What did you do today?

[zannej]

I did major cleanup in the kitchen yesterday once my brother got out of my way. He was trying to cook/eat while I was trying to clean. I think there might be a water leak from the sink. The parquet next to the cabinets over there was all buckledup extremely and it's still damp. I only managed to get enough cleared to open one of the cabinet doors and I can see the oak trim on the front is separating from the bottom of the cabinet. Ugh. I do not need that. Too much stuff to clean up next to it and I ran out of space to put things. I need to get a bin to shove things in temporarily so I can sort, clean, and put stuff away. The counter over near the sink is absolutely disgusting. Formica is peeling up. The other day my brother snagged some of the formica on something and it pulled up and broke off the corner. I glued it back on with 3m spray adhesive. The whole thing of formica needs to be pulled up and replaced. I wish we could afford some sort of better surface.

Today my brother decided to start cleaning his room. He has it filled with empty bottles and trash so he was constantly tripping. I helped him by picking up a few things, holding the bag, moving the bag closer, shaking the bag to get stuff to settle down more, getting new bags out, etc. Last time we worked on his room, he held the bag while I did the picking up, but my back is not cooperating. I moved something and found dried cat crap all stuck to the carpet. Looks like some kitty had diarrhea. Any tips on the best way to clean dried cat diarrhea out of the carpet? It's actually fairly thick somehow.

I also need to fix the pantry door in my kitchen. The door has shelves on it and is fairly heavy. It also only has two hinges but only one screw in each hinge. So it sags & drags on the floor. It didn't used to do that, but over time it has shifted. It's a very tight fit in the doorway so I'll have to make sure it will still fit at the top and sides if I do any adjustment for the bottom. I think the floor buckling up didn't help with that either. Trying to find a good easy-to-clean waterproof clicklock stuff that is not as thick as the old flooring. I will probably have to use the Dremel tool to cut under the toekicks as I know the cabinets were put on top of the flooring. Not really enough clearance for me to get a chisel or oscillating attachment in there.

Is the stove pad for wood-burning stoves?

 

[C.J.]

Today I got told I shot a nail through a pipe on a job I did back in September. Chalk up that $288 bill to the cost of doing business I guess.

 

[Mark Brown]

288 is a good bill for that. The last one I did cost the whole basement floor and the sprinklers had to be replumbed. Thankfully I just took the baseboard off... but man I could tell you a story!

 

[Mark Brown]

Is the stove pad for wood-burning stoves?

The stove pad is 100% for my wood buring stove

 

[Floorist]

We have had a wood burning stove in every house we have had in our 38 years together, until this one. There is no way to put one in a central location here.

 

[C.J.]

288 is a good bill for that. The last one I did cost the whole basement floor and the sprinklers had to be replumbed. Thankfully I just took the baseboard off... but man I could tell you a story!

One time years ago I pulled a baseboard and water started spraying at me. That’s not the case here. I’m sure I did hit a pipe cus that’s not the kind of stuff old people just make up. I’m halfway miffed, at myself of course. Now I want to know where I hit the pipe at cus I’m pretty careful shooting up base behind toilets and such. I have seen some funky connections of water lines for the fridge. Who knows. I’m working in the same golf course community this week so I think I’ll stop by and find out some details cus now I gotta know. The customer loved me and even gave me a $100 tip so I’m sure me poking my head in and asking for some details will be appreciated.

 

[Mark Brown]

Well.. seeing as you are telling stories, let me fill you in. I'll set the stage.

Its New Years day... for those of you unfamiliar, that is January 1st. This would have been 5 or 6 years ago now but like a good little soldier, I was at work. There was a lady who had been in a battle with her builder for some time over what one would have to say was some less than ideal installation of her flooring, paint, framing... you get the idea. They had a client who had actual expectations of some level of professionalism that were sorely missed. After about 2 years of this "battle" I end up at her door as the answer to all of her prayers, I was going to make her floor pretty again... or I suppose for the first time. Well, where does one start when removing an existing floor from a home? Thats right boys and girls, the baseboard have to come off. So help me, I got about 10 feet into it and well... the drywall is geysering all over the wall, lateral to the floor. I was miffed as water is not meant to spray out of the wall so I cut a bigger hole and lo and behold, there is a nice one inch orange pipe. Let me educate those of you who are unfamiliar with what one inch orange pipe means in a town home complex. That one inch orange menace is the main line to carry the sprinklers which are live at all times with enough pressure to save your residence in the even of a fire. Well, let me tell you, the tiny hole an 18g bradnail makes is more than big enough to make a great big mess. The temporary solution was for my fat ass to sit on the floor alternating fingers over the hole while I frantically called everyone I could think of to come save my ass. Construction company, no answer. Flooring store, no answer. Job site super, no answer. Management firm responsible for the strata, no answer. I went through damn near every number in my phone book... while holding back this water might I add. FINALLY I got ahold of someone, see the issue with the sprinkler main is that it is not just "hey, be a dear and run down under the stairs and shut the water off" that stupid thing is controlled in a central location that just so happens to be locked and not that easy to access, which makes a lot of sense until it does not. Remember the part where it was New Years Day?

