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If you are looking for an inexpensive way to dress up your walls, this might be it. I happen to adore the 18th century style, but don’t want to spend a ton of money to achieve the look in my home.
Decorative carved plaques were quite popular in France, and eventually Sweden perfected the look. Musical instruments, hunting motifs, and florals seemed to be the most popular carved designs in the 17th and 18th centuries. These wood carved decorative elements were often seen framed within wooden decorative trim and commonly found above doorways, or fireplaces.
Today you can see these beautiful plaques on pieces of wood in some of the most beautiful interiors decorated after the European styles of the past.
I have created a few of these plaques for my house and I really love how they have turned out. They give me the look of a large piece of art, without having to complicate my interior with lots of colors. Best of all, this project is fairly simple to create.
Vintage Syroco
Rococo is a design most popular in the 1730s. The design heavily influenced architecture, painting, sculpture and eventually furniture and decor.
Mirrors made after these styles became popular in the 50’s by a company called Syracuse Ornamental Company who at the time produced ornamental carvings to embellish furniture. The company was founded in the late 1890’s by Adolph Holstein who was a talented Austrian woodcarver.
The opportunity for his business to expand when Holstein developed a casting technique which produced a high quality product without the laborious intensity and time of wood carving. Holstein used Syroco to create perfect replicas of their original carvings.
Many of their molds featured a wood grain within the mold, giving their overall product a higher end feel for less money. As the modern movement hit in the 1940’s their business turned from ornamental embellishments to novelty items which didn’t profit as well, so the company returned to making the highly ornate wall mirrors, sconces, and decorations in the 1950’s which became a huge sensation.
These very same items from the 50’s can be found on ebay, and made to look high end with layers of paint in shades of gray, white and beige paint for a higher end European look.
The Materials Used For My Project
The materials you need are plywood, decorative trim, a decorative element that you want to frame, a miter box and a compressor with a nailing attachment certainly helps.
The pieces that I have purchased for my creations are Dogwall plaques from syroco, and two large vintage burwood musical plaques.
I tend to make my projects as simple as possible. For this project I simply cut a piece of plywood, and made my own miter box to hand cut the decorative edging that was placed around the edges of the wood.
The decorative edging I used was from Home Depot. You can find a picture with the number of the product below. The edging was simple, and easy to work with.
I made my miter box by simply screwing a piece of 2 x 4 wood together with two wood sides. I then took my miter saw, and cut the wood to give me a guide. It was as simple as that. I found that using my saw was not only dangerous with thin wood edging, but also that the wood would be torn apart with using the fast blade. My advice, buy a miter box or make your own like I did.
Next, I used a compressor with a nailing attachment to add the trim and the decorative element. I used wood filler to fill these holes, along with adding wood putty to the sides of the plywood to give it a finished appearance.
In a previous article, I described using Durhams putty to seal the edges between the wood and the decorative relief. You can find more pictures of this project in this post there. The beauty of Durhams putty is that it dries in a shade of light yellow. When you paint your object, what I do is wash off parts of the motif with a damp cloth, and the putty appears to look like wood painted. Working with this product is a perfect way of faking this whole look.
I love this look and these plaques happen to be my favorite pieces in my house. What do you think? Do you love it?
More Inspiration:
- A plaque made by Bliss Studio- here
- Plaster medallions of Carl Michael Bellman & Ulla Hopken – here
-
Swedish Plaster Medallions- here
- Wood Wall Plaques- here
Burwood musical plaques before they were painted
The molding I used from Home Depot
Pair of Late Gustavian / Neoclassical Chairs
The Scandinavians are known around the world for creating simple, stylish and functional furniture; its style reflects its origins, furniture and décor which maximized the available light and space. The look is minimal, yet honest with an earthy flavor. It is the perfect style to use when you are looking to revitalize an old, gloomy house and create a contemporary yet practical flare. To really get the 1800s Swedish feel in your home you will need to follow these tips:
Wooden Flooring
The flooring should be light and preferably wood, although a laminate will have the same effect. This allows the sunlight entering the house to bounce around the room and help to create a feeling of space, warmth and light. The bathroom is the only exception to this rule as a darker, warmer color will make the room feel more inviting.
Color Palettes Of Brown And Grey
The original Scandinavian design would be for white walls and a pale grey or light blue; either as a feature wall or as part of the design; the color of the furniture or the accessories. However, there have been several other influences in the Scandinavian scene and it is possible to introduce some bright colors through the accessories or even the flowers in the room. These will draw the eye and make the room feel friendly and inviting. It is also possible to opt for wood on one of the walls; it is a natural material and adds a layer of warmth to the property. If the wood is too yellow for your taste than it can be white washed or you can use grey oil to dilute the color.
