wanted: hardwood flooring for my living room

[Mike]

Hey ya'll, do you guys know anyone that does hardwood flooring? I want to get rid of the carpeting in my living room and put in a hardwood floor. Sure, it's something I could do myself, eventually, but I'd rather have it done quickly by a professional. I'd prefer to do a partial trade in services (photography, computer/web stuff), and pay for the materials if need be.

[Tootles]

Mike, stop in and look me up at The Home Depot. I may have a name for you. Also tell me what it is you are wanting done exactly? Real hardwood? ANYWAY, I work M-F 7-4, give me a call or stop in.
851-4015 is my work #. 324-1494 is my cell.

[SUM650]

Best of luck MK. If you decide that you want to do it yourself, I have all the tools. I warn you that it is very, very, very back breaking work! Oh and don't ever, ever put down that pergo fake flooring crap. REAL wood is the only way to go!

[Mike]

Thank you for both your replies.

I've read the tutorials, and yeah, I don't want to mess with it. Just because I can doesn't mean I should, ya know?

[Chris]

mike are u gonna make it to the show wednesday night???

[easye]

I might be able to help you out, i guess your planning on doing pre finished flooring right?

[Mike]

I might be able to help you out, i guess your planning on doing pre finished flooring right?

Given a choice between cheap or good, I'd choose good, so if I can get good quality pre-finished flooring, great, if not, then regular it is. What's your opinion?

[easye]

Honestly I dont know much about the newer hardwood alternatives, everything I do is done the old fashioned way which is usually more expensive and more involved. Im sure the pre finished stuff would be pretty simple to install, if Barry did it than anyone can :lol:

[SUM650]

Im sure the pre finished stuff would be pretty simple to install, if Barry did it than anyone can lol

True! Again stay away from the cheap stuff. Cheaper is only better temporally! Is your house on a slab or wood crawl space? If it is on a wood crawl space you can install the 100% wood, if it is on a slab then you have to use the wood/engineered flooring. On a crawl space you can nail the flooring down, and on the slab you will have to glue it down.

Evan, Matt, and Chris M. are the experts. There is a biker amongst us that lives in Mt P. that does flooring for a living. I cannot remember his name right now. If you want his info I know Randy has his name and number.

[Mike]

I have a slab, and 100% wood can be nailed down if there's an underlying wood layer (such as particle board). This can of course be more expensive but appears to actually be the recommended method for wood flooring, period.

Keep the info coming :D

[SUM650]

You are so right! You already have a handle on what to do, so now you just need to make it happen.

If you go with the wood underlayment and solid wood, what will you do with your transition areas to your existing flooring? This would cause a 1.5" or so difference. So you would have a stepdown from your hardwood to your carpet or tile? I know they do have step down transition strips, but that much would be a lot.

[eschmunk]

There is no stepdown needed if your a baller and do the whole house.

[Mike]

I already have some wood flooring in the house, so ideally the new stuff would match it both in appearance and installation method (which I don't know).

[Mike]

There is no stepdown needed if your a baller and do the whole house.

:lmao:

< not a baller :crap:

[SUM650]

There is no stepdown needed if your a baller and do the whole house.

That's exactly what I was thinking!

Mike is a baller, if you didn't know, you had better ask somebody!

[mccutch2u]

1. you son't want to use particle board................and if someone says they it is okay they are nuts unless it is advantech but either way real plywood is best

2. if you are on a slab you will have to if , if you want to use nail down install 3/4 plywood or 1x4 sleepers.......then you run into a problem with clearances for exampe do you have enough room under you doors or will you be higher than you door sills and cabinets and such doors you want to have 5/8 or more gap between the bottom of the door and the floor for air circulation unless you don't use your heating and air of course

3. next is your slab sealed peoperly?............lay a board down on the slap for a while then pick it up if it wet underneath the board then you need to seal the slab but i would seal it anyways just to be safe

4. I would recommend a quality prefinished flooring ...........go to woodboys they sell some quality stuff not pergo..........they mak some different types that work really well but you will pay for them probably in the startin ranges of 4 bucks a sq ft

[mccutch2u]

odds are the flooring you have down is 3/8" glue down