Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Carpet BEGONE! Painting Plywood Floors...


Have you ever done a project where your husband gave you a look like "just shoot me"???

We'll i kinda did that

again...

What seemed like perfectly good and harmless carpet and vinyl in our bathroom to mr. fracturedfairytale... 

seemed like evil, dirt and germ bearing, wrinkly, gucky, horrible floor covering that HAD to be removed to me

so remove it i did!

ted just wandered off quietly 

 I've just starting painting the wall... so you will see two different paint colors 

here i've already changed out the oval mirror from the first photo, to this cool little vintage mirror i found at the thrift shop years ago...




Anyway, what is the deal with carpet???
Who ever thought that was a good idea? to put synthetic fabric on the floor that has to stay there until it becomes so nasty your feet stick to it?


Especially if you have kids and pets..
kids throw up on it, pets pee and poop on it, 

and how about cat pee?

 go ahead, try to get the smell of cat pee out of anything, especially carpet and upholstery

you could fling a grenade in your house and blow it up

and in the smoldering embers, you would still smell cat pee 
( just want to note, i do really like cats, just not when they pee in your shoes)


carpet gives off toxic gases, and holds every germ and piece of dirt you walk onto it
it gets stained, and then you have to obsess about the stains...

well... i do

I see it in schools and pharmacies, and i'm like... really? 

A pharmacy where every sick person with strep and staph and ebola and tuberculosis, and small pox, and flesh eating bacteria.... 

ok a little exaggeration but... 

 schools,... come on !
one needs to be able to disinfect a floor at a school... !

The only reason i would ever have carpet, is if i couldn't afford anything else i could clean with a good rag

That being said

my house is mostly carpet...

because i can't afford to have stuff i can clean with a good rag...

well, except...
 i can rip that stuff up, and paint the floors!

Soooo, now that's out of my system, 
sorry....
 here is the progression

old carpet, starting to wrinkle and gather...



random vinyl


getting there...

ahhhh.... feels better already to me, i like wood, even if it's plywood!



 primed


 painted in a soft white glossy, water based floor enamel



a few of the 8 million squares i taped off... 
oh that was fun... 
i have about as much attention span as a gerbil, so that stretched my limits of patience

(no offense meant to gerbils out there)

anyway, i just eyeballed a square in about the center of the bathroom using a vinyl tile... drew a pencil line around each one,  and put tape in the inside of each white square


all done, except for the shiny sealer!  

I did learn that you should pull the tape off while the paint is still wet... i've done this before, and it's true... if the paint dries first, when you pull up the tape it pulls up paint from the surrounding square



The worst part, taping the squares, and getting up and down off of the floor...
i'm getting too old for this stuff!


here is the room with a pretty little vintage candelabra with pink candles... 
of course i had to put something pink in the mix 

i love this thing, but i never really know where to put it, so it gets moved around alot...
  





now here it is on my bedside dresser
moved even during this photo session...





Ok, so i'm sorry if some of you like carpet... 
I'm sure i'd love you anyway, it's me, it's not you...;)

There were two things i decided i would absolutely not compromise on  when Ted and I were buying a house we could afford...
Hardwood Floors
and
A Real Wood Burning Fireplace

Guess what...

We didn't end up with either one of them

and I'm ok with that...
this house gets alot of light from the sun all day 
and i love that


...the end...





43 comments:

  1. Your floor is fantastic! I think your solution is pretty brilliant. LOVE the way it looks. I really admire you getting up and down off that floor!!! (I feel the same way about carpet, but I have to live with some too!) Great job!

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  2. it looks like a million bucks! i love it and i think this will encourage so many folks to take a risk! instant age and charm.

    carpet has no right being in a bathroom. we have a fair amount of carpet here because with high ceilings you kinda need that for sound and i am a neat freak so there are no shoes in this house which really helps. also i really am not crazy about area rugs. i have some but i don't know, i love a clean expanse of floor.

    smiles to you.

    michele

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  3. Your floor looks so fabulous!!! I love it. You did such a wonderful job on it.

