Hi Everyone,
This is a continuation of Wednesday’s post, however, I didn’t get a chance to show you the final results, and more. If you missed part 1, please start from the top, but if you’d like to skip to part 2, please click the link below.
Part 2 Begins Here
Wednesday, October 9, 2024
Thank you for your kind comments as we complete the last hurdle of this 16+ month renovation marathon.
However, before we go on, my heart goes out to all of our readers in Florida and surrounding states who are in the path of yet another disastrous hurricane. Millions of you have been ordered to evacuate.
Before we get into the latest with the floor saga, I want to share some news about my long-time business coach and friend, Marsha Stopa. I met Marsha ten years ago at a professional seminar in Florida. She began following my blog and, a year later, started helping me launch and market Laurel’s Rolodex and then the Paint and Palette Collection.
I’m writing about Marsha now because she lives in the exquisite mountains of western North Carolina, a heavily wooded area devastated by Hurricane Helene’s high winds, torrential rainfall, and flooding less than two weeks ago.
Thankfully, Marsha is physically okay, but her gorgeous and beloved property was trashed.
The damage is immense and beyond her means to clean up. Insurance will not cover even a tenth of what it will cost to restore some semblance of normalcy.
There are several ways you can help Martha, and maybe yourself, in the process. Please read her recent post here to learn more about Martha’s experience and cool work.
At the end of the post are numerous links to subscribe to her newsletter and hire her for copywriting, newsletters, marketing, and more. If none of that interests you, there is also a GoFundMe page if you can swing it to donate. If not, that is okay.
Many thanks for considering my request. Marsha will be immensely grateful for any support you can provide as she rebuilds her life after this and other unwarranted reversals she’s dealt with in the last two years.
Okay, back to what’s going on with the floors.
Over the weekend, I spent about three hours taping off the sections Chris needed to tone. I didn’t mind doing it; it was kind of relaxing. At the same time, I was incredulous that the floor guy didn’t keep his promises.
Yesterday (Monday), Chris toned 90% of the floor area that needed to be toned. That is, at most, 20% of the living room’s total square footage.
To explain how that looks, please compare these two images.
Below is the floor from about 7 weeks ago after the poor stain and horrid water-based polyurethane job.
Below, except for the super light strips he toned today, you can see where Chris toned the boards on Monday to make them blend in better.
This is only phase one. After all the boards are toned, they will get a coat of lightly tinted oil-based polyurethane and, most likely, a second coat in the living room.
Below is the fireplace wall from last August with the plastic-looking Bona Traffic HD.
Below is how the floor looked in the early afternoon after it was toned yesterday. Most of the floor below does not have the new oil-based polyurethane finish. Again, this was only phase one to correct the too-pale new wood boards.
I did take another image after Chris put on the first coat of lightly tinted Bona Woodline, and oil-modified polyurethane over this half of the room. However, it was late in the day, and the lighting made the colors look muddy. I will show you much more soon. In the meantime, I’m super happy with the result of Chris’ toning. We worked together to come up with the best color. Above you are looking at the tone section and also the screened floor. Because of the screening process, the floor color looks a little more cool than it is.
Tomorrow, Chris will do the other half of the room. He wants to go slow to ensure no blotchiness or streaking in the lightly tinted finish. Bona Woodline has a subtle amber color to begin with.
Were you able to stay in the apartment, Laurel?
Thank you for asking. ;]
Yesterday, an hour after Chris left, the air in my bedroom had never smelled fresher, with no trace of mineral spirits. Mineral spirits are the solvent that goes into the oil-based polyurethane, which makes it stink to high heaven. They also contain the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) we’re trying to avoid.
Our first challenge was not to infect the rest of the building and my neighbors with anything toxic. Of course, I’d hate it if they did that to me!
To that end, here’s what we did:
- The top of the stairwell is tightly covered with thick plastic* as is the big opening to the living room upstairs. (please scroll up to see the image of the stairwell covered in plastic.)
