We (Mike) has worked long and hard to complete this renovations for me. It's beautiful and I'm excited to take it out soon. We are still waiting on a bar type table to put in and maybe a new faucet in the kitchen in the future. haha
Hope you enjoy the pictures.
Thanks, Joanne
more pictures....
Last of the pictures....
Beautiful job!
Very nice
Outstanding transformation! ^.^d
Don
Very nice work. I know that dash was a PIA!
I usually don't like the long planks running the length of the coach. Prefer 45ยบ but your floor looks awesome.
see ya
ken
Don't worry he got a few new toys to work with. Stapler gun, small compressor. Which is good to have at the coach for tires and anything else you might need a compressor for. Haha. At least that was what I was told. Haha
Joanne
Always nice to be finished (nearly). It just looks great. Enjoy! New toys are fun too. Roger
Very nice work. What a change.
Have the same Coach, but a 92. Been trying to do similar work for 4 years now. Thanks for the pictures. Looks great.
The sofa was the biggest problem. Don't want to do that again. Taking out or putting it back. We would do it again because we cleaned EVERYTHING once it was moved. Good luck and if you want any info just let us know.
Joanne
Just looking at the photos (of you working) wears me out! Beautiful work, 150% improvement in colors, professional-grade installation! ^.^d
That looks like our old coach, 93, U225. with the exception of the trashed dash. The plaid chair was the tip-off. I loved that chair.
You did exactly what Peggy always wanted to do. It was a great coach so well worth the investment.
WOW- great job!!!!
What a transition from when we saw you at the Grandvention last year. Fantastic work, but be careful, you might get yourself a "job offer" after doing work like that.
Now relax, take some trips and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Cya down the road.
Looks great Mike! I love the lighter color planks! One thing I did with some of the extra pieces of flooring was cover the triangle mounting plate of the barrel chair. Ill take a pick of that this week. It was pretty easy with barrel chair removed (it was getting re-covered), I removed the plate from the floor in order to make the piecing of the flooring planks a little easier.
You however did one step that I wish I was more comfortable doing....the driver and passenger area. Mine still has the original carpet..for now at least.
Great Job Mike , You must have knees of steel lol After I finished ours I was glad to see the end or at least my knees where. Again great looking remodel.
Kent...it is your old 93 U225. I agree that it is a great coach and I'm excited to have it fixed up. Mike has claimed the recliner and I claimed the barrel chair. We plan on taking out the table and putting in a bar style table. This will add a few more inches in the kitchen area. I can also use it as a computer table as well. It should be here next week hopefully. Have to stain it first.
I can't wait till we go somewhere in it now that it is remodeled.
By the way, you live close to my brothers cabin at Cedar Creek. Glad you liked what we did to your old coach.
Thanks, Joanne
Ted and Karen...where are you guys now? Haven't heard much from y'all in awhile. We need to have a Foretravel gathering. That would be fun!
Joanne
Now I'm in real trouble. I can't let Peggy see this. The table change was the other thing she always wanted to do.
Good morning! Renovations look great, nice work! Does anyone have a picture(s) of a bar style table? Thanks.
Here is ours, solid walnut, custom built and installed by David Flanagan's crew (Bookie and Larry) at FOT remod shop:
Very nice work. The dash was damaged by the large dog that the owners I sold the coach to 2 years ago allowed on the dash. They sold it to Mike, after about a year.
We too wanted to wood the floors and change the table, but were too busy using the coach to take the time to do the work.
As to you two needing a trip and a Foretravel gathering, come to Eagle Nest, NM. We already have 5 Foretravels here now. Temps in the high 40's at night, up to low 80's in the afternoon. But bring you tools, several of us want new wood floors!
Yes it is Chuck's faught for us wanting this type of kitchen table. It will be great for prep work in the kitchen/desk for mail/computer work station. It also gives us more room in the kitchen...that is what I like the best. When sitting at the table I felt it was to close to me while eating. We ordered Hard Maple and want to stain it lighter than the walls as to try and not match them.
Thanks Chuck for showing us the pictures...love them.
Wish we could have come out there Dave....was looking for something a bit closer right now as we have one new grand baby and waiting for another one just anytime now. Give Dolly my best and if you go to Benbrook or Lake Whitney let us know.
Joanne
We did 26 states in 45 days east. We were home almost 4 days for Drs. and left again. Not scheduled back till mid August, that TBD. We do need another gathering in the DFW area on a lake again.
Dolly is enjoying her summer high and cool with friends here. We were warm in bed under the down comforter watching the fireworks out the bedroom window on the 4th.
Your only 604 miles away, just saying.
Dave,
Talking about the nice weather that you are having in Eagle Nest, NM with us in the mid 90's is almost profanity to our ears. We wish we were there to help ya'll absorb it all in.