    Kathy

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  4. Ha! a girl has to do what a girl has to do!

    Hence...my papered bathroom floor. It isn't wood...well, down under there somewhere it's wood, then, vinyl, then decoupaged paper and polyurethane!
    But it looks cool. And I like it.
    I love your floor. I liked it all white too. But the checkered board pattern gives it some interest no doubt!

    can't stand cat pee, Pat

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  5. Cindy it looks beautiful!
    Wow what a transformation! i love your coral pink bag on the door too its gorgeous..we have two candelabra's similar to yours and they are gold and i said to Steve i bet they would look great white haha i was right now i have seen yours;)
    Your bathroom is so pretty,enjoy all your hard work,it was sure worth it! xxx

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  6. I wish I could do this ! But I'm pretty sure it's not regular plywood under my carpet, it's that chipboard stuff. I would love to put wide pine planking throughout my whole house , paint some of it and stain the rest a nice soft warm brown wood color , something without orange in it .I like how your bathroom turned out .It looks much better all the same thing . Way to go Cindy !

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  7. Wow! It looks great and good for you for just going for it! I had yo chuckle with your " shoot me now " comment.. Been there recently Lol! .. and I agree with the issue of carpet - totally disgusting!

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  8. BEE U TEE FULL!!!! :-) SO much better than the carpet and random vinyl tile! We have hardwoods and tile in our whole house except for an upstairs hallway and the boys bedrooms. They like carpet so they can get on the floors and play around without freezing. I have wood in my room cause I'd rather freeze than have carpet! lol :)
    Hey, if you haven't already seen my latest blog post, you have to go see what I did with my antique buttons. I lurve it! :)
    Hugs
    Missy

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  9. It looks gorgeous! I've never understood 'why' anyone would put carpet in a bathroom! I think I do know...men. When they design and build houses, they think carpet is the answer...I know they do! :)

    Seriously, this was quite an undertaking on your part. I would be in traction...IF I got up off the floor! I saw 3 incarnations of wall decor...both mirrors and then another piece. :) What color did you paint the walls? Great job!!

    xo
    Pat

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  10. Wow! Your floor turned out amazing!! I had to laugh, because I feel the exact same way about carpet! We ripped ours up to find gorgeous hardwood underneath (we had to have them refinished, but it was worth it!) Your whole bathroom looks lovely :)
    Susan

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  11. Oh, I am so with you on the carpet thing. I have one area rug that the dogs think is a giant wee wee pad. I am ready to toss it out the window. If I had my way, I would have all new hardwood put in, but that's unlikely to happen anytime soon. I love that you took what you had and made it into something great.

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  12. I love the floor. I did the same thing in one of my bathrooms and I can appreciate how long it took and how hard it is on the knees too. Your bath is so elegant and pretty now. You did an awesome job.

    xo,
    Danielle

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  13. I love this! I have carpeting in our bathroom and have been thinking about ripping it up and painting the subfloor too! I'm a little scared to do it but after seeing your floor and other floors online, it looks like it turns out beautifully! Is there a particular brand of paint and sealer that is better than others? Not sure if I can manage the squares (there wouldn't be a straight line in the entire room) but maybe a colored border or something. Hmmmm...now if I can just get Jim to go along with the idea LOL! Oh, did you have to sand the wood? Any info you can share is appreciated! Thanks for the inspiration! Hugs, Leena

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  14. Cindy,
    In our last home we ripped out our carpeting and vinyl floors and put real hard wood floors in every single room except for our laundry room and two of our bathrooms.Those were stone tile.It was allot to maintain.Because I am a neat freak.And to clean them I had to move everything off of the floor to do that.My daughter was little.And she had lots of toys I am sure you get what I am saying.And I have a cat anyway it was lots of work.But I LOVED the look.Fast forward to now.We bought this home six years ago.We could not afford to put wood in every room.We settled for our kitchen,laundry entrance and guest bathroom.If I could I would replace the carpet in our family room,den,living room and dining room with hard wood floors.Not the fake stuff.But that is not going to happen for a loooooooooong time.I may have to try this wood floor painting.I love how yours turned out.And you can't tell that it is plywood now that it is all painted!It looks beautiful!
    xx
    Anne

