Jump to content
CBR1100XX.org Forum

Anyone do the fake hardwood floor stuff?


MaXX

Recommended Posts

I want to do my kitchen and foyer, anyone do this, have recommendations.... I think this is like a snap together thing? Advice please.

MaXX

P.S. BTW, I am going to start doing some work on my house here in MSP. Tim, I have to fix that fucking skylight, then I am going to tongue and groove the bathroom ceiling to cover the water damage. I then have to do all my windows and doors (front door, man door to garage and french door to deck). Will then need to do deck and by that time, it will need a new roof and gutters. Then carpet (which I will have someone do) and then I should be done. I am waiting on the carpet to keep Gus from making it old too fast. HELP!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mac, call me about the skylite. Gonna need some specific info to give you any advice.

Maybe we can have a roofing party next spring/summer up at your place? Lots of warm bodies, a dumpster and two days should do it. One day if we lay over the existing roof.........

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was in the attic and there is one sheet of plywood I know must be replaced. I would think we have to tear it off. The whole roof probably does not need it, but I would be game, particularly if it meant new gutters (the ones I have are shit, plastic). We will certainly talk. I just need to get ordering stuff. I need to figure out how to measure.... The roof, I will leave to you to help with.

MaXX

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I installed Armstrong Flooring in my kitchen, looks like hard wood, except it's tougher, alot tougher!

I like it alot.

My big old dog on the other hand.... it freaks him out, he thinks it's like ice. He puts his claws down all the time, which just makes him slide more, but in 4 years..... nobody has left a mark or scratch in it anywhere.

It's some super tough stuff, and the wife loves it because it's so easy to clean. Swiffer!

I think it took one day for the 2 of us to install it.

Great stuff. The snap together stuff they got now is even easier.

If and when you do it, PM me and I'll give you some pointers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Armstrong is the brand I assume. I will look into it.

MaXX

Yes Armstrong was the brand. I don't know who makes the snap together kind, I had to clue mine together, but it's all the same.

The biggest trick is to start in the middle of the room, not along one of the walls.

Plus you need to have a good Chop saw on hand, with a new carbide fine cut blade.

The finisned floor floats under your baseboards. So as long as you can cut the end within an 1/4", your good to go. :grin:

I'll give you more tips when your ready.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mac,

You may have these up by you but we have a store close by called "Hobo outlet" that deals in noncurrent brand name stuff like flooring, appliances etc.

I've seen nice Perego and other brand names for under a $1 per square.

Let me know if you want me to swing by and grap some pics.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did most of my house in TX with the Armstrong stuff. It was easy cause it had the backing already attached all I had to do was put the plastic vapor barrier down before I started laying the stuff. I am confused on what EVLXX is talking about but on the snap together stuff DON'T START IN THE MIDDLE you'll never get it done right! A good chop saw is essential (you can rent one) if you are going to do 45 degrees across the room (which is what I did it looks the best IMO) (A little more srap but worth it) get a 12" saw, a 10" won't reach all of the way across the plank.

I really had a good time doing it, it was like instant floor in a day or two. It's always cool to see your finished product ya know?

Call me if you want me to help you out or just to bounce some ideas.

oh. my floor:

600_IMG_3410.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am confused on what EVLXX is talking about but on the snap together stuff DON'T START IN THE MIDDLE you'll never get it done right!

Well it's been a while since I have brushed up on the new flooring that's out there, but..... from what I hear from friends in the business is that the glue together flooring is a thing of the past.

The other thing about starting in the middle, is just like doing tile. Buy starting in the middle you can control your over all board alignment without having to rely on wall or walls for your support. Buy stapping a line across the center of your rrom in the direction that you want the bards to go, and then screwing down control blocks along that line... you can lay the planks down straight.

And with a router and a couple of bits..... you can even custom cut planks to butt, run, and angle-joint however you would like.

Just like installing tile, the first couple of pieces MUST be straight.

And don't over press your joints.... you'll end up with little ridges if you do.

Looks good Rick.... Now I guess you can do it all over again ha? Didn't you move? Has the new projects started yet?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The other thing about starting in the middle, is just like doing tile. Buy starting in the middle you can control your over all board alignment without having to rely on wall or walls for your support. Buy stapping a line across the center of your rrom in the direction that you want the bards to go, and then screwing down control blocks along that line... you can lay the planks down straight.

Its true that with tile, you want to start in the middle... But wood flooring you do NOT want to start in the middle.

Its a different animal. The reason you start tile in the middle is because if your walls are even a little out of square, you will either have a grout-line against the wall that is noticeably wider at one end then the other, or you'll have to cut 'slivers' of tile that are really hard to work with and don't look 'right'.

However, with wood flooring, you don't have to worry about keeping the tiles lined up. So if a wall starts to run out of square, you can just slide the next plank up to the wall and make it up at the other end.

Its easier to explain pictorally here :arrow:

In picture one, that is how tile would go if the wall were 'perfect' square. (they rarely are)

In picture 3, you can see that even if the wall is just a little off, you get a gap developing which you either fill with grout, and it looks like shit, or you have to start to cut VERY small slivers of tile. (looks like shit)

Picture 2 is how wood flooring or simulated wood flooring would go in if the walls were square..

Picture 4 is how the wood can go if they are not. You can cut the ends of your boards at an angle to fit against the 'out of square' ness of the wall. And there will be no gaps.

