Home Improvement Today?

My understanding was one of those its how it was done in new England so they keep doing. Advantage depends on how you build and the level of quality. Iv have yet to see a a flooring company on my area that could do it.

 

So, no expansion gap? Isn't that a floating floor?

 

backwards install here. Its floor, then base on top of the floor. Not some cheap quarter round on top of the floor.

I hate that look.

 

There’s gotta be something else going on there for water to be getting under 12 yo roof materials....I would guess improper installation. Any bumpouts or weird flashing that could be channeling water underneath? I assume ice dams aren’t a problem in New Orleans lol

 

Looks like a standard tongue and not a click together so likely a nail down application

 

Since there was talk of flooring earlier....
Finally getting everything back on track after the holidays.
Downstairs flooded a week before Christmas. Insurance had a hazmat demo crew show up and demo what was infected (black water) They just finished last week. House is currently cut in half. Reach out for a couple of bids and waiting for contractors to call me back. I assume they are all getting caught up because of the holidays or are still off until next week.
The floor is 10+ years old and we always wanted to replace so it all needs to come up. While we are getting these items fixed we plan on adding a few items here and there.
1. A "nook" under the stairs for the dog. We want to drywall under the stairs, add a light and a door w/ latch for the dog or even if the kids wants to play, read books, etc.
2. During the demo the company mentioned numerous times that the floor was a nightmare to remove and that every inch of it was glued down. Anyone know if I should stick with glue or can something else work just a good and keep the floors from squeaking?
3. While the floor is up I'd like to add a floor power box in two locations, 1 under the couch and the other under the kitchen island. Is it easy as cutting the slab, and running conduit?

We weren't planning on any of this so we want to be able to do the cabinets/kitchen in a few years but the floor needs to be done now. The biggest issue was not being able to have Christmas downstairs like we've done every year. I ended up carrying the tree upstairs shortly after all of this happened to keep the wife and kids in the holiday spirit.
Anything I should look out for when a contractor shows up? I plan on getting at least 3 different companies for a quote.

 

If that is a solid wood floor... it should be glued AND nailed. I wouldn’t take too well to a contractor that is complaining about having to undo quality work.

How the floor needs to be laid is all dependent on what floor you are going to put in.

I would run the electrical through the walls as much as f possible. Especially the island.
Cutting into the slab is not easy. Its a PITA and messy AF. You will have concrete dust settling for weeks lol. If I was doing the work I would find another way. If someone else is doing iit I would only have the outlet by the couch. Ill let someone else chime in but Im not sure you can run a GFCI in a slab.

 

As far as I can tell, the wood looks to be solid but they have it listed as "engineered" on the mitigation report. The contractor was given to us by our insurance and by the time we decided we didn't like them they were already half way done so we just wanted them to finish and get out of our house. It honestly seemed like a bunch of kids.
I'm undecided on the what flooring to go with, I guess it all depends on what the wife wants.
When you say run the electrical through the walls, if the island is in the middle of the kitchen, I don't see that being an option unless I'm missing something?
Someone else will be doing the work.

EDIT: and to explain the box in the kitchen a bit more. We currently have a temporary "island" on wheels that holds dishes, etc. but eventually want a permanent island once we redo the kitchen cabinets, tops, etc. so I thought since the floor was up I could at least get the power ran in the mean time. I'm under the assumption that a permanent island actually needs it's own outlet if it's over 24x24 or some dimension.

EDIT again: People are liking my original post and I think I might've hinted I'm doing all this work, when I'm not. I would've loved to do this 5 years ago when I had the time and energy but it's not an option for me at this time. lol.

 

is the floor concrete? When you say slab its usually concrete, but what was squeaking? If it was glued down? Usually what squeaks is older floors that used nails to hold down the flooring/sheeting, and over years the nails lose grip and thats what squeaks. method to solve that is use screws after the demo of the flooring if its wood floor. If the planks are squeaking I dont know because if it was glued it shouldnt have squeaked.

 

Floor is concrete, nothing was squeaking, I'm juts hoping the new floor is as quiet as this one.

 

glue down is prob best, you can do floating also. I like the more solid sound though.

 

Some of the quality craftsmanship I run into working...

 

If engineered floors have a thick enough wood vaneer they are treated just like solid wood and are nailed and glued to protect the floor from shifting due to expansion from weather changes.

I have an engineered floor thats a floating click lock floor. The vaneer is 1/16th of an inch. As you get closer to 1/4 inch vaneer you’ll see the floors go from click lock to tongue and groove.

If insurance will pay for solid wood or high quality engineered like you had I would go with that. Its beautiful and durable when it comes to pets and kids. But then again there are some nice laminate or cheaper engineered floors that may be able to save you money so you can put away for your kitchen.

If you go with a click lock flooring type, shell out the money for a quality underlayment.
I live on a slab and only a 2 in 1 underlayment is required but they make 3 in 1 that helps with preventing the concrete from making the floor cold and helps with sound transfer. Its intended to prevent sound transfer if its on a subfloor where there its over a ceiling. On a slab it can prevent a hollow sound when walking on it making the floor sound cheap.
Im glad I spent a few hundred more on the upgraded underlayment. No cold floors or tapping sound because the floor is a floating floor.

Creeking you get more on subfloors and impropee installs.

 

Nailed floor into concrete ?

 

We typically do glue down engineered flooring over concrete / heated concrete

 

Ever heard of a ramset you noob?


Thanks all. This is gonna be a fun one.

 

That would be a nice look

 

Everyone is using the magic concrete flooring nails, they're all the rage here in the states, must not have the min Canada eh?

 

You install plywood above the concrete after the vapor barrier. At least that is how I’ve seen it done.