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  15. I love your painted floors! I agree nothing is worse than old carpet. The whole thing about cat pee scares me since we suddenly have 2 new kittens. I have found in my cat showing days when I had like 20 cats if you keep things spotlessly clean they will not pee on things. So I better keep cleaning:) Anyway--I think your floor painting idea is wonderful..and I love those light pink taper candles. So pretty!

    Did you ever add a pink rose to that last sweet sheep painting you did? You said you might. Just wondering:) Have a great week!

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  16. Hi Cindy,
    You've been a busy girl since we last saw you. Love the way the floor turned out and I can't even begin to imagine the strain and pain on the knees! I'd never make it!
    I'm so in love with that cute dresser of yours....it's the prettiest evah!

    I think your cottage is just perfect and it reflects you in so many ways....pink, pretty and special!

    hugs
    Sissie

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  17. Carpet in a bathroom is ewwww! I know it's a horrible job to paint floors, but this looks wonderful and is so worth it! ~ Maureen

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  18. wondered where u were now i know what a job i could a never done all that taping and such but weel worth it..... it looks great!!! but im partialTO ANYTHING YOU PAINT!!!

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  19. It looks bitching : ) and I mean that in a very good way. Patty/BC

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  20. Hi Cindy,
    You are amazing. The floor looks 100% better. I hate carpet in bathrooms. We have it in our master bedroom ensuite. It is not where the toilet or shower are, they are in a little separate area. It is just on the floor by our corner tub and our sinks and cabinets. I have been wanting to rip it our for years. It even goes up the side of the corner tub to the tile. Who would ever put carpet there it looks so stupid. Every time I bring up the subject I get the same response from my husband. What wrong with them, can't they see our vision? (haha)

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  21. Utterly gorgeous, Cindy!! I never understood why anyone thought carpet was a good idea in bathrooms. And you did a dang good job taping all those squares. :)

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  22. gorgeous transformation!!! love the painted checkered floor! simply stunning. (crushing on that bedside candelabra too! ):

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  23. This is so beautiful!!! I have less patience than you or a gerbil!!
    Rug is the most disgusting thing in a bathroom or kitchen.
    Love this post you are a scream woman!!
    Pamela xo

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  24. Hi Cindy,

    I agree with you 100% about carpet. I tore up all of mine a few years ago and lived with painted sub floor till recently. It's easy to clean when the cats and dogs have an accident. Carpet is pretty when it's new, but nothing but a dirt magnet. I was horrified at how much silt was UNDER the carpet when I tore it up. Absolutely gross!

    I love how you painted your bathroom floor. It looks terrific.

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  25. Another comment...a new guy started working at my company. He lives in Hillsborough and was co founder of an art gallery. I told him about your blog and paintings and i bet he knows who you are! Small world :)

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  26. Thank you Cindy your a doll for visiting and encouraging my art in the sea and enjoying the beach cottage anf its great wood painted plank floors....
    Now on to you, this was a beautiful transformation for your powder room vanity area.

    I love the simple way you resolved your carpet yuck! I am up against the same carpet yuck and I feel the same way you do about carpets and my carpet is only 3 years old. I am going to do the plywood as well cutting them into planks and then paint them as well, I have to glue them down to cement floors though this is going to be interesting a mess and fun at the same time. I wish my plywood was down and my job was more like yours I would start the job like tonight.

    Cindy you have inspired me more then you know.
    I may return from time to time to keep my mind on wood floor inspiration from you.

    see you soon, Cindy you have a room to LOVE!!!
    xoxo
    Dore

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  27. You are a girl after my own heart....I would have done the same thing!!!! It looks so much better.....but dang I know doing those checks would have driven me to some serious booze!

