Time flies. We all know this rationally but mentally is a different story. Day to day living is just busy with the day to day living responsibilities. Two floor shellac test samples were done way back in March when with Bathroom Ceiling Shellac. Three full months have come and gone. Sure there were materials orders, plans laid out, and procedures to procedure. But still!

Needing a major step completed to make me feel as though time is not slipping away without moving forward, I decided I would tackle the floor shellac. This is totally something I feel I have the abilities to complete. But first, the floor had to have the rest of the stupid red sticky tape removed.

Good grief, how this step is so messy. Not wanting pink sticky goo on the newly painted walls, a moveable work box was created to contain the flung residue and wire bits that broke free. A work box worked better than anticipated even if it required me to bend over in order to see clearly where the grinder with wire wheel was going.

Grooves in the floor caused the grinder to follow them instead of the tape. Removed, however, the floor showed its true color and what depth is was. Rich and warm and the exact hope for the floors once they are sealed with shellac.

Again, like the two sample colors of waxed shellac, five samples of colored epoxy were tested to see which color best matched the wood. Epoxy was needed to fill in screw holes, plywood joints, and major scratches and dents. Final decisions laid either with a contrasting color such as the oxide red (#4) or oxide camel (#19) or a complimentary color such as the oxide brown (#3), oxide dark brown(#23), or umber(#2).

Three people, three complimentary colors, three different results. Really, it was always going to be my decision but it is nice to ask others opinions and compare thoughts as to why or why not. On a side notes, these color names are boring. Names should be reflective to the natural world, like caramel (#3), black tea (#23), liquid strawberry gummies (#4), pumpkin (#19), and freezer burnt spinach (#2). I choose black tea (#23), please.

Pouring epoxy is tricky. Too little and the epoxy settles leaving the screw hole undercut. Too much and it spreads out into the grains of the plywood. Too fast results in bubbles. Too slow and the small batches start curing in the cup. Once cured, additional epoxy cannot always be added. Once cured, the excess has to be ground smooth. For me, having too much was better than too little. Excess can be removed, gaps will always be gaps.

Mixing small batch after small batch after small batch produces slightly different epoxy coloring. Black screws vs brown screws produces different epoxy coloring. Plywood coloring produces different epoxy coloring. In the end, I decided the differences in epoxy colors didn’t matter as it matches the many different colors in the wood. The differences look almost intentional.

Removing excess epoxy was tricky. The grinder needed to be held flat without cutting into the plywood. Once completed, the floor was vacuumed, moped, vacuumed, and moped again. Sand and dust floats in the air and settles back onto the floor between cleanups. There was so much dirt in the groves and recesses of the plywood. It was a good thing the Planner ordered the large sample bag because this plywood floor was dry, dry, dry. Three layers were applied before the floor started to show a shine. Three layers!

After the third layer, the entire floor was sanded with 220 grit, vacuumed, and mopped. Twice. A fourth and fifth layer were applied with a sanding with 320 in between. The floor will need another layer or two before it is good and sealed. With tons of construction left, the final layers will be completed at a later date. Supposedly, shellac can be applied again and again over itself with only just a quick sanding to ensure bonding. Time will tell. What I can tell is how warm the floor turned out, how nice the floor is to walk on with bare feet, and how much easier it is to sweep and mop at the end of the day. What a difference! All of the floor and epoxy colors make the home whimsical, livable, and just slightly eccentric. I am in love. Have I mentioned that before?