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  • Joe

    Administrator
    January 18, 2022 at 4:24 pm
  • Joe

    Administrator
    January 19, 2022 at 11:33 am
  • Daniel

    Member
    January 19, 2022 at 1:08 pm

    Hi, Joe.

    First off, I cannot tell you how appreciative I am of you and your efforts. Frankly, I don’t know how you fit it all into your day, but you and the service you provide are an absolute blessing. So, thank you. There are as many flooring videos available on YouTube as there are stars in the sky, but nothing I have come across since I started on this project a few months ago is as thoughtful and thorough as the content you provide. You are a good man, and that shines through in everything I see and hear from you, sincerely.

    Thank you for your screencast video from yesterday, and then again the one you posted within the past hour or so. I had hoped to respond earlier this morning, but I didn’t want to until I decided how I wanted to run the planks. Initially, I was going to run them north/south on both levels, but after watching your illustration from yesterday and giving it some more thought, I have decided to run the lower level planks east/west. That certainly will make things a bit more challenging initially, I think, but will probably have a better look to it.

    Here are some answers and additional points to your screencast from yesterday:

    • I made the assumption that you could access/read my Flooring Plan.docx file, but maybe not. I have included a PDF version of it.
    • The plank direction will be east/west (parallel to front door) on the lower level, and north/south (parallel to stairway) on the upper level. Initially, I was going to run them north/south on both levels, but after watching your illustration from yesterday and giving it some more thought, I have decided to run the lower level planks east/west. That certainly will make things a bit more challenging than I wanted to at the outset, I think, but will probably have a better look to it in the end. I might add/ask, though… obviously there is no rule that says both levels have to run the planks in the same direction, but in a pure aesthetics context, would that be peculiar in any way, to anyone?
    • I will start the project on the lower level, unless you think there is any good reason to start on the upper level.
    • The area/room off the kitchen (west) on the lower level is the pantry & washer/dryer area, as you had guessed. As your illustration yesterday suggested for an east/west installation, the NW-most corner of that area/room will be the starting point.
    • On the upper level, I had planned/anticipated starting in the hallway, only because I had assumed that would be the best way to assure that the planks were as parallel with the hallway walls as possible. Plus, I recall watching one of your videos a few months back, where you started in a hallway, with I think the same reasoning I just noted. However, starting in the master bedroom (SW corner) as you illustrated makes good sense.
    • The utility closet on the upper level is the only area of the house that will not be done (as I don’t want to move or work around the furnace and water heater).
    • I have included a picture of the planks, showing the tongue & groove configuration.

    In your screencast today, you addressed some of the areas I thought would present challenges (in the pictures I posted yesterday). Here are my comments/questions on all of that:

    • As you noted, we can address the stairs/stairway when I get to that point. I will add, though (and I think I addressed a few points about the stairs in the Flooring Plan.pdf document), that I am going to use stair caps (from Pergo) that match the flooring (picture included). The tread surface will be a cut-to-size piece of 9″ plank, running side-to-side (unless you advise differently).
    • For the island in the kitchen (and for the other kitchen cabinetry, which has the same basic construction at the floor level), I am a bit surprised that you would not undercut it, but would instead use 1/4-round. In another of your videos I watched just the other day (don’t recall which one), you seemed to champion undercuts. Can you go into more explanation on your reasoning for not undercutting here? Would you also use 1/4-round for the rest of the kitchen cabinetry, as well? This would also be true in the two upstairs bathrooms, which have the same cabinetry and construction at floor level.
    • The utility closet on the upper level will be the only area that has a transition, for which I have a kit from Pergo (picture included). There are three components in that transition kit, and we can go over how to use them when I get to that point.
    • For the fireplace, you suggested a few options. I think I favor doing an undercut. I did purchase a diamond grit blade for my oscillating tool, in anticipation of doing this. However, I would be OK with one of the other options, if necessary.
    • Replacing the 1/4-round at the front (and back) entry doors makes sense. Though, for some reason I was thinking it would be more complicated than that. Also, I was thinking I would like to temporarily remove the threshold piece and scrub it down, as it looks fairly nasty (after 21 years!). Maybe this is just asking for trouble, as I’m not quite sure how it is secured to the floor/frame, or how easy/difficult it would be to reattach.

    I think that is all the additional commentary/questioning I have for now, and hopefully I have not forgotten to answer anything. There is no real rush on this, so if you don’t have a chance to answer until next week, that will be just fine.

    Thanks again for your efforts. God bless you and safe travels to Florida… that is a long journey!

