The Water Stains

     After the carpeting and padding were removed I was disheartened when I saw the water stains on the floors.  At least our pets we had over the years, three dogs, and numerous cats, did not leave any permanent piddles that would have soaked through to the wood flooring.  Flooring finisher, Phil, said, "I think a Christmas Tree in front of the picture window was over watered at one time."  Yes, we did have a few real pine trees, before going to the artificial ones.  I never realized water over flowed from the tree stand.  They assured me that after sanding the stain would not even show.
     There were other water stains as well.  There once was a 55-gallon aquarium fish tank on the left side of the fireplace.  Plenty of water there, filling it, cleaning it, and sure enough over time enough water went on through the carpet to the wood floors. Good thing our other 31 (yes we had at one time 32 fish tanks!) were all downstairs in the 'aquarium room'!  In front of the kitchen door and in front of the bathroom door - more stains.  But in the end, they did a marvelous job dealing with these areas.

OH NO!  A Christmas Tree was over watered!

Will this water stain disappear with sanding???

A 55 gallon aquarium tank was once in this place.  

Stains at the kitchen threshold.  The carpet got so dirty here from heavy traffic I often took my home rug machine and really 'soaked it good' to clean it.  But now I see it got too much water.

In a short hallway leading off the longer hallway, the entrance to the bathroom also had too much water on the floor.  We once had a flood in the bathroom, and I am guessing the water that flowed out of the room got deep into the carpet and left this bad stain. The nails along the baseboard edge sat in water and those nails rusted. This caused black nail holes to show. 

NEXT: Filling the Nail Holes