hardwood, engineered hardwood and pergo.

**cramer** · 02-23-2013, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by Foggy_Goggles

If your cabs are set on the lino directly you = kinda fucked. As said, the DW won't fit. Why they don't make some type of remod. DW or a different design of the leg/valance is beyond be. I install floors for a living (among other things) and this comes up constantly. Tile should be cheaper than HW so I don't get the whole wood now tile later argument. Honestly, save up until you can do it right the first time.

what a pain in the fucking ass. You guys are just full of good news. fuck, now with this whole dishwasher thing, i have no choice but to tile it now. Thanks again to all with the input. I've never done any kind of construction so my misinformed ass wouldnt think of these type of things.

**cramer** · 02-24-2013, 01:26 AM

Originally Posted by cramer

what a pain in the fucking ass. You guys are just full of good news. fuck, now with this whole dishwasher thing, i have no choice but to tile it now. Thanks again to all with the input. I've never done any kind of construction so my misinformed ass wouldnt think of these type of things.

after further inspection, i am good on the dishwasher. The oven has at least an inch gap as well. So i'm good on clearance.

**plugboots** · 02-24-2013, 12:24 PM

Ice, I'm not sure taking your wife to a store is the way to sell her on concrete. We went to our friend's with radiant concrete for the Super Bowl, took off our shoes, and immediately felt that warmth. We have slate over radiant, and its similar, but looks better in entryways, etc. IMHO. Of course, I do what the wife says too.

**iceman** · 02-24-2013, 04:04 PM

Originally Posted by plugboots

Ice, I'm not sure taking your wife to a store is the way to sell her on concrete.

I guess you're right, since it didn't work.

**cramer** · 02-25-2013, 02:14 AM

Originally Posted by iceman

I guess you're right, since it didn't work.

hehe, FAIL...nothing wrong with admitting that.

**Elkhound Odin** · 02-25-2013, 09:45 AM

I have not read this entire thread, so I don't know if you made up your mind on the flooring material. 5 years ago I looked at replacing all the carpet, kitchen harwood, and entry tile in my condo, about 1200sqft. I looked at all the options - hardwood, tile, laminates, carpet, etc. I found an Armstong laminate that looks like hardware more than any other brand, It is also thicker than most laminates so the foot feel is solid like hardwood. I did a scratch and dent test on samples an found this Armstrong version the best. It has a gloss finish that gives the home an elegent look. With dogs running around and easy cleaning, the floor looks as good as the day I installed it. http://www.armstrong.com/flooring/la...loors-4911.asp

I installed the Cherry version throughout the condo - kitchen, dining, living, study, BR's, hall. Everywhere except the bathrooms. As for the kitchen, I installed up to the counters, under the stove & fridge, but not under the dishwasher. I'm on a slab and there wasn't enough room to add the 1/4 inch. But, you can't tell when you look, the finish is tight.

**cramer** · 03-12-2013, 12:25 AM

We were going to go laminate but were looking at like a month to get it. Which i could have gave a collective fuck. My wife on the other hand, was like fuck that. So we went back in and i found the same color i liked in a hardwood (engineered). double the money on the wood, but im glad we are going to do it. I really wanted wood not laminate. So here is what we are getting. Thanks for the advice all. I'm pretty stoked to see this throughout my house over the 10 year old crappy standard stained carpet we have now.

http://www.jfloor.com/product/produc...productId=253#

**The Reverend Floater** · 03-12-2013, 12:48 AM

How do you know when it's time to resurface or sand your hardwood floors?

**cramer** · 03-12-2013, 01:05 AM

you dont have to as long as you take care of them and take precautions. I have blinds throughout the house, so sun is a non issue pretty much. I have 2 little dogs, but i crate them while im at work. They are hand scraped, so they already have that rustic look a little bit. I'm putting down rugs in the high traffic areas as well. It will be hard to find a scratch. They only downfall with the floors is i went dark. If i have all the blinds open you will see every little footprint, smudge, etc. Which personlly, i dont give a fuck. When i clean them fuckers sunday morning and sit down to watch football, thats when im going to be happy. I'm not a clean freak at all. If i get to see them suckas shine once a week, im satisfied.

**jfost** · 03-12-2013, 01:36 AM

NICE!

I dig the dark look. When our kids have finished ruining the carpets I think we're going that route...

**RootSkier** · 03-12-2013, 07:41 AM

Originally Posted by The Reverend Floater

How do you know when it's time to resurface or sand your hardwood floors?

