood.

Its been 7 years for mine and they have taken on a life of their own with kids, animals and toys, but I still love them!!