Before and After

Before (Sept. 2010):

After (Feb. 2011):

In the end, I didn't bother stripping the existing paint off.   I just scraped the worst of the flakes off (and didn't even do a very good job, at that) and rolled on 4 (!) coats of the most luscious semi-gloss paint I've ever used.  I could have gotten away with 3 coats, but it was kind of addictive and looked so much better every time I coated it, that I went the extra mile.

{Trade Secret Time: designer paints are over-rated.  Yup, you heard it first here.  I've used just about every brand of paint I could get my hands on.  The most disappointing results were with our dear friends over at BM and Pratt & Lambert.  I thought it was just me, but I've made it a point to grill the painters I come in contact with (and trust me, that's a fair number) because I always get asked if they can simply colour-match the BM colours I've specified and it mystifies me - you know, because BM is supposed to be the crème-de-la-crème of paint, so why would they want to use a different brand?  (And no, it's not to save money, because the result has to pass my inspection and if the quality sucks, I'll make them do it over, so skimping would be pointless).  The overwhelming response has been that they ask if I'll accept a colour match because they hate working with those brands and that the best paints are...(you ready for this?)...Behr and Beauti-Tone.  Behr is available at Home Depot and Beauti-Tone is available at Home Hardware (Canada only?).  The theory one painter gave me is that because these hardware stores don't rely on their paint sales to make profits, they can offer better quality paint for the same price as the other guys.  In other words, they don't have to make a much money on every gallon because they make their money elsewhere.  Hence, they don't stretch their profits by thinning out the paint.  It's a theory, and it's not mine, but it got me thinking.  And I've tested both of those brands and would choose them hands-down over any of the designer brands any day.  Except that their colour selection can bite, so I get them colour matched from swatches I find elsewhere.  End rant.  Just thought you might like to know.}

And these photos are for Miranda, who mentioned that she covets our second-storey floors.  Oh dear, what a frightening prospect.

I give you Exhibit A (aka: The Widowmaker):

Exhibit B (aka: Poo in a Blender): 

And I nudged the bed out of the way in order to capture Exhibits C and D (aka: The Hole of Doom and The Gaping Canyon of Death, respectively):

 

Walking around at our house is somewhat of a health hazard.  Until this summer, when we get our act in gear and start showing these floors who's boss.  Like I did with that dresser.