Pamela
Pamela & Mike,
You should be ever so proud of both the quality of the work and of the simple fact you completed such a huge job! My hat is off to you!
Hopefully I am not out of line offering unsolicited advice, but I notice your plans to stain your new maple top. If you have not stained maple before, experiment on the bottom as maple in my opinion is very difficult to stain and gets more difficult as the stain gets darker. I'd be happy to share what I know, but in any event, enjoy your renovations, they are awesome!
Sorry, should have directed that last post to Mike & Joanne. I really need to pay more attention...
Rick...we would love any information you have on staining Maple. We have put stains on maple samples and have different types. Any advice is welcomed to someone who has not done it before. haha If you have some tips and tricks we would love to hear them.
Thanks, Joanne & Mike
Mike & Joanne
We are in the Cincinnati area and have decided to spend the summer here. Our grandson is 17 months now, fun age to play with and give back to parents. We also have some long time friends here as we are originally from Cincinnati before we hit the road 8 years ago in August.
We are going to the Balloon Fest in Albaquerque this October, working with the Escapees Boomers to help balloon crew. Should be a blast.
Plan on coming west and south for the winter- maybe see you then.
Again, great job on the remodel.
Thanks for the information. Understand grand babies...have a few myself and love playing and returning. haha
Wish we could go to Albuquerque for the ballon fest but maybe next year. Planning on retiring in 2016 so will have more time to travel around. It's on my bucket list. haha FYI...there is a balloon fest in Plano Texas on September 19th...just saying! haha
Let us know if you come this way would love to see you guys again. Also would like to see some more people that we have met on the forum and at the gathering that we have been to. Can't wait to retire so I can move around. LOL
Joanne
The best place to meet forum people is at Quartzite in January. Karen said I was like a kid in the candy store because I was so excited every time one of the forum members came in. Everyone is just as great in person as on the forum, maybe even better.
At 1 point I think there were 23 of us boon docking on BLM land outside Q.
Retire before that and join us!!
Mike & Joanne,
My experience shows Maple does not take a stain evenly resulting in a "blotchy" finish. Perhaps you've noticed that in the sampling you've done. Doesn't bother everyone, but it bothers me so we try to minimize the effect.
The type of stain, grit of sandpaper and whether or not you use a wash coat will impact the degree of blotchiness.
ML Campbell and Woodright are brands of penetrating stain we find give best results (less blotching). Pigmented stains such as Minwax should also work well, experiment.
Preparing the surface with 220 grit sandpaper will fill the pores and help even the stain out a bit. Using coarser sandpaper opens the pores allowing more stain penetration and creating more distinct blotches.
Least blotching will result from application of a wash coat before staining (1 part topcoat or sanding sealer to 5-10 parts thinner). Less thinner yields lighter stain. Scuff sand the washcoat with 320 grit paper before you wipe on the stain.
Once the stain drys consider applying vinyl sealer to help protect against moisture. If you are spraying on the topcoat, it's hard to beat post catalyzed finishes (avoid pre-cat). We don't use any brush on finishes, so if brushing on a topcoat, get the best material your local paint store has to offer.
There's more to know, but the key may be to experiment and perfect the process on the bottom side.
Anthing I've not explained well or overlooked, please ask.
Good luck!
You might consider a dye rather than a stain for maple. Should be no problem with blotching.
Try this website for more info:
Quality Wood Finishing Supplies since 1994 - Homestead Finishing Products (http://www.homesteadfinishingproducts.com/)
Beautiful work!
Rick and Robyn - thanks for the tips on staining... I had no idea of all the options and techniques. I will definitely experiment on the bottom of the table first.
Mike
Bob
Thanks for the tip regarding use of dye in lieu of stain, and the web link.
Mike
I have always preferred a clear coat on all woods including maple. If I want a darker finish I will use a darker wood. Natural cherry is my favorite. I have used Maple in cabinets and furniture and have "Decided" that I like the natural graining as the folks above have stated - getting a great finish is laborious. I used to spray all of my finishes. To eliminate brush marks you must put on lots of coats very thin with sanding between. I have also used Lamb pads. Good luck. ;D
I also prefer a light finish on both maple and oak. Refinished a maple tabletop, sanded it to a very fine grit, around twelve hundred as I recall. Closed the pores. Used eight to ten costs of polyurethane. Used four aught steel wool between coats after the third coat. When finished with the urethane I applied butchers wax, I reapplied the wax every six months or so, finish still like new surface like silk.
Roland
Great looking work. We did ours about a year ago, hardwood floors, couch and window valances Upholstry, window shades, 2 new cabinets.
Roland - you are still my hero. ;D