Floors

Quinn's bedroom

walnut floors before refinishing

refinishing the walnut floors

newly refinished walnut floors

douglas fir floors in dining room

stairs 

Stairs

entry

We had the existing floors and our new walnut floors refinished last week.  Upon inspecting our existing floors, our floor guy Jim told us that he suspected that the 110-year-old douglas fir floors had never been refinished.  We loved the way they looked with their minor scratches and dings, so we opted to have them screened and sealed instead of having them fully sanded.  Screening takes a small layer off the top and removes all the dirt and some of the scratches from the floor.  It also retains the color, which in our case is a rich amber color that has taken decades to develop.  The stairs are especially full of wear and character and we are happy to have them look their age.   In contrast, our new walnut floors in the kitchen and family room got the full treatment:  a full sanding and several coats of a chestnut stain.   The walnut and the douglas fir are quite different both in size and color, but the wood in both these spaces works as a unifying element so they are remarkably compatible.