Hey Patriot Woodworker's!!!!

We all got em, the big summer to do's. A new deck? Landscaping? Some furnishings that you have been wanting to do but just didn't have the time? Now with our long days ahead, the soul gets restless and we look for things to do to keep us busy till the sun sets!!! And with these long days, there is plenty of day light to do it in!

I am going to start back in on my Claro Walnut Rocker, plus I have some honey' do's for mama and the kids. The kids want a trophy case and mama wants me to finish installing some interior doors that have been sitting in our garage for a loooooong time!!!!

So let's hear it folks, what you got!!!!!!

And Happy Summer!!!!

well just finished ONE of many honey-do's put up a Deck w/the help of wife,for us an the dogs,got rid of old steps an put a ramp on it ,much easier to walk down,for the dogs(an Us humans).will add pics later have to finish front porch,add roof,Then the best of ALL expand the shop.

A few months ago hubby and I installed 3/4" x 3 1/4" select red oak hardwood flooring in the living room, dining room, kitchen, family room, staircase, and entry.  In mid July same type flooring will be delivered to finish the bedrooms and landing upstairs. Before we can install the flooring there is a lot of prep work: remove carpets, baseboards, trim sheet rock for additional expansion, as well as paint all these areas.  I rack the floors and hubby nails them in.  This flooring is pre-finished so we can move furniture back into the room once the floors are installed which is very helpful.   It's hard work and takes up weekends and evenings but we have been very happy with the areas completed.  Soon it will be time to dig out my knee pads - again.  

SQ

Wow!!! Ron that is a busy schedule man! A whole lot of home improvement in this one! We look forward to seeing the pics!

Ron England said:

well just finished ONE of many honey-do's put up a Deck w/the help of wife,for us an the dogs,got rid of old steps an put a ramp on it ,much easier to walk down,for the dogs(an Us humans).will add pics later have to finish front porch,add roof,Then the best of ALL expand the shop.

I love wood floors Sue! We installed some in our home a few years back and we love it, especially with kids and dogs!

Although we did not have to trim up our drywall, we just left a 1/4" gap at the dry wall and the baseboard covered the gap. Are you sure you really need to go through all that hassle of trimming up the dry wall?

SQ said:

A few months ago hubby and I installed 3/4" x 3 1/4" select red oak hardwood flooring in the living room, dining room, kitchen, family room, staircase, and entry.  In mid July same type flooring will be delivered to finish the bedrooms and landing upstairs. Before we can install the flooring there is a lot of prep work: remove carpets, baseboards, trim sheet rock for additional expansion, as well as paint all these areas.  I rack the floors and hubby nails them in.  This flooring is pre-finished so we can move furniture back into the room once the floors are installed which is very helpful.   It's hard work and takes up weekends and evenings but we have been very happy with the areas completed.  Soon it will be time to dig out my knee pads - again.  

SQ

John,

  

Good question.  We talked to Lumber Liquidators at length and a 3/4 inch expansion gap is required if the flooring is 
solid wood 3/4 inch thick.  We also installed 9/16" wood baseboards to replace the 1/2" mdf baseboards the builder had installed.  To purchase larger than 3/4" baseboards to cover the 3/4" expansion gap was considerably more expensive.  We had some very wide and very long runs since we did a seamless transition through the doorways using flooring not transition trim.  We didn't want to risk any buckling or voiding of our warranty.

Transition from dining room to kitchen which continues through family room.  

SQ

John Morris said:

I love wood floors Sue! We installed some in our home a few years back and we love it, especially with kids and dogs!

Although we did not have to trim up our drywall, we just left a 1/4" gap at the dry wall and the baseboard covered the gap. Are you sure you really need to go through all that hassle of trimming up the dry wall?

SQ said:

That makes complete sense Sue, our flooring was laminate so the expansion is minimal. With solid wood flooring ( I missed that part in your post) you would need a significant gap to allow for movement. Based on that photo above you guys are doing a fantastic job! Congratulations!

