First I want to fill you in on what we did.
We had to do all the preliminary, setup, "get it all ready" work.
Dan informed me he couldn't put the flooring in until we either replaced the front door or cut some off the bottom because it was too close to the floor and it wouldn't open if we put the flooring down. Well, truthfully, we've disagreed on the front door. I want to keep it and repair it, Dan wants to get a new one. I like the look of it. I think it matches the woodwork in the entryway, a new door would be too modern....anyway the debate has been going on for weeks.
We have not been able to find a door that will look right there in the price range we can afford. So we haven't bought a new one.
Today, we took it off the hinges and cut it down just so it will be usable after the flooring is installed.
You can obviously see that it needs a lot of work, but hey, aren't we used to that!?
Then Dan wanted to sand one more time on the ceiling before putting the flooring down.
While he did that, I put another coat of paint on the window and doors in the kitchen.
Then we spent quite awhile going over the whole floor in both the entry and dining room - Dan swept while I went around with the hammer either pulling nails/staples or pounding them into the floor as he found them with the shopvac. We went over every inch of that floor....I know I just said that, but it was tedious, didn't want you to miss that point ;-)
Then, he mixed up some thinset to fill low spots, holes, bad spots, uneven spots - you get the picture.
Mixing the thinset
Hole in floor (cos I didn't think you would know what that was)
Hole being filled
Bad spot
Pretty sure you can figure this out
He had extra left and put it in holes in the basement wall.
IT ISN'T EVEN LUNCH TIME YET
Now that the floor is all patched, it is time to put the subfloor down.
The wood for that was in the van. So we got a piece at a time and brought it in. If it needed to be cut, we cut it outside before bringing it in. Do you know how cold it was today? VERY!
We layed them all out before nailing them down.
Two pieces down
Almost done
All done - the hardest, most time consuming part, was that curved stair and the piecing at the end.
Dan made a template of the curve knowing he'd need it for the wood flooring too.
Then we nailed it down. The gun kept jamming, so it took a bit longer than it should have. He had me use the gun a little bit, but it killed my arm. I've been having some serious pain mainly in my right arm, but in the left one also. Not sure if I strained it working here or....perhaps I've done it cutting so much fabric - suppose I could get workmans comp or better yet maybe disability??!!
Ok, now it is lunch time. Well, past lunch actually, but we are really hungry now, it is almost 2:00. We made a run to Menards to return the extra wood (Dan purchased more than we needed for the subfloor) and while we were out we grabbed a bite to eat.
By the time we got home and pulled out the first box of flooring, it was 3:00 p.m.
Here is the first row going down
Nothing goes easy, does it?
First row, and we had to start "customizing", cos I can't think of a better word right now.
We had to cut the wainscoting in the corner by the bath/laundry so the flooring could fit under it. So, we had to get the special little saw out, make cuts, fit wood, make more cuts, fit it again.....get it just right, cos Mr. Perfection is doing this, you know!
Second row, and we ran into uneven subfloor. THAT JUST WON'T DO!
I suggested we screw it down. No.
I suggested we sand it down. Maybe, where's the sander.
Oh, let me get that!
A few minutes of that and we tried to screw it down.
Look how that pulls the wood down....yeah, I know, I suggested that 15 minutes ago!
On to the third row and fourth, fifth....
We finally got a rythm down, figured out the sequence...Dan would make the cuts downstairs and I would put them down.
Now here goes the entryway
Now the angle changes - from the side
See that curve? Here's the template from cardboard
Tracing onto flooring
Cut and ready to put down
On to the finish line!
And the last piece goes in
He's SO happy to be done - I'm too pooped to holler!
The first guest on our new floor - he'd better not melt!
Then, we had dinner, at 9:something-or-other.
While we ate, we enjoyed the view of the floor:
So what do you think?
I absolutely LOVE it.
"I can't take my eyes off of you...."
It is really beautiful. Changes the whole feel of that area - of course it does. Remember the funky floor we had for 6 months?!
You'll have to excuse the sarcasm tonight. Was a long, hard, torturous-on-the-knees-and-elbow day.
We couldn't be happier with the results.
Thanks for reading, have a great night!
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