Bedroom Makeover: Floors

 

The carpet in my bedroom is in rough shape. Has been since I moved in. And I keep meaning to do something about it.

So while we were doing the makeover,  I decided to rip out the carpet and paint my subfloors.

I can’t afford to put in hardwood flooring like I so dearly want yet, but this is a good temporary solution.

First step was to remove the carpet. I cut it into sections with a utility knife so I could get it downstairs by myself.

Then, pull up all the tack strip, pad, and staples.

Once you have a smooth floor, you can fill in any imperfections with wood filler and sand. Or not.  I chose not.

Sweep, Vacuum, and Wash the floor really well to get a good clean surface to paint on.

 

Following the method I used for the walls, I cut in around the edges with my favorite Zinsser 123 primer, which seals the bare wood.

I then rolled on a thin and even coat. Let it dry!

Next were two coats of chocolate brown flat paint. The color is Sherwin Williams Turkish Coffee, mixed into Valspar flat paint.

Then came three coats of water-based polyurethane. Follow the directions on the can! DO NOT SHAKE THE CAN, or you will have air bubbles everywhere, ruining your pretty floors.

I used a synthetic pad applicator, overlapping the wet edge to ensure a smooth finish. Let dry for two hours, or until not tacky. Then sand with the grain using 220 grit sandpaper. Get all the dust up and make sure the floor is clean before you put on the second coat. Repeat for a total of three coats. 

The hardest part is letting the final coat dry for 72 hours before putting furniture back in!

Bedroom Makeover: Paint

 

After we scraped the ceiling free from the popcorn, Mom and I set about to paint.

The ceiling was first up, getting good ol’ Ceiling White.  I’m debating putting a fun color or stencil up there, but I wanted to live with white for a while first.

While the ceiling was drying, we washed all the dust and popcorn stuff off the walls and let them dry.

Then it was time to paint the walls. I’m a big fan of Valspar paint from Lowe’s,  and had picked their color Romano for the bedroom. It’s lighter and warmer than the Desert Fortress color of the bathroom.

Normally, I use Zinsser 123 primer, with two coats of paint on top.  I love the high hide as well as its ability to seal and cover oil based paint, which I seem to have quite a bit of in this house.

This time, I let Mom and the paint desk gal talk me into the Valspar Signature Paint and Primer in one.   I don’t know that it’s worth the extra money, but it covered nicely in two coats.  I guess two is better than three. But maybe it would have only needed two coats with a tinted primer.  (Which I haven’t bothered with before)

While we were painting, mom shared a tip with me.  She wet her brush and roller before painting- you want them damp, not dripping.  That way, the paint goes on more smoothly, and less is trapped in the bristles- saving paint!

I don’t always remember to do it- but it does help!

The other tip she shared was to get the extra fuzz off your roller covers with tape before you use them.  Just take a piece of tape and use it like a lint roller to get all that fuzz. You want it on the tape, not in your paint, right?

I’m so excited about how the room is shaping up!

Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie

 

I love chicken pot pie. Love love love it.  My great aunt makes a wonderful one,  completely from scratch.  But sometimes you don’t have that kind of time.

While Mom was here helping with the renovations, Prince Charming came over for dinner one night, and I made this version of chicken pot pie.

You will need:

cooked, shredded chicken- about 2 cups

12 oz bag mixed vegetables

1 can buttermilk style biscuits

1 1/2 cups Medium white sauce (or 1 can cream of something soup)

Put the chicken, veggies, and sauce/soup in an 8x8 casserole dish, and mix together, adding a little water if needed.

Put the biscuits on top and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or so, until bubbly and golden brown. You may need some foil to keep the biscuits from burning, depending on your oven.

Prince Charming LOVED this dinner!

Medium White Sauce:

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon of pepper
1 1/2  cups milk

Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute or until thickened.

From Betty Crocker’s Dinner for Two Cookbook