So, let me know what you think in the poll below!
Friday, October 29, 2010
Wanna See Me in Living Colour?
Hi all! So, Mr. Mel made an interesting suggestion to me last night and I thought bit was worth pursuing. So, I am asking you what you think. Do you want me to add video to this blog? I think it may be a fun way to explain projects and ideas more easily and it makes it a bit more personal.
So, let me know what you think in the poll below!
So, let me know what you think in the poll below!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Today is a Good Day
Today started as a very ugly day. Blizzard conditions, and predictions of 10 cm of snow! Thankfully, after a white-knuckle drive home on the highway, I arrived to find that great progress has happened in the house!
The flooring dude estimated 4 days to rip out and replace the carpet, figuring that they`d have to remove and replace all of the baseboards (which made me scared and weepy). Turns out they didn`t have to take them off after all! Today they managed to get the bonus room and 3rd bedroom completed, and have ripped out and got about halfway through relaying the hallway! Seriously, it even feels better to walk on! Soooooo much better!
The flooring dude estimated 4 days to rip out and replace the carpet, figuring that they`d have to remove and replace all of the baseboards (which made me scared and weepy). Turns out they didn`t have to take them off after all! Today they managed to get the bonus room and 3rd bedroom completed, and have ripped out and got about halfway through relaying the hallway! Seriously, it even feels better to walk on! Soooooo much better!
Awww, my little Butter manages to get into *alot* of photos.
Can`t wait til tomorrow!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Floor Begone
I am sure I have never addressed this before now...which is odd because it's been a thorn in my side for the last year. This post is sure to border on a rant, so please bear with me.
Our home is 2300 sq ft. 2300 sq ft of finished living space. 2300 sq ft of flooring…every square inch of which must be ripped out and replaced! Night. Mare.
We made our flooring selections early on in the construction process but, when our builder came to us with a new product,we instantly fell in love. Our flooring budget was promptly *doubled* and we decided to go with Arteca for all of the hard flooring in the house; a vinyl product that met all of our desires for environmental responsibility, durability, and looks. While we were at it, we upgraded the carpet to a soft backed wool/poly blend.
**Boring Technicalities Ahead** Just so you understand how Arteca works, I need to explain its installation. Arteca comes in planks or tiles (depending on the flooring finish you select). Our wood-look floors came in 6” x 48” planks, while our kitchen and bath flooring came in 12” x 12” tiles. Over the OSB subfloor, installers lay a 48” x 48” ¾” thick plywood subfloor that is stapled every 2” around each edge. The seams are then patched with a flexible concrete patch and sanded to a smooth finish. The Arteca is glued down on top. The stuff, I was told, was nearly indestructible.
About a month after we moved in we started to notice marks on the floor. At first we thought they were just shadows, but we quickly realized that what we seeing were the lines of the subfloor. Then we started to notice what looked like nail pops. Within a few months, we could literally trace the lines of the subfloor as they started to leave imprints on the underside of the flooring.
I wish I could take photos that actually showed the damage to the Arteca...but, darn it, it's super hard to photograph!
Right about this same time, I was upstairs and tripped while walking into my bonus room. “Man, am I a klutz”, I thought. Until I tripped again the next day, in the exact same spot. Down on all fours I went, and realized that the carpet had a small bubble in it that had risen just enough for me to trip on it. Within a few weeks, the carpet had stretched so much that it was bubbling up at all the edges of furniture and walls! Seriously, my upstairs flooring looked like it was friggin’ mountain ranges and became a total hazard! I guarantee that you have never seen anything like it.
We called the flooring company who sent a couple of long time installers to check it out. They were so concerned when they saw what was happening that they called the owners and waited for them to arrive to look for themselves. To the credit of the flooring company, they took immediate action. Attempting twice to re-stretch the carpet only to have it stretch again, took samples of the Arteca and the carpet to be sent away for testing, and did extensive testing of all of the flooring trusses and even took air samples!
Well, 5 long months later, I am told that results of the carpet testing was that there was a defect in the soft backing that allowed it to stretch so dramatically. The manufacturer has agreed to pay for new carpet, and all labour to remove and replace it. They start this week, and it should take 4 days. Which means that Mr. Mel and I spent the entire weekend moving furniture and removing closet organizers. Yuck! I know I could have had the flooring company do this but, in the spirit of co-operation,. I volunteered to take care of it for them. Big mistake. T.V.s in the laundry room...clothes in the dining room...*everything* else in the living room and kitchen...someone please put me outta my misery!
Now comes a decision regarding the main floor and bathrooms. The flooring company no longer sells Arteca (for a variety of reasons that I won’t bore you with here). If we want them to, they have agreed to replace the flooring with more Arteca and a new subfloor. But, being that I believe the issues with the flooring were a result of mistakes during installation of the original subfloor, I am not keen on this idea. Plus, it would mean ripping up all of the flooring and subfloor and replacing it…a two week job! In the end, this product wasn’t what it was touted to be so I am happy to see it go.
Another option is to remove all of the flooring and start new, with hardwood (we are leaning towards bamboo). The main problem with this is that, even with removal of the existing floor, it would raise the floor about ¼” which will mean that all of the casings and doors will have to be removed and cut down, and the baseboards will have to be reinstalled higher on the wall.
The third, and most attractive option, is to lay new flooring directly over the Arteca. We’re leaning towards Armstrong Luxe. It’s a vinyl product, guaranteed not to show indentations from the underside (praise jeebus), is fully recyclable, has limited off-gassing, doesn’t use any glue, and is only 1/8” thick. It doesn’t have the same temperature regulating properties as the Arteca but that’s ok because the Arteca would still be underneath and would help to insulate the floor from temperature variations (something I will give kudos to Arteca for doing quite well). This is the finish we’re leaning towards:
This whole thing has been an absolute disaster. I cannot wait til it's all over!