Furniture Lines
The handmade designer furniture you use in your Scandinavian room must have clean lines. The majority of Swedish furniture elements will already have the lines you require. This simplistic approach will provide a calm, tranquil room in which to relax.
Functional Furniture
The Swedish pride themselves on providing stylish yet functional furniture. Every piece has a specific purpose and it is well designed for that purpose. This ethic should apply across the entire house; it avoids unnecessary clutter and encourages the simple, minimalistic style. Furniture may have been designed recently or may be genuine antique pieces. Either will work as the elements of design have stayed true throughout time; every Swedish piece has a classic beauty in its simplicity and will sit perfectly in a room today. The way this furniture has been designed allows it to blend with any room, creating a stylish, yet practical living area.
Corner Fire
Swedish winters are generally much colder than those in many other parts of the world. A fire is an essential part of surviving these winters. However, they are not the feature point of the room; they are seen as another piece of furniture. Swedish fires are often tiled and sit in the corner of the room. They are usually very simple in design and may hardly even be noticed with their doors closed. The corner approach also allows the heat to radiate out across the room effectively.
The Environment
The Swedish are well known for adding environmentally friendly features to their houses. This can be as simply as embracing the energy efficient light bulbs, to adding solar panels or a ground source heat pump. Insulation and triple glazing are also standard on new builds and help to create the warm, inviting interior of a Swedish house.
Less is more
Scandinavian design does not incorporate an abundance of ornaments and accessories. The approach is minimalistic in order to keep the clean lines and bright spaces that they desire. Among the few accessories will usually be a plant or bunch of flowers to add a touch of the outside to the décor. Blend your minimalistic approach with natural materials and you will have a beautiful house that you can
actually live in!
Embrace the Swedish home design and transform your home into a welcoming, truly inviting living nest. Choose a dominant color that best lives up to your expectations, and don’t be afraid to improvise. Oversized throw pillows, flower pots with seasonal flowers and custom-made furniture items are everything you need for a Swedish-inspired home.
A Swedish Early Gustavian Period Console Table circa 1770 1st dibs
19th Century Swedish Gustavian Pedestal Table
Set of Four 18th Century Swedish Gustavian Chairs
19th Century Swedish Gustavian Style Bench
Home Office Chair with Casters, Unfinished$130 (Affiliate Link) Sidetable from International Concepts (Affiliate link)- $84 here Imagine […]
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19th Louis XVI Gilt Wood Cartel Clock- $189+$88 Shipping From Arek631 On Ebay
Skalin Bell Chime Swedish Gustavian Gallery Wall Clock Louis XV- Starting bid $24 On Ebay
Hau Junghans Rare 19th Cartel Clock $199 From Arek631 On Ebay
Porcher sells a terrific stone top black granite bathroom vanity that has a very attractive Swedish design. These doors feature beautiful reeded wood that bring texture and dimension.The cabinet is made from select veneers and premium hardwood construction. This cabinet is designed to resist moisture and warpage over time making it ideal for the bathroom.
Paint and distress this cabinet with an off white paint. Consider a black to match the black granite top, or consider a red for a country appearance. Distress the cabinet to show off the wood details and add classic Swedish key holes for an upscale antique appearance. Amazon has one for sale from $127.50
Cannot get enough of gray furniture, Nordic style decorating and the lush interiors of Gustav III? Pinterest can be your best friend when it comes to ideas for re-decorating, painting, and inspiration to get your creative juices flowing in the morning. There are hundreds of pages that have to do with themes of the Nordic Heritage. From decorating, to cultural costumes, to travel ideas; pinterest is rich with ideas.
Here are 75 Pinerest pages that have to do with all things Nordic. Follow these pinterest pages I have listed, and if YOU have a page that fits with the Nordic theme that we haven’t listed, PLEASE leave a comment below in the facebook comments section, or regular comments section with a link to your page. Share the love people! You might discover a new friend.