When you sell your house and they are trashed. Otherwise, never.

**iceman** · 03-12-2013, 07:48 AM

Originally Posted by RootSkier

When you sell your house and they are trashed. Otherwise, never.

No doubt it's a pita job, moving everything, dust getting everywhere, moving everything back, etc. If the finish is badly enough damaged that water etc. are actually damaging the wood when you mop (mop?) or when snow gets tracked inside, etc. would be the main exception to Root's advice. We had an area that was so badly damaged by the dogs that it was like raw wood, so we had to do something, it was getting wrecked and it was right out in plain sight, not a place you could just throw a rug over.

**RootSkier** · 03-12-2013, 08:21 AM

Was that on your fir floors?

OK, let me be an ass: fir is not a hardwood, and along with certain pines, is probably the softest wood floor out there. Some people like the patina, though. Second, some finishes don't require an entire sanding down to the bare wood before reapplication (though if there was bare and scraggly wood, it might).

**iceman** · 03-12-2013, 08:42 AM

Antique recycled heart pine my brother. Harder than fir, softer than oak. Janka Hardness Scale. Supposedly the antique stuff is harder than modern stuff (which is what's on the Janka scale) because of the tightness of the grain and the amount of resin in it. They've held up pretty well overall, considering kids and four dogs.

**skiballs** · 03-12-2013, 09:01 AM

Originally Posted by iceman

Antique recycled heart pine

What , it's not quarter sawn also ? Nothing worse than an ex wood butcher with a law degree .

**Foggy_Goggles** · 03-12-2013, 11:30 AM

Hey Cramer, check the nailing schedule for that floor. I'm pretty sure it uses a 18ga flooring stapler which is a little bit odd ball and the 1.5" staps will be bare minimum for the .5" flooring. Also let it aclimate and check with a moisture meter. If you post up or PM some pic I can help you with any baseboard, cabinet, door jamb, transition areas that you may have questions about.

**The Reverend Floater** · 03-12-2013, 12:05 PM

I have putty pealing out in spots. Been in the house for about 2 years so I don't know the history. The floor is in direct sunlight for a lot of the day and we have three dogs. Can I just replace the putty?

**mcsquared** · 03-12-2013, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by iceman

Antique recycled heart pine my brother. Harder than fir, softer than oak. Janka Hardness Scale. Supposedly the antique stuff is harder than modern stuff (which is what's on the Janka scale) because of the tightness of the grain and the amount of resin in it. They've held up pretty well overall, considering kids and four dogs.

Root is just being pedantic. Technically Fir and Pine are "softwoods". Softwoods are, according to definition, anything coniferous. Hardwoods are deciduous. Poplar which is soft as shit is a hardwood. Fir can be hard as shit yet is a softwood. Get it? Feel free to explain this to the salesman at the flooring dealer. They will be dutifully impressed

**Foggy_Goggles** · 03-12-2013, 12:17 PM

Rev, they do make a pre-finish wood filler. How bad is the floor? How big of a gap are you trying to fill? Don't you live in old ranch house? Just let it go dude! It's called character.

p.s. I just skied with Cletus yesterday. He's old and fat. Wanna go to Europe next winter? I promise I'll make it scary.

**RootSkier** · 03-12-2013, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by mcsquared

Fir can be hard as shit yet is a softwood.

Oh shit, hold on a sec, let me go put on my timberframe hat.

OK, here's the deal: fir is STRONG as shit but never HARD as shit. Big difference.

And it is true that poplar and some other hardwoods are soft, but as a general rule, hardwoods are indeed harder than most softwoods.

**Art Shirk** · 03-12-2013, 02:49 PM

No shoes in house, shoot the dog, bury under hardwood floor.

**jfost** · 03-12-2013, 03:57 PM

no need to shoot dog, just humiliate him...

**The Reverend Floater** · 03-12-2013, 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by Foggy_Goggles

Rev, they do make a pre-finish wood filler. How bad is the floor? How big of a gap are you trying to fill? Don't you live in old ranch house? Just let it go dude! It's called character.

p.s. I just skied with Cletus yesterday. He's old and fat. Wanna go to Europe next winter? I promise I'll make it scary.

Pre-finish--meaning I have to refinish it? This thread is a top five buzz kill for everyone involved.

How is Celtus? I owe him a phone call. And if I go to Europe, I'm going to Amsterdam...and making that scary.