April 9, 2012

New Kitchen Floor: Applying the Poly

The instructions on the can said to wait at least 4 hours in between coats. The instructions on the can said that if coats were applied within 12 hours of one another, no sanding was required. Our goal was to make a day of it and get three coats down. Enter reality.

Applying the 1st coat of polyurethane finish.

We started right after breakfast. By sunset, the first coat still wasn't dry. It had rained the night before and turned colder, so admittedly that wasn't in our favor. Neither is the fact that the only functioning bathroom in the house, is off the kitchen. Fortunately there was another way the bathroom could be accessed...

How we got to the bathroom

... through the pantry window.

So, one coat down and two to go. At least. The first coat dried a little rough, so sanding will be necessary no matter how long the drying time. Accidental kitty foot prints don't help either.....

Is this anything like leaving your handprint in newly poured concrete?
NOT

You'd think that by now we'd know better than to have very high expectations for the time frame of our projects. At least we know from experience that this too shall pass.

Next: Done!

22 comments:

mashelly said...

we recently done our floors thru the kitchen ,dining and hallway and the kids had ladders outside their bedroom windows climbing in and out..i slept in the tent

Lisa B. said...

Our 30 minute projects always turns out to be 3 day projects so I feel for you. The floor is looking good, and will be worth it!

Bootzey said...

Kitty foot prints are ALWAYS a given

Madness, Trouble, Squish and Milkbone said...

I must admit that I burst our laughing when I saw the ladder to get to the bathroom! LOL.
Kitty footprints are a necessary addition to all floors.

Theresa said...

Oh it never dries in the time they say, even in our very dry conditions. It looks great though, kitty prints aside.

Leigh said...

Joyfulhomemaker, I imagine your kids absolutely loved that! :)

Lisa, you'd think after 3 years of this stuff we'd know better, LOL

Serenity, they certainly seem to be! And you should have seen the look on Riley's face when he got "caught."

MTS&M, it was kinda fun. :) The ones in the finish will get sanded out, but I found one in the stain! I'll try to get a pic once the whole thing is done.

Theresa, you'd think we'd know better! It is turning out well, for which I'm thankful. Hopefully coat #2 can go down Wednesday.

Norma from Misty Haven Alpacas said...

Well, the kitty will always be remembered ;)
Ladder to the bathroom...funny from here...from your viewpoint, probably not so much.

Nina said...

It's good to find out that others sometimes have to go to the same sort of extreme measures we've done in the past, when finishing up a project. At least you could access the bathroom :)
What is a project without a kitty helper leaving it's mark? So far I've never found the times marked on finishing product tins to be accurate in my conditions. Usually it takes longer, but I've also had it dry much quicker than expected, creating a whole new set of issues.

Carolyn said...

That ladder to the bathroom picture is an instant "5 Acres" classic shot destined for the photo album, me thinks! :)

Ali said...

The best laid plans....

I had to laugh at the foot prints. I was painting a door with red enamel paint when an evil kitty jumped on the door, jumped down and ran through the house. I found all but one red footprint on the dining room wood floor. Now I look at the red footprint and smile, but at the time...

bspinner said...

I hope you don't think I'm crazy but I just had to giggle first the way into the bathroom. Sure hope you don't need to use it on a moments notice second of course the cat prints. You'll look back on this and laugh to some day. Maybe not to soon though.

GrannyAnnie said...

Thank you for a much needed hearty chuckle of the day. I can certainly relate to the kitty footprints, had to smile on that one. But it was the ladder to the bathroom window that got me, ingenious! Desperate times do call for desperate measures! My first thought would have been a temporary compost toilet. I like your idea better.
I can't wait to see the finished floor. It is looking great!

GrannyAnnie said...

This is off-topic, I know, but I just noticed your Laura Ingalls Wilder quote. I am a HUGE fan of her and her writings. She is definitely one of my biggest inspirations and I have even been to her last home a few times, yet it still spell bounds and amazes me each time I go. Are there some writings of hers that have been discovered in the past few years? I could never read enough of her writings!

badgerpendous said...

Can't wait to see the finished product! We've finished a lot of our furniture and the poly is always the fun part.

Benita said...

So, how hard it is to climb a ladder when you have to go reallllly badly?

Leigh said...

Norma, it's kinda funny from here too. At least we remembered to unlock the window and remove the screen!

Nina, that's why I love blogging, LOL.

Carolyn, the screen saver on my computer accesses my photo folder. I have a slideshow of all sorts of homestead shots from our three years here. I'm so glad too, because it's amazing how much we can forget. :)

Ali so true! Your red footprint story is too cute. One of those special touches that makes a house, home. :)

Barb, it is funny. The trick is to get there before it becomes an emergency. :)

Anna you're welcome! And just think, at least two more coats to go. :o

The "Rediscovered Writings" is are a collection of the articles she wrote for a newspaper column. They vary quite a bit, but are loaded with her wonderful wit and wisdom. Amazon has used ones for under $1 - http://www.amazon.com/Little-House-Ozarks-Rediscovered-Writings/dp/0840775970. I borrowed it from the library but at that price I may have to get one for myself!

Badgerpendous, oh me too! This will be such a huge project to get done. After that, we can start to put the kitchen together again!

Benita, the hard part is climbing through the window. ;)

Susan said...

I suppose they'd never sell anything if the directions were "real". That is really going to look nice, though. How in the heck do you keep cats off anything? I had to laugh when I saw your Plan B on accessing the bathroom - nothing but creative!

Dar said...

What a huge under-taking...Cannot wait to see the finished product. It already is looking very nice., even with kitty prints.
BlessYourHearts

Anonymous said...

Despite the longer drying time, it is turning out gorgeous:)

Leigh said...

Susan, that's actually probably true! Both about label directions and cats, LOL

Dar, too huge, LOL. Of course, the original was not liveable, so here we are!

Stephanie, it is turning out well. I think once we get the other coats down and it dries, we'll be really happy with it.

CaliforniaGrammy said...

I have to tell you as I was reading your post to my husband we both cracked up at the picture of the entrance to the bathroom. But the floor is going to be simply gorgeous when it is all said and done. Your house should be featured in some fancy magazine when it is finished!

GrannyAnnie said...

Thanks for the link and info! I will definitely have to read those.