So here we go:
1. Furniture: Gustavian – Meranda Devan here
2. Interior Design: Nordic – Meranda Devan – here
3. Interior Design: Swedish Meranda Devan –here
4. Poutres Blanches- Anne Magnier – Here
5. Jeanne d’Arc Living Magazine Photos- Here
6. Swede Blog- Swedish Antiques- Here
7. Nordic Style From White Lace Cottage- Here
8. Gustavian Style and Inspiration Kristin Fägerskjöld- Here
9. How Swede I am- Judy English- Here
10 Sweden – WP- Daily Themes Group Board- Here
11. Beautiful Pins From antiqbr.blogspot.com here
12 Marie Antoinette Vanna H- Here
13 Day Bed Love Jane Love Here
14 French & Belgian- Anna Tausend- Here
15. Swedens Red Houses Kristin Fägerskjöld- Here
16 Scandinavian Themes -Susanna Nykänen Here
17. Interiors Gustavian Cornélie Polderman –Here
18. Norwegian heritage, foods, crafts Bette Calderone Here
19. Mäster Henriks Blog Kristin Fägerskjöld- Here
20. La Maison de Mes Rêves- Hanna H Here
Colefax and Fowler
Furniture ages just like everything else…and like with most other things, you don’t notice the small changes that happen to your furniture until one day, a few years (or maybe even a decade or more) down the line, you stop and say, “When did my furniture develop this natural patina?”
Obviously you love your furniture — you wouldn’t have kept it for so long if you didn’t — but loving your furniture doesn’t mean you can’t update it or dress it up a little. What’s more, you can make your updates and do your dressing up for very little cost (which should be a relief since it’s doubtful you’ve got a Steve Wynn-sized bank account to fund these projects).
Here are a few cost-effective ways to do just that.
1. Put on New Hardware
Consider adding a little bit of bling to that old chest that you want to fall back in love with. Putting on new hardware is a great way to dress up old cabinetry and furniture. For example, maybe instead of having handles on the dresser drawers, you can put pulls on instead. New hardware can completely change (and update) the look of a piece and costs way less than buying a whole new item.
2. Refinish It
That chest sitting in the back of the garage may look nice in it’s all natural elements. Consider sanding off the old layers of varnish and finish. Maybe this time you can choose a different paint color, or maybe you’ll leave it all-natural.
Refinishing vintage furniture helps get rid of layers of gunk and grime. It can also remove dings and scratches that might have dampened the appearance of the piece. While it won’t often make the piece look brand new, it can help it look re-energized.
3. Paint
As someone who is undoubtedly into the purity of his or her furniture, the idea of painting over the current finish, stain, or varnish probably turns your stomach. Before you hurl, though, know that light paint colors are very “in” right now (and has been for a while). You don’t have to paint the furniture a garish color if you don’t want to. In fact, one of the best things you can do is paint it white. A coat of white paint helps it keep its integrity while also updating its look.
4. Reupholster It
The simple fact of the matter is that over time, fabric (in spite of your good intentions and good care) starts to rot. Cushions (even with minimal pressure) lose their strength. Reupholstering the seat, sofa, or stool helps maintain its beauty and structural integrity. You can even find antique-looking fabrics fairly cheaply online. Even better — upholstery is something you can easily do yourself, which saves you even more money!
Whatever you choose to do, know this: Updating is not the same as replacing. You can keep the same furniture for decades if you treat it well and give it a facelift now and then!
Erin Steiner is a full-time freelance writer and web content creator.
Table With 4 Chairs- Live Auctioneers
Table With 8 Chairs- Live Auctioneers
Riverhills Game Room- Texas designer Joe Minton sought to create a space that would be well-used. Accordingly, he selected a durable outdoor fabric for the banquette. Its yellow-and-blue, slightly nautical stripe adds playfulness to a room rich in antiques.
How to Install Tongue-and-Groove Paneling
Beadboard Kitchen Island Cottage kitchen Litchfield Designs
This wonderful picture was taken From House to Home
Tongue and groove paneling is a great alternative to drywall for a home which is decorated around the Scandinavian style. These wood panels are inexpensive, and easy to install. All that is needed is a good nailing gun, wood glue, and a good miter saw, and this weekend project can radically transform any room in your home. These planks of wood are quite thin, making them lightweight, practical solution for walls and ceilings.
The tongue and groove features of the wood make it really easy to put together, and with a surprisingly quick turn around time. The installation of tongue and groove paneling, compared to drywall, (which requires taping, mudding and sanding) is easier, cleaner and takes less time.
Installation Steps
1. Calculate How Much Wood You Will Need
Calculate the amount of paneling that you need. Amazon offers free shipping right to your door, making it easier if you don’t have a truck to transport the wood.
Determine if you want to do the whole wall, or half the wall. Consider changing up your trim. You can add layer on your trim to make it appear more bulky and architectural. In the House to Home picture above, you can see the floor trim is built up giving it more of a presence in this room. Calculate the amount of wood by simply measuring the length and height of each wall, and multiply the height times length to get square footage.
