Gonna share how I tackled the multipurpose hardwood flooring project last weekend. Total experiment, but turned out pretty sweet.
The Why and What I Wanted
Saw leftover planks in the garage and thought, “Man, these gotta be good for more than just gathering dust.” Wanted something sturdy and kinda fancy looking for multiple spots – not just the floor.
Scoping Out the Beast
First, I hauled those planks out. Heavy suckers. Inspected them good. Found some with scratches, others looking almost new. Figured I could sort them by condition later. Had maybe 20 planks total? Enough for small jobs.
Project Idea Number One: Kitchen Counter Backsplash
Wife kept complaining about the boring kitchen wall. “Alright,” I thought, “let’s try wood.” Grabbed three planks in decent shape. Sanded ’em down like crazy. Learned real quick:
- Start with coarse grit. Stuff’s tough.
- Wear a mask! Dust everywhere.
- Go slow. Easy to sand wonky.
Used some heavy-duty wood glue meant for kitchens behind the stove. Slapped ’em up there, clamped them tight, and prayed. Woke up next morning – still stuck! Sealed ’em with a food-safe water-based poly finish. Looks killer, feels smooth.
Project Idea Number Two: Kids’ Toy Shelving
Daughter’s room was a toy explosion. Had some shorter, rougher planks. Perfect. Measured a simple box shelf design. Needed to cut:
- Two sides
- One top
- One bottom
- One back support
Cutting was tricky. Used my old circular saw. Planks are dense. Nearly burnt the motor. Had to go real slow. Forgot how many teeth the blade had? Yeah, it struggled. Sanded the cut edges smooth to avoid splinters. Used metal L-brackets to hold it all together on the wall. Solid as a rock now. She calls it her “treasure wall.”
The Side Table Shocker
Had one thick, gnarly plank with character – dents, weird grain. Perfect! Found some rusty iron hairpin legs online. Sanded that beast lightly – didn’t wanna lose the cool imperfections. Stained it a dark walnut shade to hide some ugly bits. Drilled holes for the legs – measure three times, drill once! Screwed the legs in tight. Bam. Instant weirdo nightstand for the guest room. Weirdly cool.
What Worked (and Didn’t)
Big Wins:
- Hardwood is tough. Backsplash won’t dent easy.
- Finished look is gorgeous. Rich.
- Feels awesome to reuse stuff.
Uh-Oh Moments:
- Sanding sucks. Long, boring, messy. Do it outside!
- Need the right tools. My saw hated cutting it.
- Planks were heavy for shelving. Secured with extra anchors.
Totally worth it. Kitchen looks warmer, kid’s room is tidier, guest room has character. Not bad for leftovers gathering dust. Might even stain the garage floor next! Or… maybe not. Back’s kinda sore.
Shoulda just hired a pro? Nah. I just eyeballed it. I know this ain’t textbook perfect, but it’s mine.