- Then, two windows are open, one in the living room and one in the den. Each room has a powerful air scrubber with large tubes that shoot out the bad air, thus removing 80% of the VOCs and smells with an activated charcoal filter.
- We also turned on the mini-split AC and cranked up the heat. Yesterday was rainy and humid; we needed dry, warm air.
In addition, I purchased three small Medify air purifiers with activated charcoal filters.
Please click the image below to check out this little but effective unit on Amazon.
I figured that three babies were better than one big one. I placed one in the kitchen, one near the bottom of the stairs, and one in my room about three feet from my perch. Plus, I have my old air filter by the closed doors, with a towel at the bottom gap.
These air purifiers work very well, and they’re not expensive. I will continue to use them while the oil-based polyurethane cures, which takes at least two weeks. If you don’t already know, it’s important to know that not all air purifiers filter out VOCs. A HEPA filter is insufficient. You need an activated carbon charcoal filter. The science behind it is that the VOCs BIND to the activated charcoal.
Let’s go back to what else happened Monday and today.
Monday, as soon as we got the color we wanted, which only took about 5 minutes, Chris donned his respirator, and I made a hasty exit, sealing the doorway after me.
An hour after Chris finished, I still didn’t smell a thing.
However, a few hours after that, I did. You see, I opened my bedroom window underneath where one of the air scrubbers was venting. Now, the air runs through the activated charcoal filter, which traps most of the VOCs. I wasn’t smelling mineral spirits but a slight chemical odor. It was humid, and the air was almost perfectly still. If it had been dry and windy, it wouldn’t have been a problem, I don’t think.
So, I closed the window, turned on the AC, and went to the grocery store. When I returned, it was fine. Also, by then, the floor was mostly dry.
Still, I’ve read that not all VOCs have an odor, and with everything I’ve already been through, it’s making me nervous about us being exposed to more toxins.
Today, Chris finished about three times that tomorrow, it will be even more.
Therefore, I did the sensible thing and decided to look for a cheap hotel nearby with a rating of at least 4.4.
Haha.
There was nothing under $500 a night.
A friend of mine did offer to let me stay over if necessary, but she’s just finishing renovating her two bathrooms, and even though she was kind enough to offer, I don’t want to impose.
Then, I looked on Airbnb, widened my search, and found a beautiful one-bedroom in a brownstone one mile from me.
The base price is only $144.00/night, and the bottom-line price, including taxes, cleaning fee, etc., is $444.00 for two nights. That’s a steal. So, I grabbed it, packed a few things, and headed over at around 6:30 this evening.
I know that many of you are breathing (no pun intended) a sigh of relief that I left the oil-based polyurethane behind, even with all our precautions. I don’t think the levels of VOCs I was getting are dangerous. However, who knows?
Besides, since moving back at the end of last November, I haven’t slept one night outside my unit. (well, except for the 25 day reprieve at my neighbor, upstairs.) This constitutes a vacation, haha. Oh, wait. I did stay in a hotel a couple of nights in January when they were demoing the wainscoting and masonry wall for the lower entrance door.
*********************************************************
Part 2 Begins Here
Sunday October 13, 2024
Hi Everyone,
Well, we did it. Chris toned the new wood to blend in with the old wood and then applied a coat of Bona Satin Woodline oil-based polyurethane over the whole thing.
Chris had a helper on Wednesday and could coat the den and the second half of the living room. By 12:30 PM, the new (toned) wood had two coats, and everything else had one coat. There was still a layer of sealer and a layer of water-based polyurethane underneath the oil-based polyurethane.
It is fine to put oil-based polyurethane over the water-based as long as it is fully cured.
I would wait a month for water-based, even though it could probably be done sooner, but why chance it? We waited two months. The finish was screened, removing the top layer of poly. Then, the floor was ready to accept the new finish.
In the early afternoon on Wednesday, October 9th, Chris sent me a picture of the newly polyed floor, which was still wet.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
Mission (Impossible) accomplished.
Then I went for a long walk and had a pedicure on the south end. It was another gorgeous day.
