mantle update

Lately I have been lacking all motivation to get anything house related done. There is still so much to do and I just feel worn out. We are trying to take projects a little at a time and get a few things done each day (or week). Even though I have been slacking I do have some good news on the house front...the mantle is finally finished!!! I tried and tried to remove all of the "spots" but I just couldn't get them all, I must have sanded and re-stained 10 times. Finally I gave in and told Matt that I was done dealing with it and I was ready to put the satin finish on. Thankfully I have a fabulous husband who took over the final step for me. Matt applied two coats of polyurethane to the mantle on Saturday and I didn't have to lift a finger (well not on the mantle anyway, I still got stuck painting the hallway trim lol). I am thrilled to say that despite a few small imperfections (that hopefully only I can see) the mantle looks fabulous!!!! I wasn't trying for such a dark color, but now that I have gotten used to it I love the dark wood, and I can't wait to see it pop against the white brick (if I ever get around to painting the brick). Hopefully by next weekend we will be done with the living room all together and ready to go furniture shopping....the part I have been waiting for since we moved in!!!! Here is my new mantle...brick to be painted soon (ish).

This is the mantle before. Painted a hideous yellow beige.

This is the mantle after the first coat of chemical stripper and lots of elbow grease. We also found out that there were two coats of yellow beige paint and then under that there were two coats of white paint.

This is the mantle after two coats of stripping chemical, lots of scrubbing and 3 days of sanding with a belt sander.

This is the mantle after the first coat of stain and before I did the spot touch up work.

This is the mantle after the second coat of stain and spot touch ups.

This is the mantle with dry stain and the fireplace prepped for application of the satin polyurethane finish.

This is Matt applying the first coat of spray polyurethane.

This is the mantle after the first coat of polyurethane and sanding.

This is Matt applying the second coat of polyurethane. He had to lightly sand the entire mantle by hand between coats (didn't get any pics of this b/c I was at the grocery store lol).

This is the mantle drying after the second and final coat of polyurethane.

Finally, this is it: the newly refinished mantle!!!!!!!

Can't wait to see how great it will look with the fireplace brick painted white!

More pictures to come...if I ever get it done EEK!