tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post9015815666853765053..comments2024-03-28T14:37:45.575-04:00Comments on 5 Acres & A Dream: Old Kitchen Floor: Problems & PrepsLeighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-77283224396005775592012-03-18T20:18:58.698-04:002012-03-18T20:18:58.698-04:00I am enjoying these comments. We have a ca. 1887 ...I am enjoying these comments. We have a ca. 1887 farmhouse which sports bowed hardwood floors, and an uneven kitchen (vinyl of what decade?)<br /><br />We are OK w/ the hardwood floors, but the kitchen flooring needs to be re-done. And so I look forward to the next chapter on this subject.<br /><br />I enjoy your blog.twebsterarmstronghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14341721506092130476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-61171280553766888962012-03-11T21:52:26.095-04:002012-03-11T21:52:26.095-04:00Crustyrusty, ain't that the truth.
Stephanie...Crustyrusty, ain't that the truth. <br /><br />Stephanie, ha! (Prayers appreciated)<br /><br />Foy, congratulations on your new cottage! What fun. It's work to repair, restore, & update; but it's rewarding too. <br /><br />Whiffletree, I wish I had a $ for every time Dan has wondered about the idiot who built this house, There are sooo many things oddly done. Of course, who knows what they're getting into at first inspection?!?!?!?!Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-46726961202623031312012-03-11T13:27:09.404-04:002012-03-11T13:27:09.404-04:00The original kitchen floor in your house sounds li...The original kitchen floor in your house sounds like a hack job to me!! My house was built in 1785 and the floors were put down first with the walls on top of them. I am sure that's standard construction procedure, not just modern. You are a trooper to deal with the mistakes of someone else so well!Whiffletree Farmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14416279391811227390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-78062707680622848392012-03-10T22:09:35.866-05:002012-03-10T22:09:35.866-05:00What fun! I love seeing what you are up to. As o...What fun! I love seeing what you are up to. As of yesterday our offer was accepted on a turn of the century Victorian cottage and I'm sure we'll be headed down some of these same roads!Fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15806422800093554729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-9060561154772517742012-03-10T14:43:00.313-05:002012-03-10T14:43:00.313-05:00I know this is an oxymoron in home repairs, but he...I know this is an oxymoron in home repairs, but here's praying it goes more smoothly than you anticipate:)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-50358067280206255972012-03-10T10:35:38.929-05:002012-03-10T10:35:38.929-05:00Ah, the joys of buying a house that was built befo...Ah, the joys of buying a house that was built before standardized building practices went into effect... BTDTGTTSCrustyrustyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09478587825608882510noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-69549061282725655662012-03-10T09:12:01.442-05:002012-03-10T09:12:01.442-05:00Sherri, I'll share as we go along. Even if it ...Sherri, I'll share as we go along. Even if it doesn't work, you can benefit from our mistakes! If it's a success, so much the better. :)<br /><br />Renee, that's very true. For one thing there is air seepage from the crawlspace, along with humidity and smells. But! Your cabin may not be so bad. :)<br /><br />Heather, I can relate! Shrinkage over the years takes its toll. <br /><br />Clint, hopefully!<br /><br />Mama Pea, I sure do hope so. The trade-off of course, is having a lower mortgage payment, though sometimes we would trade that for the time to do other things! At least most of this is a one time expense. And, we'll get the house the way we want it. :)Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-48986666585943946752012-03-10T09:07:48.017-05:002012-03-10T09:07:48.017-05:00Once again, I have to say you and Dan deserve so m...Once again, I have to say you and Dan deserve so much credit for the work you're willing to put into your place. Your house is going to be lovely and, believe it or not, these first few years of living in the midst of construction will be a dim memory someday. But I hope you keep the pride in what you've accomplished forever!Mama Peahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-6546427496146369282012-03-10T07:54:44.864-05:002012-03-10T07:54:44.864-05:00What a wonderful find. Lots of back breaking work ...What a wonderful find. Lots of back breaking work but well worth it!Clint Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12125748678345517185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-23946380116626319562012-03-10T07:46:28.749-05:002012-03-10T07:46:28.749-05:00I lived in a similar house many years ago. The cr...I lived in a similar house many years ago. The cross bean holding up the living room floor would come loose and we would have to knock it back into place. <br />It will be gorgeous when you're done.The Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15070310346205563561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-61541838010002356472012-03-10T01:01:40.807-05:002012-03-10T01:01:40.807-05:00well I guess the silver lining is that your new fl...well I guess the silver lining is that your new floor will be air tight and hopefully save you some money on heating & cooling?<br /><br />hummm maybe I don't want an old historical cabin. ;o)Renee Nefehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08167893445846427824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-5256498282896971482012-03-09T23:09:46.088-05:002012-03-09T23:09:46.088-05:00I'm looking forward to seeing how you work out...I'm looking forward to seeing how you work out the floor..the floor at the Little House is like that in certain spots and I thought we would just have to live with it. - Have a great weekend. xoSherri B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/03956294100834139745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-74853719375415506532012-03-09T22:04:45.214-05:002012-03-09T22:04:45.214-05:00Suburban Gardeness, funny but Dan just saw somethi...Suburban Gardeness, funny but Dan just saw something today about that technique, I think on YouTube. That's good confirmation that it works!