On the way back to my AirBnB across from Boston University, I stopped back at my place, and only four hours later, the floor was dry to the touch. (below) I didn’t dare walk on it, and it DID stink to high heaven, but only behind the plastic wall. It worked amazingly well at keeping the smell out, along with the air scrubbers. Knowing how harmful the toxic fumes are, I quickly closed the plastic barrier and went downstairs to my room via the building staircase.
I didn’t smell a thing outside the apartment, either upstairs or downstairs, and I have a sensitive sense of smell. Phew! I was relieved. I saw my lovely neighbor upstairs, who was fine with the air scrubbers. Thank God! It was such a huge relief.
All was going swimmingly on Wednesday, the third day Chris worked on the floors. In fact, with the two air scrubbers on, the air was so fresh that I decided to leave the AirBnb in the evening and sleep in my own bed. The main reason was that I had a little day trip to Hull, MA (a coastal suburb of Boston) the next morning and needed all the sleep I could get. Plus, the heat wasn’t on at the AirBnb, and it was down in the 40s at night.
And then, at 9:30 at night, my worst fear came to pass.
(please scroll to the bottom of the page to find out.)
I’ll leave you with one image of the ickypoo floor before. (below)
And, after Chris worked his magic. (below)
Chris is amazing. He first toned the new boards, but all of the wood is lightly toned to blend better. He uses artist’s oil pigments in the polyurethane, but for the last overall coat, he uses much less pigment.
Right after I took this image, I took myself on a very long walk to the Trader Joe’s at the Boston Seaport.
Here I am with Boston Harbor in the background. Please excuse the remnants of my popcorn snack a few minutes before. haha
Thank you to so many who donated to lovely Marsha who’s property was devastated in Hurricane Helene. However, the link to her wonderful blog post on Substack got erased for the first several hours after publishing. Here it is again, as well as the link to her GoFundMe page, if you’re able to help out.
xo,
***Please check out the recently updated HOT SALES!
There is now an Amazon link on my home page and below. Thank you for the suggestion!
Please note that I have decided not to create a membership site. However, this website is very expensive to run. To provide this content, I rely on you, the kind readers of my blog, to use my affiliate links whenever possible for items you need and want. There is no extra charge to you. The vendor you’re purchasing from pays me a small commission.
To facilitate this, some readers have asked me to put
A link to Amazon.com is on my home page.
Please click the link before items go into your shopping cart. Some people save their purchases in their “save for later folder.” Then, if you remember, please come back and click my Amazon link, and then you’re free to place your orders. While most vendor links have a cookie that lasts a while, Amazon’s cookies only last up to 24 hours.
Thank you so much!
I very much appreciate your help and support!
xo,
***PS: Here’s what happened last week at 9:30 PM
There was a scornful complaint about the floor, based only on the fact they could hear the air scrubbers when walking past my unit. I can’t go into too many details. But instead of asking me directly, he/she/they/them made many false assumptions. The bottom line, however, is that I was being accused of poisoning everyone living in the building.
However, they had no idea what we had done to prevent that from happening.
This entire time, there has been no evidence of our having done this work inside my unit. This was the “mission impossible” that Chris and I worked hard to execute so that they would have NO idea. And here I was, being accused of doing the opposite.
To say I was upset is an understatement.
The tell was the air scrubber and extraction unit. They could hear that, but that is all. Still, they could’ve asked me directly instead of writing the entire building what a selfish ass I am.
Then, I had to write a long email explaining everything we had done; no apology, but the accuser calmed down. If we had stunk up the whole building, that would’ve been another matter, but that was not the case.
So, is the smell all gone now inside your unit?
It’s not totally gone, but it’s getting better every day. The smell is similar to rancid cooking oil. Still, it’s only in the unit. I’m trying every natural remedy, including activated charcoal, onions, vinegar, baking soda, and coffee grounds. The windows are open a lot of the time. The air is vented in and out and runs through the air scrubber.
Gosh, I even lit a fire yesterday. (I’m Sorry. I should’ve removed the police tape first, lol.)
That might have helped the air a little. It certainly made me feel better, and it’s making me feel even better looking at how lovely this is.