By the way, if we had it to do over again we'd go with the natural real wood. The laminate is loud and clanky and after a few years, looks fake. Someday we will rip it up and redo it with real wood.

SQ said:

John,

  

Good question.  We talked to Lumber Liquidators at length and a 3/4 inch expansion gap is required if the flooring is 
solid wood 3/4 inch thick.  We also installed 9/16" wood baseboards to replace the 1/2" mdf baseboards the builder had installed.  To purchase larger than 3/4" baseboards to cover the 3/4" expansion gap was considerably more expensive.  We had some very wide and very long runs since we did a seamless transition through the doorways using flooring not transition trim.  We didn't want to risk any buckling or voiding of our warranty.

Transition from dining room to kitchen which continues through family room.  

SQ

John Morris said:

John Morris said:

Wow!!! Ron that is a busy schedule man! A whole lot of home improvement in this one! We look forward to seeing the pics!

Ron England said:

John,

Thank you.  It's been quite the journey.  We had never owned or installed hardwood flooring before this.  People thought we were insane to take it on.  But with the cost of installers, do it yourself was the only option.  Fortunately trimming the sheet rock was easier than we initially thought.    

I agree with you, carpet is not practical and extremely high maintenance.    These are a real time saver.  

SQ

John Morris said:

That makes complete sense Sue, our flooring was laminate so the expansion is minimal. With solid wood flooring ( I missed that part in your post) you would need a significant gap to allow for movement. Based on that photo above you guys are doing a fantastic job! Congratulations!

By the way, if we had it to do over again we'd go with the natural real wood. The laminate is loud and clanky and after a few years, looks fake. Someday we will rip it up and redo it with real wood.

SQ said:

Greatjob Susie.  My wife is looking into hardwood floors so I'll be sure NOT to show her your picture.  Sounds like a nice winter project.

Hey Ron, if you live in my neck of the woods, that's a perfect Summer project!!!! It's 110 outside, you crank the AC and off you go! LOL.

Ron Dudelston said:

Greatjob Susie.  My wife is looking into hardwood floors so I'll be sure NOT to show her your picture.  Sounds like a nice winter project.

I'll do it when it's 10 below zero John.

Oh how I wish we had extreme weather here! That would be nice!

Ron Dudelston said:

I'll do it when it's 10 below zero John.

Ron,

Thanks.  Hardwood floors will save you money in the long run.    When everyone else is redoing their carpets again, you will still be enjoying your hardwood floors.  

SQ

Ron Dudelston said:

Greatjob Susie.  My wife is looking into hardwood floors so I'll be sure NOT to show her your picture.  Sounds like a nice winter project.

We, my two sons, put down hardwood floor I. The living room and hallway upstairs.

Be VERY careful what you wish for! When it gets down below 20* you're so bundled up that it's hard to move. Plus, after a while you still loose the feeling in your fingers. Oh, and you get very cranky because you can't get anything done.

John Morris said:

Oh how I wish we had extreme weather here! That would be nice!

Ron Dudelston said:

John,

I'd be more than happy to send you all the rain we have been getting this week.    

SQ

John Morris said:

Oh how I wish we had extreme weather here! That would be nice!

Ron Dudelston said:

Hey what happened Harry, a while back you where selling me on Montana!!! LOL

Harry Brink said:

Be VERY careful what you wish for! When it gets down below 20* you're so bundled up that it's hard to move. Plus, after a while you still loose the feeling in your fingers. Oh, and you get very cranky because you can't get anything done.

John Morris said:

Well we sure need it Sue, big drought down my way.

SQ said:

John,

I'd be more than happy to send you all the rain we have been getting this week.    

SQ

John Morris said:

Harry,

Unlike the rest of the country, people from California neither own winter clothes or know what they are.  I know this to be true from personal experience.  I use to live in California.  My winter coat when I lived there was a sweater.  hahahahahaha

SQ

Harry Brink said:

Be VERY careful what you wish for! When it gets down below 20* you're so bundled up that it's hard to move. Plus, after a while you still loose the feeling in your fingers. Oh, and you get very cranky because you can't get anything done.

John Morris said: