replacing flooring

 From what I've read, a lot of people are doing home improvements while spending more time at home because of  COVID 19.

That includes us, because now we are replacing  flooring in 3 bedrooms of carpet. The carpet is right at 20 years old so it's time for a change...and I didn't want more carpet.

After researching laminate vs. vinyl planks, I chose to go with the vinyl (Home Depot "Lifeproof" brand).  I ordered online and chose to have it delivered.

I figured it would be delivered in a box truck but on delivery day when they called, they said no, it's coming on a tractor trailer!

Of course they couldn't pull into the driveway with that, so the driver parked in the neighborhood across the street and drove my order over on a fork lift.

He had to be on the highway with it for a short distance and I was a little worried, but it all worked out.

They only deliver outside your home unless you pay extra  (in this case $113 extra).

So the Sasquatch came over and carried the flooring in.  It's heavy stuff - about 33 lbs. per box. I carried a few in too.

We moved furniture out of one room, then, I spent time taking up carpet and padding.  But we found the sub floor in poor condition.

We knew the floors were soft and squeaky and the subject came up when hardwood was installed in other areas years ago, but this was a patchwork of uneven used plywood.

Some really saggy rotted wood in places. Some boards had a coat of dried concrete on one side, indicating they had been used as  concrete forms in a prior life.

There were holes, burns and paint rings.

The vinyl flooring definitely couldn't be placed on this.  I was hoping maybe we could get by with a thin wood layer over the top of it, but the Sasquatch convinced me that it would be better to do it right and tear out the old plywood and replace with new.

It was a lot of work but he was willing to do it.  A lot of heavy work for him too...getting the new 4' x 8' sheets of wood up the stairs. 

 

Here is the new wood subfloor screwed down. What a difference when we walk on it! Much more stable and sturdy feeling.

Baseboards had to be removed too...so more work there to replace them. I am anxious to see the new vinyl flooring in place now.