If you came here from the post dated October 16, 2024, please click here to get back to the post.
xo,
***Please check out the recently updated HOT SALES!
There is now an Amazon link on my home page and below. Thank you for the suggestion!
Please note that I have decided not to create a membership site. However, this website is very expensive to run. To provide this content, I rely on you, the kind readers of my blog, to use my affiliate links whenever possible for items you need and want. There is no extra charge to you. The vendor you’re purchasing from pays me a small commission.
To facilitate this, some readers have asked me to put
A link to Amazon.com is on my home page.
Please click the link before items go into your shopping cart. Some people save their purchases in their “save for later folder.” Then, if you remember, please come back and click my Amazon link, and then you’re free to place your orders. While most vendor links have a cookie that lasts a while, Amazon’s cookies only last up to 24 hours.
Thank you so much!
I very much appreciate your help and support!
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24 Responses
you’re getting closer to the finish line! The floors already look much better, and the hard work you and Chris put in is really paying off. I admire your persistence and attention to detail.
It’s also touching to see how you’ve supported your friend Marsha by sharing her story and ways people can help. It’s a great reminder of the importance of community during challenging times. I hope she gets the help she needs to rebuild and recover.
additionally, I had an amazing experience with Surfex Film UK! Their vinyl wraps completely changed the look of my space, making it feel fresh and modern. The team was professional, and the quality of their work is exceptional. Highly recommended!
I so love how your floors turned out. I too would only use oil based finish. The water base does look like plastic. That is the same issue I have with Quartz countertops. Compared to real solid stones the tops look like plastic. Luckily I only put them in one small bath.
Hang in there, you’re almost at the finish line.
Hi Judy,
Actually, now that I’ve gone through the process, while oil looks 100% better, I will never use polyurethane of any kind ever again, nor will I recommend it.
I have spent dozens of hours preparing and then battling the offgassing odor. Today, I took off a piece of the tape holding the stair cover in place, and it stunk as if the floors had just been done. (one week later). I ripped all of the tape off which took nearly an hour and threw it in a plastic bag that is outside waiting to get dumped. I am very much hoping that this is the reason why the room still smells.
I then then wiped the area where the tape was with a light solution of vinegar, water, a drop of dish soap and baking soda. The poly side is totally dry and 95% cured.
Then, I took one of the activated charcoal bags; opened one up and put the charcoal on four plates I scattered around the room. I figured it would work better not in a bag.
I’ve been running the scrubber and extractor much of the day.
Laurel, I hope you are okay. The stress of doing this reno has to have affected you, especially given how long it has gone on.
Laurel, Please don’t leave us hanging! What was the terrible thing that happened at 9:30 p.m.?
I’m confused. What was your worst fear that happened at 9:30pm?
I’m so relieved your floors are fixed. Chris deserves one of your chocolate cakes.
Laurel, I’m happy you are finally getting the floor you want. Folks: Please do not believe (or spread) politically motivated stories about FEMA. The agency is doing the best it can and is getting interim aid to people as it reaches them. Longer term aid (rebuilding loans) and temporary housing are understandably going to take some time after two enormous emergencies. FEMA is NOT interfering with private agencies and charities, though it is attempting to keep fraudsters, hucksters, and people giving away dangerous supplies away from unsuspecting folks. Unfortunately, like the rest of the government, FEMA has lost a lot of good, experienced employees since 2016 and is understaffed for a normal year, and this is not a normal year, though I fear we may be looking at the future. Finally, FEMA is not a substitute for insurance, as a lot of people are learning. This would be a good week to call your broker and make sure your policy covers what you think it does.
The floors look great! I am glad you are happy with them. You deserve to be. On to hurricanes and FEMA.
When I was nine months pregnant with my third child, the day before my due date in fact, a hurricane blew through our small, rural town. As the eye of the storm as it passed overhead, I waddled outside with my two older children to see the sun shining overhead, which was an amazing sight. We lost power and our well water for 6 days, and our road and driveway were blocked for two days. I have since weathered two other major hurricanes and a couple of blizzards that knocked out the power for days on end. (Blizzards can be worse than hurricanes; with no power it can get darn cold).
