Yeah, but can your husband do THIS?

[Smartypants]

Coupla things:

1) You do not have to use the toxic, smelly stripper stuff. I used an odorless water-based stripper that you just pour from the bottle, let sit a few minutes, and then scrub. (The big polisher makes it easy.) Then you just flood the floor with water and squeegee it up with a wet-dry vac.

It takes a few days to completely dry before you can put the coating down.

(Admittedly, this is not a small job.)

2) When the tile was new, before it was grouted it was sealed with some stuff that worked as a water repellent AND a grout release, without which, apparently you can't get the grout off, because the raw tile sucks the grout into a permanent bond with the tile.

But that sealer was completely invisible. It soaked into the tile and disappeared, and the only way you could tell it was there is that water spilled on it would bead up on it rather than soak in.

After the grout dried, though, is when I put on the gloss coating. Now I'm afraid I'm stuck in this too-frequent refinishing rut.

For you, if you like the raw look, just the invisible sealer might work as a permanent solution. I've become attached to the gloss finish though, and since sand isn't a problem (just my own neglect and abuse), I don't want to give it up just yet.

It definitely can't go without any sealer at all, because the spots of marinara, that broken jars of mayo, and the eggs that get dropped make the whole floor pretty gross after a while if they soak in!

[Willow Sylph]

Originally posted by Magpie
I'll split the gas to get there w/ya Willow

It's a deal!

[Smartypants]

Originally posted by Magpie
Would you please come paint my kitchen these colors? Awesome.... Saturday would work for me

I discovered that if you close your eyes while you paint, you can't tell the difference between painting a wall orange and painting it eggshell white. It's just as easy! And the guy at the paint store told me that the same brushes and rollers work with any color! Who knew?

[sparticle]

Originally posted by Willow Sylph
What I'm seeing here is an alarming (and very foreign to me) trend. Husbands who are nice to you? Husbands who do stuff? Husbands who work? What planet are you gals from, cause I wanna move there.

Nobody else knows what planet I'm from; why should I tell YOU?

[madasacutsnake]

But I don't see a spare room for visitors. Thank-you Australia for continuing to stand by the USA.

Do you wanna come visit or not?!

Well, one of the things that you sacrifice when you move to a better suburb (Alexander Downer is my neighbour.........actually, that may qualify it as a worse suburb) is floorspace. So until we extend, hopefully later this year, I am stuck working in the tiny space which is the guest room. There is currently a deep ravine made from plastic tubs of linen which runs between the door and computer.

Shite, it's pissing me.