Comments on: What We’re Dealing With http://www.shaneandcasey.com/2009/01/23/what-were-dealing-with/ Family, House, Home Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:28:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: hallie http://www.shaneandcasey.com/2009/01/23/what-were-dealing-with/comment-page-1/#comment-40 hallie Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:23:16 +0000 http://www.shaneandcasey.com/?p=220#comment-40 What an idiot! there is no way that those floors aren't fixable. Sure, you may have to replace a board here and there or patch things with wood filler but do not listen to this douche. Regardless of what kind of wood they are, older is a million times more attractive. ps: I am your soul sister when it comes to the uninsulated kitchen and bath. Can you say 85 degrees to keep them from freezing (again)? What an idiot!
there is no way that those floors aren’t fixable. Sure, you may have to replace a board here and there or patch things with wood filler but do not listen to this douche. Regardless of what kind of wood they are, older is a million times more attractive.
ps: I am your soul sister when it comes to the uninsulated kitchen and bath.
Can you say 85 degrees to keep them from freezing (again)?

]]> By: Shane http://www.shaneandcasey.com/2009/01/23/what-were-dealing-with/comment-page-1/#comment-38 Shane Wed, 28 Jan 2009 02:23:16 +0000 http://www.shaneandcasey.com/?p=220#comment-38 Wow, lots of great comments. Thankfully we have another month and half before anyone will even touch the floors to see how they will dry out completely. We are going to try to salvage 99% of the floor, if not all of it. I might see if the flooring guy (whoever we find) can simply pull up the floor where the nails have failed and re-toenail them in. Thanks for the help and nice comments! Wow, lots of great comments. Thankfully we have another month and half before anyone will even touch the floors to see how they will dry out completely. We are going to try to salvage 99% of the floor, if not all of it. I might see if the flooring guy (whoever we find) can simply pull up the floor where the nails have failed and re-toenail them in.

Thanks for the help and nice comments!

]]> By: Mark http://www.shaneandcasey.com/2009/01/23/what-were-dealing-with/comment-page-1/#comment-37 Mark Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:27:09 +0000 http://www.shaneandcasey.com/?p=220#comment-37 I would leave as much original flooring as possible. Talk with some rehabbers in your area and ask who did their floors (assuming that the floors look good). We spoke with a couple and they were all hip to the floors and were excited that we had salvaged old wood for patches. I suspect that there are some good floor guys out your way. You've just not found them. Keep everything even if you have to do some replacement. Look for salvage wood to replace badly warped pieces. We ended up doing our own repairs and refinishing and we were happy with the outcome. It wasn't that hard of a job. Mark I would leave as much original flooring as possible. Talk with some rehabbers in your area and ask who did their floors (assuming that the floors look good). We spoke with a couple and they were all hip to the floors and were excited that we had salvaged old wood for patches.

I suspect that there are some good floor guys out your way. You’ve just not found them. Keep everything even if you have to do some replacement. Look for salvage wood to replace badly warped pieces.

We ended up doing our own repairs and refinishing and we were happy with the outcome. It wasn’t that hard of a job.

Mark

]]> By: Andrea http://www.shaneandcasey.com/2009/01/23/what-were-dealing-with/comment-page-1/#comment-36 Andrea Sat, 24 Jan 2009 02:58:27 +0000 http://www.shaneandcasey.com/?p=220#comment-36 What a do-do brain.... I have had a few contractors stop by, but they have pretty much told me the same thing yours did. They all want everything to look shiny and brand spanking new. I tossed the whole lot of them out and am doing it myself. I refinished the floors in a bungalow we bought next door. There really is nothing to it. It can be tedious, but it really isn't that bad. I would definitely keep everything you possibly can. Good luck! What a do-do brain…. I have had a few contractors stop by, but they have pretty much told me the same thing yours did. They all want everything to look shiny and brand spanking new. I tossed the whole lot of them out and am doing it myself. I refinished the floors in a bungalow we bought next door. There really is nothing to it. It can be tedious, but it really isn’t that bad. I would definitely keep everything you possibly can. Good luck!

]]> By: Jennfier http://www.shaneandcasey.com/2009/01/23/what-were-dealing-with/comment-page-1/#comment-35 Jennfier Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:37:13 +0000 http://www.shaneandcasey.com/?p=220#comment-35 That "soft" 80 year old Douglas fir is probably as hard as some new growth farmed oak is anyway! They don't grow trees like they used to. The growth rings are much closer together. I'd definitely pass on this guy... he has no idea what he's talking about with regards to old materials. That “soft” 80 year old Douglas fir is probably as hard as some new growth farmed oak is anyway! They don’t grow trees like they used to. The growth rings are much closer together.

