Weekend Contractors

We watch a lot of HGTV, before we moved and became Weekend Contractors, we would turn on HGTV and watch it all weekend long.   That included the Property Brothers.  Jonathan, Drew and I became besties and I could always figure out which house the terrified couple would pick.  Before Weekend Contracting, I was under the seriously incorrect impression that installing hardwood flooring was easy, and that is why this post is a rant against those assholes Jonathan and Drew who never show the hard parts. 

When you pull up carpeting there are hundreds of disgusting staples sunk into the subflooring.  They all need to be removed before the hardwood can be placed.  All. Of. Them.  When have you ever seen Jonathan or Drew removing a staple?  Or even carpeting for that matter? On every single episode they get new hardwood flooring, but do they show the gross parts?  Do they show the stained carpeting that you don't want to touch with gloved hands?  Do they show the horrifying blistered and callused hands?  And, do they show how bruised their knees get after kneeling for hours trying to get every last nail out of the trim.  No.   They do not.  And that is why I believe that show to be a dirty lie, with attractive hosts.

Carpet/staple removal took nearly our entire Saturday, with a break for bloody mary brunch.  It was not a one hour episode and I am not on television.

But, we got the two back bedrooms and the hallway completely cleared of carpeting:

And THEN WE STARTED THE MOST EXCITING PART:  Flooring Install!

 

It was so much fun.  We got the pneumatic nailer that is hooked up the air compressor.   And you have to really whack it or else the nail sticks out and you have to start all over again.  Plus, all of the joints between the pieces have to be very tight.  My dad was an enormous help in getting us started and after he and Jon's dad left, Jon and I finished 20 rows of flooring:  (The first photo is the nail I messed up the first time I tried to hit the nailer)

 

I love the flooring.  It is gorgeous.  It nearly made me forget the carpeting, but only until I walked into the living room and remembered how many staples are probably hiding under the living room and dining room floors.

Until next weekend, weekend contractors - out!