Tools and Wood
-Allwood V-Groove Knotty Pine Planking, 70 SQF Thickness: 5/16″, Width: 3-1/2″, Length: 96″ Package: 70 SQF (5 mini bundles x 14SQF) $110 + Free Shipping on Amazon
– Optional Buy For Walls of Half Pine Planking and half wallpaper – Allwood Wainscot Base and Chair Moulding, Thickness: 9/16″, Width: 2-5/8″, Length: 96″ $13.60 + Free Shipping on Amazon
-Henkel Power Grab All-Purpose Construction Adhesive (Recommended for molding, paneling, chair rails, plaster, concrete) $17 +$7 Shipping Amazon,or add on item for $4 with Free Shipping
– A Miter Saw – Buy re-conditioned saws on Amazon from $45 dollars
– A Nailing Gun and Compressor Combo. Money worth spent.
– Senco PC0947 18-Gauge Brad Nailer Compressor Combo Kit $179 +Free Shipping Amazon
– Porter-Cable 6-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor and Finish Nailer $199 + Free Shipping Home Depot
1st picture, white painted paneling shown in a bedroom, designer unknown, 2nd picture, Santa Monica home designed by Tim Barber Ltd. Architecture
2. Remove The Existing Trim
-Before you start installing the wood paneling to the wall, remove the existing trim by using a hammer or pry bar. Be careful with your trim, so you can put it back into place once your wood paneling is up on the walls.
-Locating the wall studs and ceiling joists is a good starting point. Mark them out on the wall using a stud finder. This can be a tricky part of the job, but well worth your time. Decide how you would like to install the paneling. You can either run the planks vertically or horizontal to the wall. As you put up the wood planks, nail them right into the 2 x 4 studs.
3. When installing the paneling to the wall, leaving a gap of 1 /2″ at the edges for expansion. Start installing the plank with groove closest to the wall, and secure the first row by nailing into the stud. Insert the nails into the tongue at an angle and use enough force to have the nail flush with the surface of the tongue. If this is done properly, the groove of the next board should slide easily over the nails on the tongue of your previous plank.
Woodland Chorus by Sanderson Ella by Arthouse Cielo Panel by Designers Guild Take me on a road trip […]
Mary Mulcahy’s designs, first developed for her block-printed textiles, now grace the wall with the Les Indiennes collection by IVM Prints. The 12 hand-screened wallpapers include Rayure, left, and Veronique, both in indigo; additional colors are offered, Seen in Elle Decor April 2011
The company Les Indiennes is known for their beautiful hand-blocked textiles. Founder, Mary Mulcahy had a desire to find naturally dyed cotton, with large scale single colored motifs, but was unable to locate fabrics close to what she had in mind, so she created her own. Her concept started to take form after running into a craftsman in southern India, who knew exactly what she was after. In fact, the craftsman was one of the very few artists who still practiced the ancient art of kalamkari, which was an extremely complex and rare method of printing on fabric.
The Kalamkari Process:
1. Fabric Preparation- Cotton fabric is initially softened and bleached. This process needs to be done before any printing takes place. The process involves bales of organic cotton which are repeatedly rinsed and beaten against large rocks, then laid out on the grass to bleach in the sun. These steps ensure that the fabric will feel soft and luxurious, and so that the color application remains bright and vibrant.
2. Block Printing- After the fabric has been softened and lightened, printing begins. Craftsmen dip hand-carved wood blocks in dyes and presses them into the cotton. The dyes are derived from plants, roots, earth, and rock. One can only imagine the great care, and measurements taken to ensure the patterns are straight and line up with one another. Today we take for granted large printing machinery, when at one time, much of this work was done by hand. At Les Indiennes, the fabric is printed by hand, and hours go into each fabric panel. After the patterns are applied, the printed fabric is air dried for at least two days.
Stola Herrgård, Sweden Wallpaper can make a tremendous difference in a room decorated around the Swedish style. It has […]
Veranda May June 2012 When you think of slipcovers, you may have memories of the 80’s clunky furniture […]
Rococo & Empire Pulls- House Of Antique Hardware
Most do-it-yourselfers know that adding new hardware to new or existing furniture or cabinetry is a great way to dress it up. These seemingly small touches make a huge impact on the overall appearance of a piece.
You can create the look you want. Hardware pieces are available in a variety of finishes, designs, and styles. You can walk into any local hardware store and find shiny chrome and brass knobs and handles as well as modern sleek knobs that have clean simple lines.