Long story short.... we are past short already, I was finally saved. Their whole downstairs had to be gutted of flooring and the drywall and ceiling had to come down around where the leak was so I got more work out of the deal. The best part of the whole story, for anyone still reading, is that after 2 years of being a complete pain in these peoples ass, even refusing an offer from the company that owned the build to buy her unit back from her at market value after she finally got the things that were wrong fixed she sold it and moved out less than 2 weeks later. They all hated her and thought she was a she devil but me, I thought she was amazing and just wouldn't let these people get away with all their shoddy work. It was definitely one for the books.

p.s. I no longer work on New Years Day.

 

[C.J.]

p.s. I no longer work on New Years Day.

Not working on holidays, nights, weekends, in the middle of nowhere… Saying no is the best thing ever sometimes for a number of reasons.

 

[Floorist]

I was installing carpet in a new home. Went into the basement for some reason. The concrete wall is bowed in several inches and has started to crack. I pointed it out to the new homeowner, she had not noticed it.

 

[C.J.]

I did major cleanup in the kitchen yesterday once my brother got out of my way. He was trying to cook/eat while I was trying to clean. I think there might be a water leak from the sink. The parquet next to the cabinets over there was all buckledup extremely and it's still damp. I only managed to get enough cleared to open one of the cabinet doors and I can see the oak trim on the front is separating from the bottom of the cabinet. Ugh. I do not need that. Too much stuff to clean up next to it and I ran out of space to put things. I need to get a bin to shove things in temporarily so I can sort, clean, and put stuff away. The counter over near the sink is absolutely disgusting. Formica is peeling up. The other day my brother snagged some of the formica on something and it pulled up and broke off the corner. I glued it back on with 3m spray adhesive. The whole thing of formica needs to be pulled up and replaced. I wish we could afford some sort of better surface.

Today my brother decided to start cleaning his room. He has it filled with empty bottles and trash so he was constantly tripping. I helped him by picking up a few things, holding the bag, moving the bag closer, shaking the bag to get stuff to settle down more, getting new bags out, etc. Last time we worked on his room, he held the bag while I did the picking up, but my back is not cooperating. I moved something and found dried cat crap all stuck to the carpet. Looks like some kitty had diarrhea. Any tips on the best way to clean dried cat diarrhea out of the carpet? It's actually fairly thick somehow.

I also need to fix the pantry door in my kitchen. The door has shelves on it and is fairly heavy. It also only has two hinges but only one screw in each hinge. So it sags & drags on the floor. It didn't used to do that, but over time it has shifted. It's a very tight fit in the doorway so I'll have to make sure it will still fit at the top and sides if I do any adjustment for the bottom. I think the floor buckling up didn't help with that either. Trying to find a good easy-to-clean waterproof clicklock stuff that is not as thick as the old flooring. I will probably have to use the Dremel tool to cut under the toekicks as I know the cabinets were put on top of the flooring. Not really enough clearance for me to get a chisel or oscillating attachment in there.

Is the stove pad for wood-burning stoves?

Z, we have a Bissel little green portable spot cleaner. Works great for those times the animals don’t make it outside. I fill it with hot water and that’s it, that way when I’m done cleaning there is no soap residue left in the carpet to attract new dirt. Works great for piss and crap. Once in a while the cats would puke up food and that would leave a stain that I would have to use something else to remove, unless you catch it quick enough, then I would use the Bissel with just hot water to remove any left over cleaner that may be left behind in the carpet.

 

[Floorist]

Z, we have a Bissel little green portable spot cleaner. Works great for those times the animals don’t make it outside. I fill it with hot water and that’s it, that way when I’m done cleaning there is no soap residue left in the carpet to attract new dirt. Works great for piss and crap. Once in a while the cats would puke up food and that would leave a stain that I would have to use something else to remove, unless you catch it quick enough, then I would use the Bissel with just hot water to remove any left over cleaner that may be left behind in the carpet.

Makes me glad we have hardwood and ceramic.

 

[Tile Tom]

Mark, one of the best decisions I've ever made was to build my wood stove hearth up about 2ft. You wouldn't believe how much easier it is to clean/load.
This isn't mine but one I did for a customer. Crazy effin angles right?
They designed it, I built it...
But you get the idea. This one's up about 16". Mine is up about 20". Makes all the difference in the world!

 

[Mark Brown]

Mark, one of the best decisions I've ever made was to build my wood stove hearth up about 2ft. You wouldn't believe how much easier it is to clean/load.View attachment 13364
This isn't mine but one I did for a customer. Crazy effin angles right?
They designed it, I built it...
But you get the idea. This one's up about 16". Mine is up about 20". Makes all the difference in the world!