<br /><br />Stay @ Home-Gardener, tell me about it!<br /><br />Jackie, good grief your original floor sounds worse than ours. Sounds like you did an excellent job on it though. I only hope we're as pleased with ours when we're done<br /><br />Dr. Momi, actually, the thinking is the worst part!!!<br /><br />Carolyn, well, we've got some old combined with some shoddy. Too bad folks don't think what it will be like a few years or so down the road!<br /><br />Icebear, then you know what we're going through!<br /><br />Sunnybrook Farm, that's what it was like in our dining room. On our kitchen floor, they scraped off most of the tar to put down the ceramic tile, but they mortared that right to the wood! Sadly, the floor was too wonky for the tiles to remain stable over the years. <br /><br />Old houses are really amazing. How do you like living in such a house? :)<br /><br />Jaime, oh my yes. And we will be so glad to have it done!<br /><br />Anonymous, well, like I said in the post, the floor joists are the problem there. They aren't the same size / height and some are twisted so that there would be no way to make a subfloor flat and level. We'd have to tear out all the floor joists as well and rebuild. Structurally, that just isn't going to happen. :)Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-68093169436972120912012-03-09T21:32:51.342-05:002012-03-09T21:32:51.342-05:00Why not just tear it out and put in a proper subfl...Why not just tear it out and put in a proper subfloor? Then it would be even and you could put tile or anything on it? Trying to even out an old floor is a bit like trying to flatten a mountain.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-52242838699665619252012-03-09T20:58:13.582-05:002012-03-09T20:58:13.582-05:00Ay yi yi! That sounds like some serious work. It w...Ay yi yi! That sounds like some serious work. It will be so wonderful when you have it finished, though :)<br />-JaimeNgo Family Farmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15484243776589015749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-35028082804481920172012-03-09T20:41:06.759-05:002012-03-09T20:41:06.759-05:00Our floor had linoleum stuck down with tar like gl...Our floor had linoleum stuck down with tar like glue on hardwood so we are going to scrape it and put down new tongue and groove maple that I got at a sawmill. The rest of the house is so crooked that it looks like a drunk sailor built it before he got his land legs but the oldest part is from the late 1700s so it is to be expected. I know what hard work you are doing though!Sunnybrook Farmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18135224259672444423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-89412278785180954382012-03-09T20:39:53.973-05:002012-03-09T20:39:53.973-05:00my house is 106, so i feel your pain!my house is 106, so i feel your pain!icebearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04688755441418251036noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-8281347485885240122012-03-09T18:15:32.385-05:002012-03-09T18:15:32.385-05:00Looking forward to what you guys do as we have the...Looking forward to what you guys do as we have the same problem (although not due to an older home, but a shoddy owner-built home).<br /><br />Good luck!Carolynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14436557172029575513noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-55481825672991644842012-03-09T17:45:23.150-05:002012-03-09T17:45:23.150-05:00I my back hurts just thinking about all that work ...I my back hurts just thinking about all that work :-)dr momihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15665259531466170062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-72295649774961119102012-03-09T16:50:05.748-05:002012-03-09T16:50:05.748-05:00We have tried a couple of solutions in our century...We have tried a couple of solutions in our century stone farmhouse. The ground floor is hemlock planking laid straight onto tree trunk beams, yes really, still with bark on! The floor is far from level anywhere with huge gaps looking straight down into the basement. We screwed down 3/4" ply over everything to start with. In the kitchen we first tried commercial grade laminate flooring, looks great but what a nightmare to lay, even though the ply has evened the floor somewhat, it is still far from level. In the rest of the ground floor we have put vinyl laminate, it looks very good, is waterproof, easy to lay and copes with the extremely wobbly floors with ease. It has a tendency to buckle in sunny spots, but apart from that I would recommend it to anyone with iffy floors.Jackiehttp://www.windmillhill.canoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-54072289139563924492012-03-09T16:30:51.200-05:002012-03-09T16:30:51.200-05:00Horrible pain in the backside for leveling. Poor g...Horrible pain in the backside for leveling. Poor guys.The Stay @ Home-Gardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06102175625149771801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-59022438932536200232012-03-09T16:19:42.857-05:002012-03-09T16:19:42.857-05:00I did a similar job last year. A 100 year old wood...I did a similar job last year. A 100 year old wood floor with all kinds of dips in it including some patchwork from when wires and pipes were rerun. So I did lots of research into leveling old floors vs. replacing the whole thing. I found somewhere on the internet a method that I used and worked really well. First I sanded down a few high spots. Then I used roofing shingles staggered in the low spots to gradually fill the dips. On top of that I used 1/2 plywood screwed down to the boards below (screws are better, nails may squeak later). I then put my new hardwood on top of that. I can't say that the floor is completely level but it looks fantastic cosidering.Suburban Gardenesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17555985514462862226noreply@blogger.com