The only time there seems to be real problems finding the right hardware and accessories is if you want antique hardware. However, the Internet has made it easier to find what you are looking for; this article offers a list of the top five online resources for antique hardware. It’s a list you can refer to time and again.
Antique Hardware & More provides a great selection of knobs and pulls for all types of furniture and cabinetry. Whether you are looking for antique pulls or knobs to add an elegant touch to your dining room furniture or to bring out the charm on your kitchen cupboards, this place is worth checking out.
The site includes a search feature to make finding what you need easy. Antique Hardware & More also sells the tools and other supplies needed for restoration and antique refinishing projects.
House of Antique Hardware offers a comprehensive resource of reproduction hardware. You can shop according to type, such as door hardware or cabinet and furniture hardware, and you shop by style and special collections. This online store provides a phone number for questions and assistance. House of Antique Hardware accepts credit cards online, and it is accredited by the BBB.
With more than 25 years in the business, Kennedy Hardware must be doing something right. This shop offers wholesale prices on restoration hardware. You will find a huge selection of all types of hardware. This includes architectural hardware as well as hardware for furniture and cabinetry. This company can provide skeleton keys, glass knobs and handles, furniture casters, and much more. If you are into antique restoration, Kennedy Hardware is definitely a site you should check out.
Rejuvenation has everything from doorknobs to window hardware and light bulbs. Shoppers can search and browse according to category, by room, or style. Styles include such classifications as arts and crafts, colonial revival, deco, mid-century modern, period basics, and Victorian. Rejuvenation provides a phone number as well as a live chat for questions and assistance with orders.
Signature Hardware offers a large collection of hardware pieces in a variety of styles. Shoppers can browse according to departments, and the search can further be narrowed down according to specific categories. Signature Hardware offers an online signup for a free catalog and an email newsletter. The site accepts a variety of payment options including PayPal.
Final Thoughts
A replaced hinge and a new knob or handle is all it takes to make an old piece of furniture new again.
This list is not complete. There are other online resources that offer quality products at good prices. If you know about some of those resources, please share them.
Restoring furniture is a fun and cost-effective hobby. It is a way of preserving our heritage and passing on history. And many times, the simple addition of new hardware is the magic that brings furniture back alive again.
If you have an old piece of furniture hidden in the attic or basement, why not give it new life? Add some new hardware and let it live again.
Debbie Allen is an online marketer and professional writer.
House Of Antique Hardware – Swedish Styled Keyholes
A Swedish Gustavian chest of drawers veneered with elm, walnut and amaranth
Louis XVI Style Matte Black Cabinet Ring Pulls 12 Pulls For $24 Dollars
Gustavian Interiors- Swedish Tiled Stove From Michael Perlmutter Photography
These beautiful stoves were first designed in Sweden in the 18th century, as a result of an economic crisis that pushed Swedes to come up with a better way of extending the life of their firewood. It was then that the famous Swedish stove “kakelugn” was born.
Early versions of the tile stove date back to the Middle Ages, however, two clever Swedes created smoke channels beneath the tile, that held the heat for an extended amount of time. They introduced vents that controlled the burn speed, giving an additional 24 hours of comfortable radiant warmth. With the heat-retaining cast iron core and long multi channel flues, the kakelugns were able to retain heat, keeping rooms warm up to a whole day after the fire is out.
These antique stoves vary in shape. They are often seen round, rectangular, or columnar, and positioned in a a corner or against a wall. Heights range from about 5 feet 10 inches up to 9 and 10 feet tall.
In an article written by Stone Mason, they describe these amazing stoves:
“The period between 1500 and 1800 was known as ‘Europe’s little ice age’. In Sweden, where it was even colder than it is nowadays, it was clear that the constant use of fireplaces from morning till night would eventually lead to the total depletion of the nation’s forests. It was most fortunate, then, that in 1776 Adolf Frederik, the King of Sweden, commissioned Carl Johan Cronstedt to develop a stove that would make better usage of the country’s timber resources.”
“Cronstedt, an Earl, architect, inventor and scientist, was given the tall order of producing a design that would use much less wood while still heating Swedish homes efficiently. An interesting side effect of this commission was that not only was a model developed that accomplished the King’s request, but it turned out to have other unforeseen environmental benefits.”
