When will it end?!

As you know, we started ripping out/laying our hardwood floor a few weeks ago. I already posted the "before" and destruction pics, but I was waiting to post the "after" pics until we were completely finished...

Well, it's been almost a month, and we still have to paint, put up the trim and finish our entry way (which I think we are going to tile now- interesting, considering we don't know how to tile). So, at the request of some dear friends of mine, here are some pics of the (almost) finished floor. You get the idea, and when it gets completely finished I promise I'll put up a few more "after" photos.

 

 

 The archaic hammer gun. 

I kid you not, this is what we used to lay our floor. (The closest automatic nail gun to rent was 100 miles away.) Just how does this antique work? Well, you simply place the nails in the shaft, use the hammer/mallot contraption you see pictured here, slam it as hard as you can onto the black knob on the gun, and the momentum from your swing drives the nail into the ground. All of that effort= 1 nail into your board. FYI- We used over 2,000 nails. And when I say we, I mean Joe. 

Getting started with the hard stuff... damn our half-octagon shaped nook!

 Our brother-in-law Lukie "ripping" the boards to make the transition from our dining room to the living room nice and smooth :)

It was a total family effort... even our nephew Wyatt helped :)

End of Day #1: it doesn't seem like this would take very long, but don't be fooled...

Progress: More floor done and we have our kitchen island back

A close up of Wyatt (and the wood)

Joe working on his carpentry skills- look at that focus!

Infamous words... "Measure twice, cut once." Oops.

Jonas, so proud of his work!

Like a glove.

(See that ugly linoleum in the bathroom? Hopefully that's gone soon too.)

Trying to finish up the hall, but these angles did NOT making it easy. 

(Guest bedroom is on the left, office on the right.)

 But we persevered... and got it done.

The view from our bedroom door.

Now down the hallway and into the great room...

I see wood. A lot of it.

Here's a shot with some furniture back in. (And a cute, spoiled doggie too!)

Looking into the kitchen.
(Don't mind the rainbow of paint samples on the wall...
we are being a little indecisive right now.)

Looking into our unfinished entry way.
(Maybe you can help, wood or tile? We need input people!)

Now you can see why I wanted to wait to post pics...

Looking into the kitchen and nook.

Looking back into the kitchen from the nook.
(Door on the left is for the pantry, door on the right is the laundry room.)

One last shot of the great room with (some) of our furniture moved back in.