As something of a hurricane survivor, I can say this: you are your own first responder.
Local first responders can’t get to everyone all at once, never mind FEMA, an agency that has long standing, well documented problems. Be prepared for the worst during storm season. Stockpile water, candles, solar powered lights, get a generator if you can swing it financially and have it properly installed. Have firewood on hand to burn in your fireplace. Stock pile food that doesn’t need refrigeration. Have your car fully gassed up or charged. Have cash on hand. Have an evacuation plan that lets family and friends know where you intend to go. Freeze icepacks. Have your prescriptions filled. Trim the trees around your house, so they don’t fall on it. Have something for your children and you to do when there is no power. Have a plan for your pets, too.
Some years back, we fought a three plus year battle with FEMA over their flood maps. They thought our house situated on the top of a hill was in a flood zone, the houses at the bottom of the hill, by the stream, were not in a flood zone. We were forced to buy flood insurance, the people below us were not. There was, in fact, a 100 year flood during this time and the people at the bottom of the hill were badly flooded— and had no insurance coverage for it. The lesson here is FEMA’s flood maps can be wrong. Very wrong. And it is a bureaucratic nightmare trying to deal with the agency. Walk your property, know your area and its history of flooding. Make your own assessment of the risk. Better to buy the insurance and not need it, or to self insure for the possibility.
As for very pregnant me, my neighbor notified the town public works department to let them I was pregnant and might have to rush to the hospital at any moment. That got our street prioritized for clearing. In the end, my lovely baby was born a week late, the day after our power was restored.
Beautiful work on the floors and I’m happy you’re happy. Persistence pays off.
We are hearing from trusted sources in the NC mountains that FEMA aid is non-existent and that victims are desperate. There are others saying that where there’s any agency presence, it’s countering the efforts of those who were already helping out and in a very high-handed manner, such as destroying or blocking distribution of donated supplies. I’d really like to avoid reading the political wars here, but I post this because there are posts already here saying things are worked out. That’s not at all what we’re hearing from those who live there.
Oh Laurel, you are lucky your ceramic floor tiles didn’t pop up when they cranked the heat… A thermal shock could have occurred because of sharp contrast of temperature between the materials and ambient air. 😰🍀
So glad you decided to stay away to protect your health from dangerous VOCs off gassing! Last I checked, Bona wood floor finishes/varnishes DO contain VOCs (people in the trade say it’s “zero” VOCs but it’s actually “LOW” VOCs…It is obviously not the same at all).
(Because of this, and because we didn’t want oiled or waxed floors, we opted for Vermeister zero VOCs. A true zero VOCs but it still had some smell. I think the finish would drive you bananas lol – we ended up choosing the mat finish, it looks great, but it’s still dangerously slippery and it feels a bit like plastic underfoot. So, walking barefeet is okay but socks and Crocs are an absolute no no… Other than “that” it’s “perfect” 🙄🍋).
Hang in there, you are nearing the long awaited finish line! 🙌
Hi Genevieve,
There are no ceramic floor tiles in my home. Even if there were, the heat cranked up isn’t to make the room hot, it’s to compensate for the cold air coming in through the windows as until today, it’s only been in the 40s-50s outside and ideally, it should be dry and about 70 degrees inside. That’s why the heat is up higher. It also helps keep the air dry.
It is not true that FEMA is absent.
My closest relative just rode out Milton in St. Petersburg with minor issues although the aftermath is probably going to be worse than the storm.
FEMA gives $750 cash automatically for first level emergency expenses. There are far, far more funds available for additional expenses, e.g. repairs and getting a business up and running (which is technically a different program I believe).
Please start enjoying your home, Laurel. I wish I could visit in person. Maybe by the time you are done, I will be in a position to fix my damaged home.
I agree that the.fireplace is just gorgeous. Now we can start ooohing and aaahing about the details you are going to fill in.