“Very little smoke is seen coming out of a chimney where these stoves are being used. In the course of the year, a kakelugn regularly used will burn the wood of one medium sized tree”
“One main advantage of the kakelugn is that it burns very hot, typically 1110-1200 C, whereas a standard iron stove burns at around 650-700 C. However, you can safely touch it and feel only warmth”
Stockholms Lans Museum provides us additional information on these stoves:
“The decoration was initially cobalt blue but later extended with yellow, green and brown violet. First with the new colors were Rörstrand factory and from 1758 dominated the all colors. But it was rare for more than three patterns of colors in the same oven.”
“In the mid-1700s it was not unusual for dinnerware pattern was used for The Fireplace tiles. The tiles were decorated with repeating patterns where palm branches, Chinese patterns and blomrankor were common motifs. The designs were painted by hand on each tile, always against a white background. ”
“Gradually began to Swedish architects interested in the design of the stove. The workshops were to start from pattern drawings made by Swedish architects rather than making use of foreign models. Fireplace Manufacturing became a domestic crafts.”
“These fine stoves occurred only in castles, mansions and wealthy burgher. But even in these environments were those in the representative areas, the easier rooms put you in the cheaper and plain tile usually green or yellow.”
Author of Lily Oake Blog, Paula Arndt has a taste for the Swedish styles. Her most current project […]
Gustavian Trågsoffa, via Skona Hem
Wood floors are one of the most recognized design feature of the Swedish Gustavian look. Rustic planked wood is a top choice for flooring in the design industry. Wood floors are easy to maintain, and they are associated with the utmost quality and taste. Hardwood flooring will outlast carpet in any competition making it a smart investment.
If you have children or pets, carpet gets dirty. Pets that come in and out of the house bring dirt back into the home, and over time, the carpets become soiled. In this situation, carpeting only looks good after they are shampooed. While I am not here to beat up carpet, as there are many styles of carpet that are elegant choices, wood flooring maintains better over the years. Even if you decide to go with one of the less expensive wood alternatives, you are assured that this look is easier to maintain than carpet.
It wasn’t until the Baroque Era began, that wood flooring became an option for the home. Before 1625, most European houses continued to have dirt floors. Wealthy families utilized elm or oak boards which were held on joists. Once wood floors gained popularity, it became known as a more affluent design choice. Throughout the 17th and 18th century wood flooring flourished. Solid wood plank flooring, was installed in many homes, and many trend setting homes painted their floors. Upscale homes installed the richer designs such as parquet and marquetry wood patterns. Wood flooring today is still the most desired flooring, surpassing stone flooring.
Gustavian Trågsoffa, via Skona Hem
Gustavian Trågsoffa, via Skona Hem
Gustavian Trågsoffa, via Skona Hem
Gustavian Trågsoffa, via Skona Hem
See this option at Home Depot If you’re a do-it-yourself type of person who isn’t afraid of tackling […]
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Pine Plywood | Design Build Love
I stumbled across a DIY trend out there where people are cutting their own “planks” out of plywood. It seems rather unusual at first, but the results really surprised me. You get the look of real wood flooring which you can sand, paint, stain, varnish, or white wash, for fractions of the cost.
“We tore up nasty old carpet, then cut grooves in the plywood that was under the carpet to replicate plank flooring with a skill saw – and used a dremel to get closer to the walls. This worked better than the router which was recommended in the web article I got this idea from. We stained and then did three coats of poly. Everyone’s amazed that this isn’t ‘real’ plank flooring! We varied the width of the planks, using a 2×4 as a guide.”
There are a couple of links I want to share that might move you in the direction of considering this look.
1. Layers Of Learning Blog Flooring Transformation
Layers Of Learning Blog posted absolutely stunning photos of a room that they used plywood cut into 6″ strips of wood.
They mention in their article that plywood floors allowed them to transform their WHOLE house because of the low cost of the materials. This certainly a reason to consider this option. Many people can only afford a couple rooms with the other options. Plywood is so inexpensive, that you can do it yourself, and it is affordable.
Plywood gives you the option to cut wide planks with real grain. For those of you who want the REAL thing, this would be an affordable way of getting the look for less.
Buying plywood allows you to do one room at a time. It doesn’t matter if your project takes you a couple months to a year to complete, because plywood is practically the same from store to store. The finishing process allows you to dent, distress, and apply paint or stain which unifies the space.
Another plus to plywood floors is if something is spilled on the floors, which ruins several boards, all they would have to do is rip up the damaged boards, and replace them with the same finishing paint, stain or varnish!
PLY Wood Floors By Layers Of Learning Blog
Here are some of their costs:
Living room – 20′x13′ which equals 260 square feet.
