Using Plywood for Finished Floors: Yes, We Really Did That! Part 8 The Finale

 

Next step was to put the finish on. We chose a "varnish + stain" product (I have a bit more about that at the end of the post). 

We chose a route, and my helper and I started at one end of the house and worked our way towards the farthest corner where there was a window. Then we climbed out of the window, and reached in to do the last patch. Good thing we had such big windows eh!

There was quite the sense of finality when we got out the window, realizing we could not go back in. We had to wait for that coat to dry, when we went back and did the route all over again. And then again. 

TA-DA!

So what do you think???  

I am so happy with my plywood floors! They are beautiful and warm and match the ceiling color very well. They have been the right look for our house.

And now a  little bit about the floor finish, and I will mention this again in the update post. We chose a natural product to stain and varnish the flooring from a company called "Ecos." The one Big Mistake we made was choosing the "varnish + stain" product, thinking that was a great idea to save time. It would have been better to have taken the trouble to stain everything, then put layers of varnish on top so at least when the varnish got scratched, the color remained beneath. So far the majority of the floor finish has held up, but since the plywood is soft wood we have had some major scratches in one of our heaviest use areas. 

I will do an update post about how the floor has endured construction through almost-post-construction as we are in now. These posts have spanned 3 months of a summer, and it was quite a productive three months so there are other things to tell you about first!