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  28. You go, girl. I think my X and your hubs must be twins. Oh, my.

    Seriously, I realy love what you did with the floor. Now, why didn't I think of that. Guess I didn't want to stay in the bathroom long enough to pull the carpet.

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  29. Wow...it looks just beautiful!
    Can you come to my house?

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  30. WOW~ Beautiful job! Did you use anything to fill in the seams between the plywood boards? If not, are they very noticeable?

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  31. This might be my all-time favorite project you have shown on your blog! I too HATE carpet with a passion! And I've painted plywood floors before too because I just couldn't stand the thought of the yucky carpet! You did a fabulous job and it could not have turned out more perfect!!!!

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  32. I think it came out fabulously!! even if it was a pain now it is done an even TEd must have loved it!! What is that gorgeous vanity mirrored furniture piece in the bathroom? Have you showed us all about that?

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  33. Cindy, this looks absolutely FABULOUS!! I love love love it!! (I am sure Mr. Fractured does too)

    I don't like carpet either....I have CATS!!

    Have a great day!!

    Lou Cinda :)

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  34. Halleluiah! I cannot tell you how happy I am to have found your blog. FINALLY, finally, somebody who has a life I can relate to. Not that I don't love all the blogs I read, I truly do, but--while the sweet authors have great ideas, they also have fabulous houses, (mansions, compared to mine), their kids go to private schools, they own "beach cottages" that are also mansions compared to my house, they jet off to Europe, they redo their kitchens with new refrigerators that cost more than all the furniture I own, etc. They don't say things like pee or poop, much less confess that their pets would do any such thing. (and they probably wouldn't). They don't paint a room and then realize it is completely the wrong color. I love reading about all that beauty and perfection, but it ain't me! And while you might be a little tongue in cheek about your life, it is at least more like mine than the others. So, I am going to start following you right now. And I am finally going to paint my plywood floor, lol, I was afraid it would be the biggest mess ever, but yours looks great, so I figure, what the heck, it can't collapse from the weight of the paint, right??

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  35. I have a kitchen with five layers of flooring on it and for the 10 years we have lived here we have postponed doing anything because of $$$.

    A while back I had the thought of just ripping it all up and we would either paint the wood at the bottom if it is in decent enough shape or we would throw some cheap wood down and then paint that. Then I saw this post and the one on MMS's post and I realize that I am not as crazy as my huband thinks! I think we have our Winter project! Just have to paint the exterior of the house first. Fun times.

    P.S. You have incredible artistic talent!!


    Jenny

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  36. I will always follow your blog as i have seen you share awesome pic and info on your blog.

    Fiber board | MDF with Veneers

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  37. holy cow you are amazing! I say the same thing about carpet & I love painted plywood..anykind of wood..great job. xo Laura

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  38. Your floor looks amazing! I knew I was going to like you, and it was confirmed with the rant on cat pee in the carpet! :) We had to pull up every bit of carpet in this house, used kilz on the underlayment, put down hardwoods in our bedroom (new carpet upstairs, just because- well I don't know why). Anyway, damp days bring out a faint hint of you know what. Arg!

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  39. Amazing transformation! Good job!

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  40. Your floor looks so fabulous!!! I love it. You did such a wonderful job on it.

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  41. Your floor looks so fabulous!!! I love it. You did such a wonderful job on it.

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  42. Your floor looks fresh, healthy and just plain lovely! I am thinking of doing the same thing except to white wash and grey wash alternately the different sheets of plywood. Worried that if I dilute the paint, the plywood veneer will be negatively affected by the moisture. If I rag the paint off full strength, would that still give the semi-opaque washed look? Guess I have to experiment. Don't mind the actual plywood color either, but hate the idea of polyurethane. Any suggestions?

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  43. not sure you got my question so i am sending again...technology is NOT my friend! (except spell check)
    This is the first time i have visited your blog. I love it! On the painted plywood floor, did you "spackle" the seams of the plywood pieces? Or, did the paint cover them up?
    Thank you
    Charlea

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