Floored

It's finished. The great floor refinishing is done. Look at that shine!

Before - water damage and scratches, January 2012

All that remains is for the furniture to be put back in place, tomorrow morning.

Eigh's handiwork - orange glop

As awful as the damage was,

Sanded

 as disruptive as having the work done was, as much an unexpected expense it was, when it's all said and done, the floors are so beautiful I'm glad we did it.

We have what is known as a "pre-finished engineered hardwood floor." We had it put in back in 2003, over a plywood subfloor that had carpet in the living room and linoleum in the kitchen. Over the years, with elderly dogs, spilled water bowls and "accidents", and with baking sun and rain coming in from the clerestory windows, the floor had gotten pretty beat up. We considered having it refinished, but never got around to it. The final straw was our former housekeeper, Eigh, deciding to surprise us by refinishing it himself while we were traveling in Europe - without having either skill or knowledge how to do it.Or permission from us.

More of Eigh's handiwork

We had been so pleased by the firm that originally put in the floor that when the damage was done, we contacted them to help us. We discussed the options and decided to have the entire installation refinished. The price was steep, but surprisingly less than we'd thought. In any case, we couldn't live with it the way it was.

Before, January

 For anyone in southern California considering wood floor installation or refinishing, Mike Pillar & Sons is a great company. They've done a great job for us. We've spent almost a week with Francisco and Lorenzo working in our home, and they were incredibly dedicated craftsmen, trustworthy and respectful, taking care with our home and its furnishings. They really liked Jack, too!

Now - beautiful

Not only did they do a fantastic job, but our floor has a new beauty that, I think, transcends what it was before. The intricate grain of the maple veneer is more apparent now, and the color more clear and bright. Thank you, guys!