    • This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by  Daniel.
    • This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by  Daniel.
    • This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by  Daniel.
    • This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by  Daniel.
    • This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by  Daniel.
    • This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by  Daniel.
  • Joe

    Administrator
    January 20, 2022 at 3:29 am
  • Daniel

    Member
    January 20, 2022 at 11:41 am

    Good morning, Joe. I wasn’t expecting to hear from you again until after the weekend, so thank you for the quick response!

    I have made notes on the few items you covered (screws, glue gun & sticks), and will acquire those. I do have a hammer drill… purchased many years ago, but only used once, so that item is covered.

    I’m somewhat of a perfectionist, though invariably I still manage to do a lot of things that are crosswise to the “measure twice, cut once” wisdom. Nevertheless, I just figured that doing undercuts at the cabinets would be a cleaner, more ‘professional’ look. But you are a professional, and if you’re saying it’s more trouble than it’s worth, or will compound the time factor, and will require many more trim & glue planks, then I am perfectly OK with sticking to using the 1/4-round, or shoe mold. And really, that doesn’t amount to a lot of length… half of those short locations are on cabinet sides which are concealed by appliances. I’ll just have to figure out how to get it to match the cabinet color, if I opt for new pieces. In one of the prior screencasts, you suggested getting rid of the black toe-kicks underneath the cabinets, then in today’s screencast, you mentioned getting a thicker version of toe-kicks, which I assume is to conceal the gap (similar to what molding would do). Did I understand that correctly?

    Finally (and I know you will go into more detail about this in the blueprints, as you noted), but I don’t think I fully understand the screw and/or glue concept. I do understand that it is necessary to keep the flooring from shifting at certain junctures, but I didn’t quite understand how it is implemented. I think I have seen videos of yours where you are temporarily securing scrap pieces, but I don’t I remember seeing anything where you are securing the actual livable flooring. Anyhow, we can cover that in greater detail later.

    Thank you so much!

    • This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by  Daniel.
  • Joe

    Administrator
    January 24, 2022 at 7:51 pm

    Here is your blueprint for the main level – https://somup.com/c3VTVuZxN1

    and the second portion of the blueprint is here – https://somup.com/c3VTVJZx8O

  • Joe

    Administrator
    February 1, 2022 at 1:32 pm

    Here is your upstairs blueprint – http://somup.com/c3nVqwZEos

    • Daniel

      Member
      February 3, 2022 at 7:43 am

      Joe…

      Thanks for the blueprints. I have not viewed them, yet, however. As I think I have noted already, I am working on ensuring that the flooring product issues I’ve encountered are finally resolved with the flooring company before I launch into any actual work. Secondly, I am having all of my windows (18 total) replaced towards the end of this month, so I want to wait until that effort is completed. Finally, I think I would rather just wait until early spring to start (when the weather warms up just a bit). Nonetheless, if I come up with any more questions until then, I will be sure to send them to you.

      Thanks again for your efforts and guidance!

  • Joe

    Administrator
    February 3, 2022 at 8:33 am

    Sounds good brother!!

  • Daniel

    Member
    October 24, 2022 at 2:10 pm

    Hi, Joe. I hope all is well with you. It’s been about 8 months since I last checked in here. I had quality issues with some of the flooring (specifically, the stair caps), and didn’t want to start installing anything until I was confident that all of that was resolved. It has been an ordeal, going back and forth with the online retailer and Mohawk. I’m still not sure that it was entirely resolved, but I’m tired of dealing with that, and just going to move ahead. One thing is certain… if I ever have to install flooring again, I will be more judicious in the flooring manufacturer I select, and will be less inclined to purchase from an online retailer.

    In the interim, I have had other things done to the house (new roof, new windows and blinds, exterior paint, furnace, etc), as well as a list of other DIY projects. Now that all of those are complete and out of the way, it’s time to knuckle down and focus on this flooring. I will most certainly have to re-subscribe for another year, as my current subscription ends 30-NOV, and I will have barely made a dent in this project by that time.

    I just now finished watching the first blueprint videos (of the main floor). I feel fairly confident in my ability to get it done, but I feel a bit of apprehension. As you accurately assessed, I am a perfectionist, and I often feel like I don’t want to start anything until I have full understanding of all of it. There were a few things you mentioned or covered in the main floor video that I didn’t quite grasp, so I will have to re-watch and/or view the other videos you referenced to gain that understanding. If I still have questions, I’ll be sure to send you a message.

    Anyhow, this is more or less just a check-in to say hello, since you had not heard form me since FEB. Will be in touch again soon.

  • Joe

    Administrator
    October 24, 2022 at 2:43 pm

    Sounds good my friend!

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