I’d definitely pass on this guy… he has no idea what he’s talking about with regards to old materials.

]]> By: Todd http://www.shaneandcasey.com/2009/01/23/what-were-dealing-with/comment-page-1/#comment-34 Todd Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:19:45 +0000 http://www.shaneandcasey.com/?p=220#comment-34 First of all, maple is harder than oak, always has been and always will be. Secondly, the warped pieces can be cut out, replaced and then have the entire floor refinished for a fraction of the cost of replacing the floor (most likely this is what the insurance company will want). Stairs can be sanded, but it's a hard job as you can't really get a heavy duty sander on it. I'd say strip them and sand them. Best of luck and be sure to get multiple local opinions! First of all, maple is harder than oak, always has been and always will be. Secondly, the warped pieces can be cut out, replaced and then have the entire floor refinished for a fraction of the cost of replacing the floor (most likely this is what the insurance company will want).

Stairs can be sanded, but it’s a hard job as you can’t really get a heavy duty sander on it. I’d say strip them and sand them.

Best of luck and be sure to get multiple local opinions!

]]> By: Christopher Busta-Peck http://www.shaneandcasey.com/2009/01/23/what-were-dealing-with/comment-page-1/#comment-33 Christopher Busta-Peck Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:18:30 +0000 http://www.shaneandcasey.com/?p=220#comment-33 I'd say that you should do whatever you have to to keep the flooring that you have. I may be a bit of a curmudgeon, but there's something really nice about the original flooring. So long as it isn't splintering, I'm not a big fan of sanding, either. Patina is nice. A new coat of varnish or polyeurathane every now and then, of course, is probably a good idea. Don't feel the need to refinish your floors because they are less than perfect. You bought an old house because you like old houses. So long as they aren't hurting your feet and are sealed in such a way that they aren't deteriorating, keep 'em. I’d say that you should do whatever you have to to keep the flooring that you have. I may be a bit of a curmudgeon, but there’s something really nice about the original flooring. So long as it isn’t splintering, I’m not a big fan of sanding, either. Patina is nice. A new coat of varnish or polyeurathane every now and then, of course, is probably a good idea.

Don’t feel the need to refinish your floors because they are less than perfect. You bought an old house because you like old houses. So long as they aren’t hurting your feet and are sealed in such a way that they aren’t deteriorating, keep ‘em.

]]> By: Shane http://www.shaneandcasey.com/2009/01/23/what-were-dealing-with/comment-page-1/#comment-32 Shane Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:15:41 +0000 http://www.shaneandcasey.com/?p=220#comment-32 Yeah, I definitely agree to that. We are really hoping the contractor that is finishing the douglas fir flooring in the bathroom upstairs does a good job. If he does, we'll have him do the maple flooring. While he is far from a restoration purist, he seems to be more understanding and was making suggestions about waxing the steps, and seemed almost excited to work on the bathroom floor. Thanks for stopping by Di! Yeah, I definitely agree to that. We are really hoping the contractor that is finishing the douglas fir flooring in the bathroom upstairs does a good job. If he does, we’ll have him do the maple flooring. While he is far from a restoration purist, he seems to be more understanding and was making suggestions about waxing the steps, and seemed almost excited to work on the bathroom floor.

Thanks for stopping by Di!

]]> By: Di http://www.shaneandcasey.com/2009/01/23/what-were-dealing-with/comment-page-1/#comment-31 Di Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:05:19 +0000 http://www.shaneandcasey.com/?p=220#comment-31 If I were you, I wouldn't work with a contractor that doesn't have the same values as you. It will be frustrating for both of you, and that can make big problems. He's right that douglas fir isn't a very hard wood, but what difference does that actually make? My whole house is floored in yellow pine. Since it's old, it's much harder than "new" yellow pine, but it's still considered a soft wood. I love the color and the character, and I wouldn't trade it for oak in a zillion years. As for the living room... If you think it can be saved/repaired, it probably can be. Even if you can't reuse the damaged floorboards, maple isn't that difficult to find. Find a contractor that you can trust! If I were you, I wouldn’t work with a contractor that doesn’t have the same values as you. It will be frustrating for both of you, and that can make big problems. He’s right that douglas fir isn’t a very hard wood, but what difference does that actually make? My whole house is floored in yellow pine. Since it’s old, it’s much harder than “new” yellow pine, but it’s still considered a soft wood. I love the color and the character, and I wouldn’t trade it for oak in a zillion years.

As for the living room… If you think it can be saved/repaired, it probably can be. Even if you can’t reuse the damaged floorboards, maple isn’t that difficult to find.

Find a contractor that you can trust!

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