The 2-day floor chore

We moved into this house in June of 2010. In December of that year, Josh helped Dennis Parde & Greg Cummings install the tile mantle and wood stove in the family room next to the sliding glass door that leads out to the back deck. And ever since then, we've wanted hardwood floor in the family room. The carpet in that room gets so disgusting from the boys eating and making messes (that's primarily their play room), and it gets so dirty from the wood brought in for the stove and the ashes that we remove from it, too. 

In December of 2013, we bought some laminate flooring to do the job, but then we discovered that we didn't buy enough of it, and we didn't have the funds to buy the remainder of what we needed, so we just took the flooring back to the store for a refund. In September of this year, though, Josh found some laminate wood flooring that someone was selling online. It was just what we'd been wanting, and at a discount price, too. They'd bought too much of it, and were selling what they didn't use leftover from their own flooring project (she couldn't find the receipt so the store wouldn't take it back). I met up in Elk Bend with the lady who was selling it (she was from Challis, and that was about half-way), and brought it home. I brought in all the boxes of it, and the new flooring sat piled up in the family room near the hallway for 3 months because we didn't have time to install it. 

Because of Josh's busy work schedule at the golf course, driving buses, and mowing lawns, it was clear that Christmas Break would be the ideal time to install it because he has a break from all 3 jobs at once, and I was on vacation and could help him then, too. On the morning of Monday, December 21, we woke up and decided it was time!! We had nothing else scheduled for the day, and we'd purchased some underlayment when we were out of town at the beginning of December, and had borrowed a saw from our friends the Jacksons the day before, so we felt like we were prepared for the task. Josh went into town to get a couple tools from his work and to buy a wooden border strip, while I stayed home and cleared all the furniture out of the room. 

We got off to a late start--this was taken at 11:00am, and I told the boys it
was time to turn off the wii so we could get to work.

a BEFORE shot

One hour later, the room is all emptied out.

Josh got home about 12:45, and go to work ripping out the carpet and padding.  

The padding was attached with staples, so after it was all ripped out, Ammon
and I worked for about an hour prying out all the staples that remained,
while Josh swept and vacuumed up all the dirt and padding remnants.

I collected all the staples I pulled up, so they wouldn't get stepped on as
I was working (I was stupidly barefoot during this project).

Josh laid down the underlayment and began installing the hardwood floor along the
furthest wall as Ammon and I finished pulling out the staples in the floor on the side
that was closest to the kitchen. By 2:15, we were completely done and Josh was
making cuts in the wood to go around the heating vent in the first row. 

The first row is done!!

It took about 3 hours for him to finish the first section because the floor kept
moving. It was very frustrating for him! Thankfully, this second section went
along much faster--about 2 hours. 

We stopped for the day about 7:00 that night. The floor was almost
halfway done at this point.  

I had prepared the boys that morning to let them know it wouldn't be a fun day at home--I told them dad would probably be very ornery. So, Jonah and Micah went sledding for the day with a friend, and Ammon and Kanyon politely stayed out of the way. There was a LOT of cussing going on as Josh was installing the floor, but I knew the best way to handle it was by leaving him alone! So after I was done with the staple-prying project, I worked on staining the border strip, and then worked on cleaning and cutting the carpet border that originally was between the family room and kitchen, and then placing it between the hallway and family room.  It was good that he took a break from installing the floor that evening. His back and knees were already hurting, and he needed a mental break from it, too. Plus, the saw he used was outside on the deck and it was hard to see once it got dark.

We started the project again the next morning at 10:00, and this time, he wore some knee pads to help him finish the task. The installation went much quicker the 2nd day, and Josh was in a much better mood as a result. By noon, the flooring was completely installed! And it was beautiful! I've loved it so much, and have admired it on a daily basis! The only annoying part for Josh is that every time Tiki walks across the floor, her little nails make a clinking, echoing sound that drives him bonkers. But other than, we've all enjoyed it! We like the color, the stain, the matte finish, and how clean it looks even amidst the constant tracking of dirt/water/ashes over the top of it. Installing this floor was Josh's gift to me this Christmas, and it's been the gift that keeps on giving. Thanks, babe!

Using the Jackson's saw to make a cut in the flooring

Working on the last section!

It's done! Isn't it gorgeous?!

See the carpet border strip I installed between the
hallway carpet and the family room wood floor. I'm
pretty proud of myself for figuring out on my own how
to cut it, clean it, and install it!!

On the left of the new floor is the border strip that I stained. It's a little darker
than the flooring, and not the style we'd originally envisioned, but living in a
small town with not a lot of resources means you make do with what's available! 

We put some floorboards along the long wall after the flooring was installed,
and waited for the glue to dry before putting all the furniture back. By 3:00,
the project was completely done and the room was put back together again!

an AFTER shot