Now that we’ve all lived through the giant Facebook hack of 2018 where we all got a zillion new friend requests and then we got messages saying those friend requests weren’t really from the friend they said they were from and then we discovered that the hack might not even be true and the whole thing might actually be a scam and then just to clarify the entire thing some people marked themselves safe from the scam.
And the rest of us?
Wondered WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED?
But that was yesterday.
Today is today.
Time to move on to much more important things in this life.
Like this floor.
Remember when I showed you this floor with its peel and stick vinyl tile right off this upstairs landing and mentioned that we were pulling up all the layers on the existing floor and then we all discussed how many layers there were and what the final layer might be and would it—could it—even remotely be possible…
…that it might be wood?
I have the answer.
Are you ready?
Oh, good.
Me, too.
Just a refresher.
This is where we started.
This is a mini room that has four entrances to it. There’s the entrance to the bathroom. The entrance to one bedroom. The entrance to another bedroom and the entrance to the hallway.
When we bought the house there was a layer of peel and stick tile on the floor.
I knew there were several layers because of the thickness of the flooring.
And because I lived here my entire life, I knew there was another layer of linoleum under this peel and stick tile.
But under that?
It was anyone’s guess.
We peeled up one layer.
And then another.
And then another.
And then one last layer.
And underneath all that?
We hit THE FLOORING JACKPOT.
Wood.
Wonderful, glorious, amazing, incredible wood.
It’s simple, understated pine just like the other flooring upstairs.
When I saw the first board I was so excited.
I literally told seven people and my mother and a random passerby in the pumpkin section of WalMart.
Who knew we would get so lucky?
The rest of the residue has to be removed.
And then we’ll stain it Dark Walnut like the rest of the upstairs.
(total aside: the irony of staining pine a walnut color is not lost on me)
Here’s a close-up of the wood section next to the other section of pine flooring. One of the challenges we faced is there is a big gap between the two.
No worries.
In the super easy solvable department we found these flat thresholds at the home improvement store.
My husband is cutting these to fit in the doorways to solve the gap problem.
I’ll post pictures of the final flooring once it’s finished.
(total aside: I got the CUTEST rug to fit in the space)
One mystery down.
One more to go.
This is the bedroom right off the hallway.
Here’s hoping there’s wood in here, too. 🙂
PS Happy Monday
PPS May your day and your week be as amazing as you are.
I can think of no one and I mean no living person that I know in any way is as blessed as you are. I have thought this for so long. To me, and I am sure to many others, you lead an enchanted life. Sure, little things pop up. However, even then there is always a magical result or solution that falls into your lap. Enjoy every moment. I think you really do. Don't forget to thank God. I think you already do.
Just wanted to tell you how delightful your posts are!! They are a joy to read. Thank you for posting about your lovely family and home. Your posts always make me smile!!
We are in the process of major downsizing (by purchasing and moving into my husband's grandparents home~) and took up the carpet in the living, hallway and the only two bedrooms in the house~and HOORAY!! WOOD FLOORS....beautiful floors (that we just had refinished!!) I feel I know your JOY! Seeing them brightens the day.
Love it! You know, those of us who live in places where we cannot have beautiful wood floors due to proximity to hurricanes that always threaten your home, we live vicariously through you. So thank you for sharing your home, and your joy! So happy for you!
Oh, my WOODNESS!!!!!!! Happy Monday to you!
I was hoping you would leave us the link to the original post. I remember I posted my guess on there but now don't remember what I guessed! haha Anyway I'm so excited for you, you'll have lots of fun redoing this room.
It always boggles my mind why someone e would cover wood flooring with laminate. Congrats can’t wait to see the restrained pine/walnut stain and rug. Hope you are just as fortunate in your bedroom to have wood floors also!
Yay for wood!!! I too love your stories and I ALWAYS smile when you write: "Are you ready? Oh good. Me too" :):):)
Oh wow what an incredibly lucky find. It will look amazing when it is all stained.
Where did you find that board above the bed with the song lyrics?? That is "our" song :) and I would like to get that for our room!!
Karen - I want to know too! Love that song and I could only read it by hearing Ann Murray singing it in my head.
WOO HOO!! So happy for you! Here's to crossing the fingers for the bedroom to be wood, also.