$13.97 each on 9 sheets of 11/32″ “CD” grade plywood = $125.73, See the rest of the break down on their blog Layers Of Learning Blog
Here are some of their tips to consider.
Don’t Buy the Premium Brand Of Plywood
“There are different grades of plywood. “A” grade is the nicest, it comes with one very clean and sanded side. This is not what we went with because, as the guy at Lowe’s said, we can sand it ourselves and save big $$$. A sheet of “A” grade plywood costs about $28 in our market, but a sheet of “C” grade plywood is only about $14.”
Let The Wood Adjust To The Temperature Of The Room
” After the plywood is cut, stack it in the room where you’ll be laying it for a couple of days.”
2. Quarry Orchard Blog
Quarry Orchard Blog also put together a beautiful floor made from Plywood. In their “Plywood To Plank Flooring Tutorial“
They decided to tackle a redoing the room above their garage with a square footage of approximately 533. They decided to go with 6 inch strips that were all 8 feet long. They were shocked that it only took them an hour and 45 minutes to cut the sheets into the planks.
A Couple Tips From The Quarry Orchard Blog
– They started with the first board and squared it with the wall, leaving a 1/16 inch gap between the first board and the wall.
– Be sure to use a nail punch to make sure that the nails at least flush with the flooring.
– Clean up the look by being sure the nails are all in line and evenly spaced. Have a helper that can measure and mark the wood. They measured every 16 inches for each nail. Consider making a jig to help with the measuring and marking for where the nails are to go. This will enable you to line up the previous board and mark rather than measure for every single nail.
Check out the final pictures of this room! What a transformation!
A Break Down Of Their Material Costs:
16 sheets of 15/32 pine plywood @ $16.49 per sheet
9 gigantic tubes of Liquid Nail @ $4.75 each
10 lbs of cut nails (ordered from Tremont Nail Company) @ $69.63 (includes s&h)
4 gallons of Varathane polyurethane @ $37.46 per gallon
2 quarts of stain @ $9.99 each
3. Tidbits From The Tremaynes Blog
For their stunning transformation they used 4×8 sheets of plywood; cut into 8 inch strips, and laid it like a regular hardwood floor. They used an old nailgun, some pennies to space out the wood, for the old farmhouse-style look. The cost was $60. Fabulous!!
About to open a shop in Newport, RI, store owner Jordan decided to tackle the outdated carpet flooring that came with the shop. Being that the shop was a historic home built in the early 1700′s, she wanted something more period appropriate.
She decided to go with the standard 1/2″ thick 4′ x 8′ sheets at a cost of just under $20 each. In order to have zero waste, she chose to have the boards cut into 8 inch by 8 foot lengths, giving her six planks per sheet of plywood.
When she got back to the shop, she laid them out, and sanded all rough edges and splinters, and decided to white wash them before nailing them down. She mixed up 1/4 CeCe Caldwells Simply White Chalk Paint and 3/4 water. She then used a roller attached to a broom handle to apply a coat of the white washed paint to all of the planks.
After all the planks were dry, her fiance Brett, started working on nailing the planks to the flooring. They used Bostik flooring adhesive to the backs of the plywood planks, which were then laid into place and nailed into the floor. Brett used 1 1/2″ nails and shot them in on an angle. The nails were spaced out about every 12″, placing two all along either side of each plank. Brett used a metal straight edge for a spacing guide, which gave the perfect distance between planks. As Brett went on nailing down the boards, he used a table saw to cut some of them into different lengths so that the boards would have more of a staggered look.
Onni Hotelli Kuvia Picture Credit Ranskalainenpatonki.blogspot
Painted wood floors are making a come back, and we believe that painted floors will become even more popular than we see today. In the past, finer homes installed decorative parquet floors and inlaid patterns. In the 17th and 18th century paint also was the means to create these decorative patterns on the floor, many which mimicked parquetry. Painted wood floors made it possible for more light to enter into the home, as the winter season in Sweden was quite dark. Rustic unfinished wood over time, darkens, and painting the wood just seemed like a practical approach of having a brighter home without spending a bundle.
Raw wood accepts paint so much nicer, and allows the paint to distress beautifully over time. Sanding wood, allows the paint to soak into the wood, compared to painting over varathane floors which may scratch easier with foot traffic. Homeowners with existing floors often have to carefully think carefully about how they go about re-finishing their wood floors,because the process can be pretty involved. Refinishing wood floors can seem more labourous than painting, and often times it is. Sanding wood floors can be a time-consuming task.
