Laminate Flooring project of doom!

I found this on the floor behind the stove. I'm guessing it is some kind of plug for the valve should I ever decide to go electric down the road? I just wanted to make sure...

 

As my mentor used to say "Short deliberate strokes, and always use eye protection." Good universal advice...

 

Looks like it to me

 

Not fun! Do a little then go do something else to move the project along, then go back. It gives your muscles and concentration a break, less chance for errors and less hate for the project!

 

Underlayment is out, and it's all trimmed up along the cabinets. I guess Monday I am making a trip to Menard's or Lowes and buying some subfloor and perhaps some 2x4s...and maybe a case of beer...

 

Were having Fun now!!!

The dish washer will come out after the flooring is in. You don't really need to pull it out until replacement time most everything is serviceable from the front.

 

The dishwasher and stove for the most part stayed where they were. I cleared enough space under them so I will be able to lay flooring even with the cabinets all along under them. It should look fine and conceal the edges. I guess Thursday is my next day off so that is when I will probably start cutting holes in the subfloor. At least it should be warming up by then!

 

Two 4x8 sheets of 3/4 inch subfloor and 3 8-foot 2x6s are now in the garage and a fresh 12 pack of Bud Platinum is in the fridge. Days like this make me want to put my Leer tonneau cover on Craiglist...

 

i forgot my phone at home but i got pics of my finished flooring. i still need to put the quarter round/shoe molding on to hide the gaps. but the flooring is awesome. i don't really like the feel of laminate flooring (why the eff did i buy it?). but this laminate flooring kind of feels like hardwood. hard to explain. but it doesn't have that flat plastic floor feeling to it. i also can't afford to put hardwood/expensive flooring in this house. i'm already under water with how much i owe and what it's worth in my neighborhood. good luck man.

i mentioned it earlier but things you really need:

good pencil for making cut marks ( get a couple because they get lost)
framing square thing for making straight lines for your cuts
multi tool came in really handy
KNEE PADS!!
the flooring kit from Home Depot (spacers, tapping block, pull bar)
chop saw, jig saw, and table saw ( i was lucky to have a bro-in-law with them)

Tips: also, buy the $10 nice pull bar from Home Depot. I bent the cheap one in the kit at least 3 times.
Laminate flooring samples at Home Depot are 3/8" thickness (exactly what you need for your spacing around walls and much easier to pull out than the little spacers in the kit.

okay, i wrote too much and repeated myself a couple times. but this flooring is a beeotch if you're not prepared. after doing around 1200 sq ft i've got it down to a science. before this flooring i'd never even used a chop saw, jig saw, or table saw and now i feel pretty confident with them.

 

Don't get too confident with the saws.. always give the the respect they command or other wise they can bit quick and hard. The first thing you will notice is the red liquid, then the ouch!!
I always thought that carpeting was invented to cover hardwood floors. I installed mine because when Sandy's happy I tend to be happier!!!

 

Pencils: check.
Framing square: check.
Knee pads: Check and check (so glad I got them).
Spacers, taping block, pull bar: Check.
Chop saw, jig saw, and table saw: Ehhh...not yet but I have them lined up! My wife's grandpa (who we say the movie Gran Torino was based on) has agreed to loan me those.

Soon, very soon, it will be started! And then it will be done. I think we only have about 850 square feet to do...

 

some glare, but ya get the idea

 

... ^^^ ... Looks very nice and classy too ...

 

gonna gel stain my cabinets and do some concrete countertops in the future. should help get rid of some 80's look.

 

I showed that to my wife and it got her excited. I am really looking forward to getting this finished now. I really wish the subfloor did not need the extra work, but it's going to be worth it in the end to do it right. I remember when we were house shopping we went to a "flipped" house that someone was trying to sell, and in the living room They had just slapped cheap laminate down over an uneven and failing subfloor. It sagged and snapped in a few spots, and if you set a ball or anything on the floor it would all roll to the center of the room. I don't want that to be me...I'm better than that!

 

This is the point of no return!!! (and happy 100th post to me!)

 

Not a view you typically like to see in your hallway...I've been putting in 2x6's to reinforce the new flooring going in.



And here we have it, 8 feet of new flooring in and secured. I can not believe it fit so well and it is so stable and level. I think the rest of the hallway will have to wait until Saturday. Although seeing progress really helps motivate...

 

Looking good. Man you have been working!!!

 

I'm having a fat rum and Coke to take the edge off tonight. This has not been and easy project but I'm just glad to see it progressing...