When my parents asked me to gather some information for having hardwood floors put in the living room and hall, I didnt' realize how much you actually had to know about hardwood floors to make a good choice. They don't just want hardwood floors, they want engineered hardwood floors, because engineered floors are more stable. Engineered floors are made by cross layering wood with a hardwood 'wear' layer on top. They won't buckle and cup and get gaps between the boards from shrinking and swelling. You can also install them as a floating floor (doesn't require gluing or nailing) that snaps together. I learned that from the DIY network.
Two weeks ago, I went online, found some places to get samples, brought them home and a decision was made. It's not easy to find a color that bridges the gap between what was installed in the bedrooms fifty years ago, and the 50 yr. old paneling my dad refuses to remove from the fireplace wall in the living room. Something kept nagging at me, it was all too easy. So, silly me, went online and researched the company I had gotten samples from, and when I googled their customer complaints decided that, umm, no, that wasn't the company for us.
I read and read and read information on engineered floors. How they are made, what widths they come in, what the thickness of the wear layer should be, etc., etc. and etc. I talked to a home re-modeler I know in Texas (he installs a lot of floors) who told me which brands to stay away from if I didn't want a box of 'chicklets' (shorter pieces of wood that are good for saving trees, but make for a really inconsistent looking floor. My brother-in-law was kind enough to send me information from the Consumer Reports website, because even though we have a subscription to their magazine you actually have to pay EXTRA to look the stuff up on the website. There is something seriously fucking wrong with that, Consumer Reports!
With my new found knowledge I figured it would be a piece of cake to find the right floor. WRONG! If I found the right color, it didn't come in the right width, the wear layer wasn't think enough or it wasn't suitable for a floating floor. Though my Dad-the-retired-carpenter didn't know what a floating floor was until I explained it, but now he has to have one as it will make replacing any damaged boards easier. I went to the place that carries the floor I want to show them for a sample, but they were closed. Evidently, people don't buy floors on Sundays.
Of course, while new floors are going in the walls might as well get painted at the same time. My mom is stuck at home in a wheelchair for now, so that means bringing home a million (I am not exaggerating) color cards so she can choose colors for the living room and hallway, kitchen and dining room, the main bathroom and my dad's room. Next in line is finding a replacement for the dishwasher that quit working last week, an electrician to upgrade the wiring, and possibly a gas fireplace to replace the fire burning one and a gas stove to replace the electric. Since Dad doesn't know about the last two, I might be saved from doing those.
If people actually get paid to do this for a living, I hope they get paid an awful lot of money for it. If they do, I might be joining them assuming they haven't slipped me in to a crisp white, straight jacket and thrown me in a padded room by the time its all done.
