Saturday, October 4, 2008

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!!




21 comments:

Dawn said...

That looks just like old hardwood! How cool. You ar so clever! Dawn

Kimberly said...

VERY well done! Looks amazing!

Anonymous said...

I read about this a few years ago. Always wanted to do it! Now I see how it looks....I'm gonna do it!!

Anonymous said...

BTW....QUIT telling people it's just a piece of plywood!!!!! :)

Deb said...

It looks great Jenn! I love it! Deb

Yankee Ridge Primitives said...

Haha Shari.....

Yeah def give it a try. Its SO MUCH cheaper than real hardwood eh!

basketsnprims said...

It looks great, Jenn, and sure alot cheaper. Thanks for sharing.

Pam

~Beth~ said...

Wow! That looks absolutely amazing! ~Beth~

Gettysburg Homestead said...

It looks great!!! I have subflorring under my ugly carpet in my living room. Hmmmm.... LOL.

carolyn@simple~primitive~devotion said...

I have always been impresed with how you can take nothing and make something! You are AWESOME! :)

simple~needs said...

i love the floor!! great job!!!

Sue said...

What a wonderful idea...If it is ok with you I would love to share this with my blog readers..You are so smart to come up with this idea...Enjoyed reading your blog...will add you to my list of favorites....I found you by way of terry's blog...She stopped in and left me a message....
Hugs
Sue

Sue said...

I can't believe this is plywood! You did a great job and the price is unbelievable. Enjoy your blog!

Linda - Behind My Red Door said...

I need to show this to my son for his bedrooms so they can get the gross carpet out of there! Thanks for sharing such a clever idea!!

Tammy ~ Country Girl at Home ~ said...

How clever of you, Jenn! That turned out great...very authentic! Love it! You're so smart!

Tammy

Katy said...

OH MY GOSH!!!! That is absolutely AMAZING!!!!! I love that! I just don't understand how you got the "plywood" look out of it? By sanding it so much?? That is seriously...AWESOME! I would love to do it in my bedroom that doesn't have finished floors yet..but my bedroom is HUGE...LOL..it would probably take me YEARS! I just may have to try it. I bookmarked this post and am going to show it to my hubby! Thanks so much for sharing this!

Anonymous said...

What an amazing idea! Your so creative and I love it.
www.countrygirlsarah.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

Where were you a few months ago! We bought a house that re-did just about everything including the floors, and this would of been so much cheaper and better! But we still have to replace the bathroom flooring so I may just give this a try! Thanks so much! So glad I found you!

Dani said...

OMG I'm so happy I came to this tut here. I had my brother and family stay with me for 4 months, ruined the brand spankin new carpet. It was so expensive, I can't replace it, so I thought, maybe lay planks on floor
and stain it. This is way better! Thank you! this was God sent!!!!

Hugs
Dani

Unknown said...

This is amazing!!!

JoAnn SweetPepperRose said...

wow, just found this article and this is terrific news! I know, a few years a long but just what my husband has been looking to do, just wasn't 100% sure - now I have proof! THANK YOU for sharing the HOW TO.
JoAnn
sweetpepperrose.blogspot.com