By starting tiling in the middle of a room and working to the edges, you will end up with a very uniform look, and THEN because you're dealing with cut-edges at the walls, you can cut your tiles out of square to 'fit' the wall and its not obvious because you're just varying the width of a tile

37679752.jpg

Here you'll see the benefit of starting in the middle with tile... as you work to the edge, you can cut your tile to go all the way to a wall that might be slightly out of square. (note, you should still do a little measure JUST to make sure you won't coincidentally end up at the edge of a tile (which would put you in the same situation as starting in the side would have.)

37680096.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Rick, I will probably tackle my kitchen floor first. May ask you to make a trip with me to Home Depot and take a look at my foyer too (I want to use the same stuff in both). Anyway, thanks for the pics Nik, looks like it took you days to put together :):) !!

MaXX

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The other thing about starting in the middle, is just like doing tile. Buy starting in the middle you can control your over all board alignment without having to rely on wall or walls for your support. Buy stapping a line across the center of your rrom in the direction that you want the bards to go, and then screwing down control blocks along that line... you can lay the planks down straight.

The way these "snap" together, you can't start in the middle. If you did they wouldn't attach together properly. I did move, for some fucked up reason I decided to drop some coin in before I left. I guess as a goodbye present to Lowe's. :roll:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really don't think it makes too much difference. We bought the stuff that was about $3.78 per sq. ft and all of the people that were looking at the house thought it was the high dollar stuff. Who was I to correct them. Durability is the same and not an issue. I was dragging all kinds of furniture over the floor and it never dented or scratched. When I was installing it, if you hit it wrong with a mallet the shit was bust all to hell but one it is installed the shit is bullet proof. Well, I wouldn't try a bullet, but you understand. :wink:

Seriously duder, call me, we'll make a run and look at it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was looking at Home Depot online. I am going to measure my kitchen and foyer tonight and buy all the material I need for both. I think I am going to do my entry door and garage man-door, foyer floor and kitchen floor at the same time. Then it is onto the bathroom skylight, roof and gutters. I have a buddy who is a General Contractor so I think he gets a discount on materials. I am going to talk to him tonight.

MaXX

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK..... just went to Lowes last night... and yes,

the new Armstrong flooring is snap together.... Nice, and...

you no longer should start in the middle with the new snap stuff. Thanks for the pics Nik, but my point was for walls that are bowwed or con-cave,( the wall you are starting on specifically), and the glued together flooring, which you could get a slight bow in your running joint. Like a 1/16" in 20', which doesn't sound like much, but it was enough to just piss me right off. Of coarse I'm the only one that has ever noticed it in my foor, but...... that's one person too many, damit!

Did I mention a table-saw and a Jigg-saw are handy to have around as well..... ? If you need to go around cabinets.

Max..... don't forget the PICS.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also you have to leave a gap around the entire wall (don't touch the wall) for expansion. I tell you that will piss you right off to have a room nicely done and 3 months later there is a 1" hump in the middle of the goddamn room.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here are the pictures, starting with my foyer and entry doors. Straight ahead is the entry (of course), to the right is garage, left is closet.

37769625.jpg

37769626.jpg

Here is a shot of the bottom of the entry door. My cousins wife (I bought the house from my cousin) used to shut the door with her butt/hip (carrying groceries or kids....). Anyway, where the door and sidelight join, it has pushed the frame away from the floor.

37769624.jpg

Here is the door from outside and the brickmolding around the door up close.

37769633.jpg

37769634.jpg

Here is the picture of my backdoor out onto the deck and the tall windows on the side of the doors. All my windows and doors have to go.

37769629.jpg

37769636.jpg

37769637.jpg

37769638.jpg

Here are the other projects I am going to do. Kitchen floor is where I am going to do the laminate (as well as the foyer once I get the two doors replaced), the skylight/roof and here are what the rest of the windows look like in the house.

37769627.jpg

37769631.jpg

37769628.jpg

37769632.jpg

37769635.jpg

Once I get this house up to par, I have my lake place to work on. Can't wait!! :roll: :roll:

MaXX

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gus has that "what the fuck are you doing" look on his face. :lol: What a cutie...

---

Do you really want to put laminate flooring over tile? In a foyer?

I don't have a huge ammount of experience with laminate flooring (mostly because where I considered using it, it doesn't perform well, but I don't think a foyer is a good place for it.

Water and laminate flooring DO NOT go well together.

Salt water (from boots, etc) would be even worse.

I would reconsider putting laminate flooring in your foyer.

And if your kitchen has those patio doors coming in or even just the fact that its a kitchen, I'd be hesitant to use laminate flooring there too. Laminate flooring and water DON'T mix.

Not trying to rain on your parade, but with a dog, splashing his water bowl on the floor, tracking snow it, etc etc.

Laminate doesn't sound like the best choice for your situation and the places you want to use it. Family room, or Den, or office is one thing. Kitchens, bathrooms and foyers... I think you'll regret using laminate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, I have thought about the laminate in the foyer, I just don't have the interest in doing something difficult! The kitchen I have no worries. There are no outside doors off of the kitchen, Gus's dishes are in the downstairs bathroom, nothing to get the floor wet up there unless something breaks really bad. What about real wood flooring in the foyer and kitchen. I will have to look into it.

MaXX

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use