What a happy surprise! I bet that wood keeps going.😁
I was as excited as you when I saw that floor but I suspected all along wood was under there that could be used! Yay for you! You're such a good writer and you make it so interesting to read! :)
Just wanted to say how delightful your posts are.. they leave me with a smile every. single.time!
Did you guys do all that work yourselves???
Wish we had found wood under our layers of the history of linoleum and vinyl flooring in our old farmhouse kitchen but didn’t. There was cheap replaced wood sheets. What fun you will have making it beautiful.
Okay... the suspense is killing me. Please tell me you went to the corner of the room and pulled up carpet or at least to where the exposed threshold was and saw a continuation of the wood? ... Must. Know. ... I also would like your opinion on wood floors in upper levels of your home. I need to replace my upstairs flooring where there is carpet, but I do not know anyone that has wood upstairs. What do you think?
Check out www.lizmarieblog.com She and her husband live in an old farmhouse and redid all the floors in the house. Here's a link about some of the work they did. https://www.lizmarieblog.com/2018/01/im-so-scared-excited-to-post-this/
Your posts make me smile, ooh and ahh and inspire me and many others. My daughter is buying my house as my husband unexpectedly and suddenly passed a couple of years ago. She wanted to come back home. Her husband agreed. For over a year, we have all (3 adults, my grandson - lucky me and 2 rescue dogs) been living together. In January we started construction of an addition which will be my little apartment. The addition is almost completed and visiting your blog each day is a gift. It’s the little things, like finding wood floors under layers of linoleum, or hearing your grandson say Hi, Grammy, that make us smile and add joy to our days. Thank you and I’ll “see” you tomorrow. ❤️ Nancy
Yeah!!!! Can't wait to see when all done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh that’s too exciting!!!! I LOVE your original wood floors and I absolutely adore the dark walnut stain. It’s my personal fave. And... total aside.... although you DID mention the pumpkin section at Walmart, I am ever so grateful this post wasn’t about pumpkins. I gotta say... it’s only October 8th and I am pumpkined-out! I know it’s not a word. But y’all know exactly what I mean. Pumpkin decor and pumpkin baked goods and pumpkin soup and pumpkin lattes. I’m so glad KariAnne WOOD gave us happy news about WOOD! (And not pumpkins.) 😂
You are a layer after layer after layer peeling champion! Will look beautiful when finished.
I am having fun watching and following your house reveal its treasures one by one. Happy house to be so appreciated.
Absolutely awesome news. I am not surprised, though - you really DO lead an enchanted life, Super yay!
Yay for the wood flooring! Our home was built in 1891. Downstairs and the stairs going up are oak. The second flooor is all pine. Why? Building economics. I love old houses. The second owners of the house “modernized” the original two bathrooms - luckily they kept the original tubs and sinks, they “modernized” around them. It was my greatest pleasure to bring them back to their classic looks. Just recently discovered your blog via a Pinterest pic. Love it!
It's a little late for this warning, but in our older home, our floor tiles are asbestos ... you are probably aware of what to look for, but perhaps you could give a shout-out to people who are following your lead and unearthing layers of flooring? No amount of prettiness is worth the health risk but there are ways to handle this safely!
Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry I've been gone so long! Long story I won't bore you with... Love that you found wood and cracked up at the staining irony LOL. One of the houses we lived in when I was growing up -- no, wait, two! -- have been on my mind since you moved back into your old house. I've been redecorating them in my very active imagination ever since haha.
Great post and Lucky find! I've found good and bad floors under layers of other bad floors on home in the past! I wonder though about the height difference into the bathroom? What could have happened under those tiles?
When my mailbox is overflowing, and I need to catch up, first I delete all the spam. Then I check any email regarding purchases and tracking, etc. (seldom). Then I read personal email. (very few). Then I move to reading updates from the several blogs to which I subscribe...and I always, always, ALWAYS save Thistlewood for last so I can relax and absorb every little detail. Love you!! xoxoxo
We found wood under all the layers too. Sadly though the entire floor had to be demolished. Yes I cried. The floor joist supports broke in a 3 places. My brother did the work. We have a crawlspace but sadly not big enough to do the repairs from under. As he began taking up the wood it splintered so bad that there was no way to resuscitate.
KariAnne, your wood floor will look absolutely amazing once you are all finished redoing it! So happy you found wood after all your hard work! You will all enjoy your nice new floor once you are finished! Blessings!
What a hidden treasure to uncover! Crossing my fingers you'll find the same in the bedroom. :)