SewLibra:
February 2018 we decided to start looking at flooring to replace our aging carpet downstairs. We worked with a flooring installation company, not a big box store.
SewLibra:
I love light floors and am used to light beige carpeting, so this Mannington Natural Somerset Oak with a narrow strip repeat fit the bill. It was hard to find because the trend now is dark colors with wide planks.
SewLibra:
You can clearly see the stains in this traffic area. The carpet had worn down and it was impossible to keep clean there. I gave up!
SewLibra:
This is a before view of the other kitchen entrance. The tile on the entryway will be removed and replaced with laminate. And yes, we need to paint the front door!
SewLibra:
The floor company brought the baseboards to our home but required us to paint them. There were 13 of them, 12 feet long, 3 1/4" wide. We put on a second coat the next day. But...the installers were short 2 boards so we have to get the paint out again!
SewLibra:
March 12th, day one. All the tile, carpet and old kitchen laminate have been removed. Lovely, right? Only one installer spoke English, and it was not easy for him.
SewLibra:
I hadn't seen that old Congoleum floor since 2001 when we put laminate over it. The old Pergo was showing some wear, but not that bad for 17 years. But this lineoleum had a bad smell! Once it was covered again, the smell was gone.
SewLibra:
The three installers worked fast and well together. Although the green padding looks thin, it's much better than the old days. The feel and sound is noticeable from the old kitchen laminate.
SewLibra:
As the men were packing up at the end of day one, we noticed discolored baseboards in the front corner of the room, there where the pad is turned back. Umm...were they going to tell us? We don't think so.
SewLibra:
There was a dark spot on the concrete foundation. Our carpet never felt wet there, but not a corner we walked on. Due to the end table and floor lamp, I would just lean over to vacuum with a hose attachment.
SewLibra:
This is how the room was left for the night, and we used towels to soak up the leak. I called the restoration guy who had helped us years ago when we had a roof leak fiasco, and he said he would come the next morning.
SewLibra:
Restoration guy came on day two but returned on day three to remove drywall. He started by taking a minimal area of drywall out to determine if the leak was from the foundation, the adjacent downspout, or the roof.
SewLibra:
At this point we know it's the roof. We have a concrete tile roof and the tiles themselves have a 50-year warranty, but that doesn't mean you can't get leaks. This is our second go round with that the 19 years we've lived here.
SewLibra:
This is what we're left with on day three. The dark streak is rain coming down from a roof issue. Three days now of off and on rain with the heat off because the door is constantly open for the floor installers.
SewLibra:
End of day three. The installers have packed up, our furniture back in, and it rains so hard that water splashes from the ceiling on to the window sill. The roofer was supposed to come this day, but didn't show.
SewLibra:
We taped plastic over the hole so the water would run straight down and not bounce off the wall studs. We were mopping up water like crazy. The weather man said it would be dry for the next 6 to 8 hours so we could try to get some sleep.
SewLibra:
Day 4. The roofer came and found the leak in the area circled above. Debris had been stuck in there long enough to cause wood rot. He took a pic and showed us the hole. We vow to have our roof checked every year from now on, and get wider gutters too.
SewLibra:
The installers can't finish the floor until the roofer comes back to permanently fix the problem. As of now, there is temporary patch. We are to call next week if we see dry weather coming up...and if he's available.
SewLibra:
I am so pleased with the seamless look from laundry, kitchen, half bath and living room. I like that the floor is slightly lighter than the cabinets.
SewLibra:
Looking down from upstairs. Again, that door really bugs me! Not sure what color to paint it, but ANYTHING would look better than that!
SewLibra:
I'm so used to the entryway being white tile. This part is the hardest to for me to get used to, but it does look so much better!
SewLibra:
Here I'm standing on the stair landing, going down to the living room. I ordered darker stair nosing as a safety precaution, so people will see there is a step when they enter. We'll see if it works.
SewLibra:
Kitchen view with new floor. Similar to the old floor, but it was slightly darker oak and wide plank.
SewLibra:
At night the floor takes on a warmer hue. What's left is roof repair, finish floor, insulation, drywall, texturing and we have to paint those 2 boards when they come. This will take awhile, everyone is busy.
SewLibra:
This contemporary 10 x 8 rug is coming Tuesday and should look beautiful with our furniture. The pad just arrived. Too bad we can't use them until the wood has dried and all the repairs are done.
SewLibra:
As if things weren't bad enough, the leak we had years ago and and fixed is back. Now this wall will need to be torn up too. Still raining here on day 11 and waiting for the roofer to schedule us. He says there are a couple people ahead of us.
SewLibra:
Day 13. It was a surprise, but the roofer came, and it's a weekend too. Once the tiles came off, he discovered more problems than expected.
SewLibra:
The old felt paper underlayment showed that the leak had started some time ago. The roofer put two layers of new felt under the tiles today. He didn't have matching brown tiles, so put the reddish ones on the side where they can't be seen from the front.