Your floors are looking great! What an amazing transformation, the floors look as good as the original. So happy for you that your floor nightmare is behind you!
Any chance that you could share Chris’ contact information with me. I would love to hire him.
Thank you for posting the GoFundme link for us to help your friend. It doesn’t look like FEMA is going to step in to assist much if any.
Hi KB,
Chris Audley can be found here. https://paintingbydesigninc.com/
Thanks for posting Marsha’s link. I donated to her Go Fund Me… what a terrible trauma to live through!
The floors are looking great – glad you’re out of the apartment …
Eagerly awaiting the painting of the kitchen floor …
Thanks so much, Sandra. I only ended up staying away one day.
I got a little homesick, lol. But it was good to have that 26 hour break. I did a lot of walking yesterday, too.
Looks fantastic Laurel! Congrats on all the progress you’re making. Your strive to perfection is admirable and a source of inspiration. And so glad you were able to get out and not stay in to expose yourself to the toxins. Not worth taking the risk.
Just curious if your neighbors have left the building too or they chose to stay?
Love,
Judy
The floors look great. Thank you for sharing your friend’s Go Fund Me. I made a donation.
Thanks so much, Sharon!
The fireplace mantle looks as if it has been there since the house was built, great job! The floors already look a lot better. What a shame that the old boards were thrown out by the subs, but on the whole things are definitely looking up for you. Thank you for allowing us to share in your journey.
By the way there is a lot of dissemination of false news about FEMA. Here in North Carolina the government has stepped up and is actively helping the affected areas in Western NC. I know they will once again be there for Florida as well.
Laurel, sounds like things are improving, and you have the VOCs under control. Good job!
As for those that have been left homeless by the storm – this seems to be a major problem. FEMA has claimed that it was already low on funds to help victims of Helene, and that it didn’t have any funds for future storms – like Milton. We could all debate how FEMA is handling things, but that is not the point. Homeowners insurance does not cover damage from flooding. You need to get a separate insurance policy from the federal government to cover flood damage. Since people living in places like North Carolina don’t normally flood, they didn’t carry flood insurance. That means they have suffered a total loss with no insurance coverage.
And then there are the people in Florida. Because of past destruction caused by past hurricanes, the cost of carrying home owners insurance in Florida became prohibitively expensive. Some home owners had no choice but to cancel their policies. Which means that they, too, will suffer total losses with no insurance coverage.
I have been asking myself, “how are people ever going to recover from the effects of these storms?” And it seems to me that it is going to take the generosity of the rest of us – in the form of cash donations and volunteer efforts – for them to recover. If you choose to make a cash donation, please be sure to do your research first. Some organizations will keep a portion of your donation for their “overhead” expenses. Try to make sure that all or most of your donation actually goes to the victims.
Laurel, I know this post is about fixing the floor, but I cannot help but admire your fireplace. It really is stunning. That is where my eye went first and lingered before checking the progress being made in toning the floor. The floor is a key feature, yet there are so many lovely architectural features in your upstairs. They draw one’s attention away from something that does not meet expectation. And the kitchen is a jewel. Your home is beautiful.
Marsha’s substack is wonderful and I subscribed. Thanks Laurel for putting out the word for her and those affected by Helene. Prayers for those in the path of Milton.
And Lauren your renovation and example have encouraged me to pay more attention to getting the details right rather than settling for mediocre.
Chris is really doing a super job!!! I know you are so relieved. I’m looking forward to pics in your next post to see his progress.
I’m so sorry to hear about your friend Marsha’s experience from Helene. It is wonderful that you have posted the GoFundMe link to help her in this terrible time. People who have been affected by hurricane Helene need to know that the rest of the country is thinking about them and eager to help in any way possible. They will need ongoing assistance and encouragement for some time. I live in Houston and am familiar with hurricanes and flooding, like Harvey here and Katrina in Louisiana, but Helene’s destruction is catastrophic on such a large scale.
Thanks again for sharing your updates and successes, Laurel. It has been very uplifting and encouraging for me to see your perseverance and triumphs!!