Home DIY

My 2p is that if it's new, raw and already looks good don't bother with the sanding. It should only be ~£150 all in, but it's a faff to do well. If you're just taking about a few footprints and dirt just use a small random orbital sparingly in those spots.

If you do go the whole hog, as said be careful with the edge sander - it's very easy to angle it by accident so it's not perfectly flat which is how you take a gouge out.

I'm expecting it to be pretty darn flat

The issue is not with how it's laid, but with how accurately the boards have their tongue and grooves machined. If the boards are from separate batches, small differences in tongue and groove heights can produce a lip on the edge of boards. Fortunately with pine, it shouldn't be too tricky to sand flat.

Another question burning a hole in my head right now is what to do with all the old boards. Try to get them in my car and take to the local tip (cheapest), or pay someone to uplift them so they can resell (better environmentally but costs me more), or other option? If I had a workshop with tools to machine down the boards I'd clean them up and then sell them to someone else needing reclaimed timber. But if I had a workshop and tools and skills then I wouldn't be flapping around in this thread, or at least I'd be giving advice not asking questions ;)

Cheers. I guess in theory I'm competent. There are more sockets beyond the socket so would be surprised if it was a spur.

If I got an electrician in would they also do the chasing? I suspect a professional would do a neater job than me.

Anyone any suggestions how much an electrician would charge for moving one socket about three foot and adding another one about four foot away?

Very good point.

This forum is so useful.

if it's new, raw and already looks good don't bother with the sanding. It should only be ~£150 all in, but it's a faff to do well. If you're just taking about a few footprints and dirt just use a small random orbital sparingly in those spots.

That's what I'm hoping. Will have a look amd report back...

I've done a fair bit of floor sanding over the last few months.

I found the guide @Bobbo wrote on here a really good starting point, as well as the videos from How to Sand a Floor which explain the methodology really well, including why you need to go up through 4-5 different grits, even though it stops making much visual difference and starts getting less and less rewarding.

Agree with the points already made about edging sanders and Osmo Polyx.

I would also add that if you're going to go all in to do it, it's probably worth spending a bit more to hire a Bona or Laegler sander - one of the How to Sand a Floor videos explains why but I think the dust extraction is another reason - I found them almost as "dust-free" as they claim to be.

Also make sure you've got good ear defenders and a respirator.

This is how satisfying it can be:

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Looks like you've done a really good job.

Here's a photo of my kitchen as I left it this morning...

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People used to come over (back when having people visit was A Thing) and comment on how nice the green stained foorboards were. I didn't mind them and would have kept them but for the pretty advanced splits and loose/otherwise damaged boards meant that realistically a DIY repair was beyond my capabilities. Repair was also too much hassle for joiners, so new boards it is. I have visions that the new flat waxed floor will have me gliding silently from one side to the other in my socks. Unrealistic I know but it will be so nice not to see all the bodged cut boards from historic access under the floor for plumbing and cable installation (think: amateur cutting boards in situ with a circular saw)

When you say new boards, are you buying new or reclaimed boards?

My new boards are all new as in off the shelf from the nearby timber merchant.

We got some new boards in our dining room (builder fitted them without really discussing it, I would definitely have got reclaimed if I could have).

The grain isn't as interesting as with the older boards and when I was sanding them they went a bit weird and powdery and the sander slipped around a bit so watch out for that.

One of the Polyx oil tints like the Amber might look really nice on them to make them look a bit less new.

Totally agree on reclaimed being better. We couldn't take that option as the only flooring fitters I could find willing to and demonstrably competent at working with reclaimed boards had a 3 month waiting list. That'd be too long to be without a kitchen. Lesson learned, plan ahead more. it's not the end of the world because this one bed flat is clearly not the forever home.

Great shout on the tinted polyx, I'd been considering that. Possibly sensible to buy a small pot and treat a sample board.

Round here people always want them for allotments

I wouldn't say an expert, but long story short - I couldn't find any suitable bin stores for my two smaller sized bins so built my own which was pretty simple despite not having the right tools and being unable to get hold of the right things (peak lockdown).

I got one of these and they come in single or triple as well.

It was pretty easy to put together and is nicely made so I would recommend it.

It doesn't have a back though so if you'll see the rear of it you might need to add some extra wood or ply.

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priming the wood work in our living room today. trying to keep a portion of the walls as the raw pink plaster colour but accidentally splashed a little dab of the primer on one section. what's the best way to get it off? try scrape it off with a scraper if it's proud enough and then sand down any remnants?

not the end of the world if it won't lift off, can always paint that section

@Airhead any ideas on this one?

Burn them. It’s bonfire night this week.

One of the Polyx oil tints like the Amber might look really nice on them to make them look a bit less new.

That's what I used. The amber one with a coat of clear on top. We painted ourselves out of the front door as we left to visit my parents for Xmas. That was maybe 4 years ago

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If you're anywhere near North London I could drop a selection off

That's very kind of you. Unfortunately I'm in Edinburgh so I'll have to order some :)

amber one with a coat of clear on top

Thanks, really useful to see. Looks great for the age.

We painted ourselves out of the front door as we left to visit my parents for Xmas.

Hilarious. Did you sacrifice the brushes or take them with you?

It's a bit hard to think what would look good as we can only see a pic of the door.

Idk what your situation is, but we put stuff in our bins daily, so it would have to be something with an opening top so you're not wheeling it out, opening, wheeling back all the time.

It's a little difficult to explain the context, as the front garden, where the bins will be going (there's really nowhere else they can go) is very much a work in progress, so you'll have to imagine what it's going to be like. There will be a row of lavender by the front path, then a mixed native hedge along the front by the pavement and around the return next to my driveway. There's two climbing roses you can see climbing up beside and over the fake fake window (which I detest as I think it's really naff, hence the desire to cover it up), there's 5 roses at the front which you can just about make out which will be behind the hedge, and then another 7 roses in the middle with a slate pebble surface around them. There'll be a gap by the house for access to the water butt, and my plan is for the binstore to go on the area coloured red, with doors onto the driveway.

I agree something with an opening top, preferably with chains linked to the tops of the wheelie bins, is a must. It's in regular use, and while I don't mind the possibility of having to shuffle vehicles to get the bins in and out once a week on bin day, I don't want to have to be doing it on a daily basis.

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