Carpet to concrete - who knew?

When we {I} decided we wanted to remove the carpet, we {I} wanted to go with hardwood floors. We had the guy come out and give an estimate - two years ago. I really wanted to do dark, matte/semi gloss finish and 4-5 inch width hardwood planks vs. the standard 1.5 - 2 inch boards that are typically used.

In few words: I just wanted something different.

As we got more and more motivated to finish the project, we realized that simply pulling up the carpet and staining the concrete underneath might be our best bang for the buck {i.e. best results with the least amount of money given our other options}. Neil sees this finish in higher end homes.

I'll be honest. I had my doubts. Initially. But the more we researched the project, the more I came to the conclusion that this was the route we should take.

And the results were exactly what I was hoping for.

{Before}

{the start of the project - prepping the floor}

{the first layer of stain}

{first layer of stain, three more to go!}{literally watching paint dry}

{the waiting game - the sealant dries}

{the finished product!}
{It looks great and we can't wait to use it...or just walk on it.}