There are a couple steps that cannot be skipped and we list them out below:
1. Prep
This involves removing your furniture from the room. Once you start belt sanding the floors, there will be dust everywhere. It can be a bit time consuming sealing off the house with drop cloths, or plastic tarp, but it is necessary for a great finish.
2. Sanding
The most time labourous part by far is sanding. Using a belt sander will kick up a ton of saw dust, and cleaning up the dust, which ends up everywhere becomes a tedious job. Sanding an entire floor can take up to 4 hours or several days depending on the size of the room.
Renting industrial professional tools saved my husband and I a lot of time when we refinished parquet floors in a rental in Virginia. Drum sanders are large machines that can handle large floors, and are very easy to operate. Drum Sanders can be rented at around $40 to $50 per day. I would highly recommend it than using a small scale sander that you can buy from a Hardware store.
Most homeowners choose to rent the specialty equipment and then purchase the more standard tools at their local hardware stores. Edge or orbital sanders are terrific for sanding the edges of the floor that the drum sanders cannot reach. A handheld power tool lets you tackle the tight corners, and are worth purchasing outright from Home Depot or Amazon. They allow you tools for additional furniture projects in the future.
3. Staining, or Painting
While everyone in the design community has their favorite paint brands, I would highly suggest going with a oil based paint. Oil holds up longer and has a tougher finish than any water based brands.
I would highly suggest sanding your room down to its bare wood, before painting. Painting over an existing paint is always possible, but the extra work pays off when the paint naturally distresses over time, which shows the wood through rather than an unsightly under color.
Sanding down to the natural wood also allows you to pickle the floors. White washed floors in my opinion are much nicer than painting the floors, because the wood gives the room a bit of depth and natural appeal.
In this post I show a photo of the Behr Wood Stain that is highly recommended. The stain is available in a number of colors, and evens out nicer than just paint that is mixed with water. Behr has a number of colors available that are off white, gray, beige that would work nicely with the Swedish interior schemes. Mixing paint with a bit of water or stain work rather nicely.
Many people suggest applying paint with a professional paint brush which gives a smooth finish, rather than with a roller, which creates a stippled finish. Today you can purchase smooth rollers which can be used with extension pole to apply paint. Rollers are inexpensive ranging from $4 to $7 per pack. A pole will be anywhere from $5 to $40, depending on length and material.
You can choose a variety of different approaches with your paint choices….
If you decide to work with an existing painted floor, a great oil based primer is “Coverstain by Zinsser” This paint can be tinted almost any lighter color, dries very fast, and can be mixed with most other oil paints. Coverstain is in fact a primer that will adhere to almost anything, and would be a fantastic choice for the floors.
One gals review of Coverstain -“Zinsser oiled based primer is like gold”
(Please note that Kilz or Coverstain primers should never be used on concrete floors. Go to Lowes or Home Depot, and buy stain or paint made just for concrete floors. Concrete stain doesn’t flake off on concrete like paint does)
As a top coat on your wood floors, you can purchase a Water-based polyurethane clear varnish, to seal in the tinted paint, or purchase water based, or oil based paint for your top coat. I have tinted this paint many shades of gray, blue, green and yellow. It is marvelous on furniture. This primer dries flat, allowing almost any other paint to be applied to it. It serves as your primer and your base paint, allowing you to just then seal the color in with a water based sealant.
If you are working with a previous painted floor, floors need to be sanded for the paint to stick properly. The worst is when you skip sanding, and the first time you move a furniture piece only to have the paint come off in sheets, or scratch. You will have regretted not sanding.
Sand first, and then paint the floors with a paint formulated for the flooring. We had painted our deck with paint formulated for the outside, and we are so glad we spent the extra money, because rain or snow, the paint hasn’t chipped.
4. Sealing
Polyurethane is an oil based sealant, that is NOT suggested for lighter colored paints. If you use this over your floors, in a week or a matter of days, the floors will have a tinge of yellow. You might then have to consider re-painting your white floors.
Polyurethane works perfect on unpainted wood, or on darker paint colors such as red, navy, black and so forth. A water based varnish is required for lighter based floor colors such as light gray, white, or cream.
You’ll have to wait 6 hours for each coat of polyurethane sealant to dry. It is recommended that most floors require at least 3 coats to achieve best results, and many professionals suggest 24 hours in between each coat of urethane. It also takes up to 3 days before you can move furniture back into the room and walk on the floors again.
Onni Hotelli Kuvia Picture Credit Ranskalainenpatonki.blogspot
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