With our tax return safe in our bank account, we turned to focusing on home improvement that we believed we could do ourselves. At first, I was really pushing for a pro-install until I got the quote back. Suddenly DIYing the flooring again was worthwhile. We like to buy quality products, but we hesitate to spend when we (i.e. Eric) know we can do just as good a job, even if it takes a little bit longer.
We had picked out an expensive tile, but prior to ordering it Eric checked out one final tile store and we found something for less than half the cost that we still liked (just not... loved, lol)
You can see the tile samples below. The grout color we picked is the lower option.
We had picked out an expensive tile, but prior to ordering it Eric checked out one final tile store and we found something for less than half the cost that we still liked (just not... loved, lol)
You can see the tile samples below. The grout color we picked is the lower option.
On Monday last week, Kaylee and I bought the tile and had it packed in the truck (around 200 lb over capacity, oops) and drove it home. Eric unloaded it into the garage.
You can also see the hydroton, which will be for the aquaponics!
Today marked demolition day! We cleared up the breakfast nook, which mainly consisted of me sadly repacking all of my books after FINALLY getting them on the shelves in an organized manner and moving the bookcases to the rest of the living room. I am not unpacking the books because we're still planning on reflooring the living room so I'd have to move the damn bookcases all over again.
Much to our surprise, we found that the hardwood was -glued- down. We were expecting nail down. Not only was it glued though, it was glued onto luon. Now, anyone who's ever done set construction for theatre knows what luon is. It's incredibly thin particle board that's great for making backdrops. We suspect that the luon was used to bring this new flooring to the same height as the different hardwood in the dining room.
Anyway, so hardwood strip glued to luon and the luon was stapled to the subfloor. Ah staples, my nemesis! Once we realized that it was 4'x8' sheets of luon, Eric busted out the circular saw and set the depth to only the floor+luon and proceeded to cut the thing into pieces! The subfloor remained undamaged!
Much to our surprise, we found that the hardwood was -glued- down. We were expecting nail down. Not only was it glued though, it was glued onto luon. Now, anyone who's ever done set construction for theatre knows what luon is. It's incredibly thin particle board that's great for making backdrops. We suspect that the luon was used to bring this new flooring to the same height as the different hardwood in the dining room.
Anyway, so hardwood strip glued to luon and the luon was stapled to the subfloor. Ah staples, my nemesis! Once we realized that it was 4'x8' sheets of luon, Eric busted out the circular saw and set the depth to only the floor+luon and proceeded to cut the thing into pieces! The subfloor remained undamaged!
One huge sheet of luon + hardwood glued atop
Kaylee of course, helped where she was able.
We got a lot done for a day's work. The morning was spent cleaning and clearing. The early afternoon was running shopping errands
Home Depot for thin set, a special drill bit, and wall hanging paraphenalia, Tractor Supply for shavings for the barn, Ace Hardware/Vinckier for bulkhead fittings (for aquaponics and rain barrels), crowbar, mallet and milk (It's a combo hardware/grocery, lol, yay farm community!) And the afternoon for destruction!
We got the reading nook and hallway to the garage cleared of floor but we still have to pull up the staples. That's going to take needlenose pliars which we strangely can't find. I suspect they were left in Washington because that's basically the last thing I was doing before we moved. Fitting since a year ago today is when the mover's left with our belongings and I was alone in WA with Kaylee getting the house prepped to sell. One of my big projects was removing carpeting and, you guessed it, the accompanying staples.
We will see if my push to just buy a new pair wins out over my mother in law telling us to drive two hours roundtrip to her house and get her pair of pliars. That's time we could be spending demolishing!
Gwyn knows how I feel about that. ;)
No comments:
Post a Comment