Studio Progress: Flooring

Five years ago we broke ground on what was to become a shop/garage/studio combination. I knew my studio above the garage would be last on the priority list, as my husband needed the shop for his business. After twelve years of doing all vehicle maintenance and building projects outdoors in all kinds of weather, he deserved a warm and dry space. The number of times he fixed my van while lying on a piece of cardboard to protect him from the mud! In the meantime, I have been very thankful for a large room in our home that I have filled with art supplies. Big enough to support several projects on the go, with space for two tables to host my classes. But through the window I can see my studio waiting to be finished.

We got one step closer to move-in stage this week. We purchased local spruce lumber from a neighbour, milled to work as floorboards and Wade nailed them in with the help of our seven-year-old son. Then Wade and I stained them a rich coffee colour (Varathane Premium Stain in Kona). They were very, very dark.

Then we sanded much of it off! Wade ran the sander and I followed behind with the vacuum to get the dust. I have envisioned a "vintage general store" look for my studio, and I wanted a look like many feet have worn the boards over the years. 

One of the reasons the studio has taken so long is that we wanted to do it up really special. It's a lot of work to make your own flooring, but I have a fantastic husband who never lets "it's going to be a lot of work" stop him from doing anything (sometimes to my dismay)! This rather poor shot shows the finish prior to varnishing.

It's beautiful! Darker than I'd planned, because a process like this involves a lot of unknowns, and we basically just sanded till we loved the look. It's the most I've ever smiled while vacuuming, seeing the grain revealed with each pass of the sander. We'll spend a few days sealing it with varnish, getting a rich glow, and once it's cured I'm going to start moving in furniture. There will be more to do, the heating we are using is temporary, so it's not especially warm, and the bathroom is not even started yet, but I am five years' worth of ready, so don't try and stop me!