That is definitely not the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Mostly my wife loads it and the coach gives me a good vantage point to stare at her ass in the process. When that is no longer appealing, I will probably have to raise it up

 

[Floorist]

Mark, one of the best decisions I've ever made was to build my wood stove hearth up about 2ft. You wouldn't believe how much easier it is to clean/load.View attachment 13364
This isn't mine but one I did for a customer. Crazy effin angles right?
They designed it, I built it...
But you get the idea. This one's up about 16". Mine is up about 20". Makes all the difference in the world!

I had my last one up like that. Much easier to load.

 

[Mark Brown]

When you try your best to tell people that temporary heat doesn't mean impermanent heat and they don't listen....


The in-service temperature minimum for that floor is 13 C

 

[highup]

Well.. seeing as you are telling stories, let me fill you in. I'll set the stage.

Its New Years day... for those of you unfamiliar, that is January 1st. This would have been 5 or 6 years ago now but like a good little soldier, I was at work. There was a lady who had been in a battle with her builder for some time over what one would have to say was some less than ideal installation of her flooring, paint, framing... you get the idea. They had a client who had actual expectations of some level of professionalism that were sorely missed. After about 2 years of this "battle" I end up at her door as the answer to all of her prayers, I was going to make her floor pretty again... or I suppose for the first time. Well, where does one start when removing an existing floor from a home? Thats right boys and girls, the baseboard have to come off. So help me, I got about 10 feet into it and well... the drywall is geysering all over the wall, lateral to the floor. I was miffed as water is not meant to spray out of the wall so I cut a bigger hole and lo and behold, there is a nice one inch orange pipe. Let me educate those of you who are unfamiliar with what one inch orange pipe means in a town home complex. That one inch orange menace is the main line to carry the sprinklers which are live at all times with enough pressure to save your residence in the even of a fire. Well, let me tell you, the tiny hole an 18g bradnail makes is more than big enough to make a great big mess. The temporary solution was for my fat ass to sit on the floor alternating fingers over the hole while I frantically called everyone I could think of to come save my ass. Construction company, no answer. Flooring store, no answer. Job site super, no answer. Management firm responsible for the strata, no answer. I went through damn near every number in my phone book... while holding back this water might I add. FINALLY I got ahold of someone, see the issue with the sprinkler main is that it is not just "hey, be a dear and run down under the stairs and shut the water off" that stupid thing is controlled in a central location that just so happens to be locked and not that easy to access, which makes a lot of sense until it does not. Remember the part where it was New Years Day?

Long story short.... we are past short already, I was finally saved. Their whole downstairs had to be gutted of flooring and the drywall and ceiling had to come down around where the leak was so I got more work out of the deal. The best part of the whole story, for anyone still reading, is that after 2 years of being a complete pain in these peoples ass, even refusing an offer from the company that owned the build to buy her unit back from her at market value after she finally got the things that were wrong fixed she sold it and moved out less than 2 weeks later. They all hated her and thought she was a she devil but me, I thought she was amazing and just wouldn't let these people get away with all their shoddy work. It was definitely one for the books.

p.s. I no longer work on New Years Day.

Why didn't you just shoot another nail into it?

 

[highup]

When you try your best to tell people that temporary heat doesn't mean impermanent heat and they don't listen....
View attachment 13368

The in-service temperature minimum for that floor is 13 C

Are you saying they turn it off and on on a regular basis like it was a space heater?

 

[highup]

I measured some carpet a couple months back and my drawing and my measurements didn't coordinate correctly. Unrolling the carpet the length of the room was "supposed to" be wide enough that when connected to the balance make part of a side seam. Turns out I need 19 in and the cutout from the curved part of the step is 13 so that part is just scrap.
The carpet is supposed to be upholstered 10 inches up the cement foundation at both ends of the room.
The customer is totally open to options. I put a provenza plank in their kitchen so this would look nice if that product was put on this tiny step/landing. If I carpet The landing just like it was done before, I probably won't have enough to do all the foundation areas.
Have any of you figured out a way to make a molding or trim out an edge with a curve like this in a vinyl plank floor? I'm just curious what my options are.
I thought I took a second picture at an angle to show you more of what this step looks like. This plywood platform is about 6 in above the carpet.
In other words, the tackstrip that you see is 6 inches below this little landing..... I don't know how to show an image in 3D.

 

[C.J.]

You can make a nosing out of 1x4 material and stain it to match.

 

[highup]

You can make a nosing out of 1x4 material and stain it to match.

I can? Cool!
You're the best!!!
It would have to be flush mount trim. Depending on the material of choice it might only be a quarter inch thick.
I don't really have a setup for mitering the pieces of 1x4 into a curve that could be modified into a curve like that, especially doing some splining of the sides of each section to make the joints stronger.