Our home is 2300 sq ft. 2300 sq ft of finished living space. 2300 sq ft of flooring…every square inch of which must be ripped out and replaced! Night. Mare.
We made our flooring selections early on in the construction process but, when our builder came to us with a new product,we instantly fell in love. Our flooring budget was promptly *doubled* and we decided to go with Arteca for all of the hard flooring in the house; a vinyl product that met all of our desires for environmental responsibility, durability, and looks. While we were at it, we upgraded the carpet to a soft backed wool/poly blend.
**Boring Technicalities Ahead** Just so you understand how Arteca works, I need to explain its installation. Arteca comes in planks or tiles (depending on the flooring finish you select). Our wood-look floors came in 6” x 48” planks, while our kitchen and bath flooring came in 12” x 12” tiles. Over the OSB subfloor, installers lay a 48” x 48” ¾” thick plywood subfloor that is stapled every 2” around each edge. The seams are then patched with a flexible concrete patch and sanded to a smooth finish. The Arteca is glued down on top. The stuff, I was told, was nearly indestructible.
About a month after we moved in we started to notice marks on the floor. At first we thought they were just shadows, but we quickly realized that what we seeing were the lines of the subfloor. Then we started to notice what looked like nail pops. Within a few months, we could literally trace the lines of the subfloor as they started to leave imprints on the underside of the flooring.
I wish I could take photos that actually showed the damage to the Arteca...but, darn it, it's super hard to photograph!
Right about this same time, I was upstairs and tripped while walking into my bonus room. “Man, am I a klutz”, I thought. Until I tripped again the next day, in the exact same spot. Down on all fours I went, and realized that the carpet had a small bubble in it that had risen just enough for me to trip on it. Within a few weeks, the carpet had stretched so much that it was bubbling up at all the edges of furniture and walls! Seriously, my upstairs flooring looked like it was friggin’ mountain ranges and became a total hazard! I guarantee that you have never seen anything like it.
Here it is snaking its way around a closet organizer
The door between the closet and master bedroom
Even on the stairs! That's safe...not!
The master bedroom closet. It's even bubbling up around the floor register.
The bonus room. It's hard to see in this photo but there are actually three large ridges that run through this space, in addition to the bubbling around the edges of the room.
We called the flooring company who sent a couple of long time installers to check it out. They were so concerned when they saw what was happening that they called the owners and waited for them to arrive to look for themselves. To the credit of the flooring company, they took immediate action. Attempting twice to re-stretch the carpet only to have it stretch again, took samples of the Arteca and the carpet to be sent away for testing, and did extensive testing of all of the flooring trusses and even took air samples!
Well, 5 long months later, I am told that results of the carpet testing was that there was a defect in the soft backing that allowed it to stretch so dramatically. The manufacturer has agreed to pay for new carpet, and all labour to remove and replace it. They start this week, and it should take 4 days. Which means that Mr. Mel and I spent the entire weekend moving furniture and removing closet organizers. Yuck! I know I could have had the flooring company do this but, in the spirit of co-operation,. I volunteered to take care of it for them. Big mistake. T.V.s in the laundry room...clothes in the dining room...*everything* else in the living room and kitchen...someone please put me outta my misery!
Now comes a decision regarding the main floor and bathrooms. The flooring company no longer sells Arteca (for a variety of reasons that I won’t bore you with here). If we want them to, they have agreed to replace the flooring with more Arteca and a new subfloor. But, being that I believe the issues with the flooring were a result of mistakes during installation of the original subfloor, I am not keen on this idea. Plus, it would mean ripping up all of the flooring and subfloor and replacing it…a two week job! In the end, this product wasn’t what it was touted to be so I am happy to see it go.
Another option is to remove all of the flooring and start new, with hardwood (we are leaning towards bamboo). The main problem with this is that, even with removal of the existing floor, it would raise the floor about ¼” which will mean that all of the casings and doors will have to be removed and cut down, and the baseboards will have to be reinstalled higher on the wall.
The third, and most attractive option, is to lay new flooring directly over the Arteca. We’re leaning towards Armstrong Luxe. It’s a vinyl product, guaranteed not to show indentations from the underside (praise jeebus), is fully recyclable, has limited off-gassing, doesn’t use any glue, and is only 1/8” thick. It doesn’t have the same temperature regulating properties as the Arteca but that’s ok because the Arteca would still be underneath and would help to insulate the floor from temperature variations (something I will give kudos to Arteca for doing quite well). This is the finish we’re leaning towards:
This whole thing has been an absolute disaster. I cannot wait til it's all over!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
I am a CSN-aholic
I am loving the simplicy of ordering from CSN Stores online! For the American's among us, you simply do. not. understand. just how amazing it is to get an online company to ship to Canada without paying hundreds of dollars in duty and shipping fees...if they ship here at all. CSN is truly in a league of their own...truly. I have always made small purchases in the past but I just placed a rather large order and I am bursting with excitement about it!
Okily-dokily. First...FREE SHIPPING! Seriously, this is an amazing feature of CSN. While I do pay what they refer to as an "International Fee", it really is of such a low amount that it doesn't phase me in the slightest. Items are delivered right to your door, no playing phone tag with the delivery company to arrange drop off or pick up. It's all very fantastic!
And their prices are considerably lower than buying retail (even with the US/Canadian exchange). For instance. I spotted these end and sofa tables at a local furniture store. I was quoted a price of $1200 (including tax) + $70 for delivery. And I would have to wait 6 week for them to arrive.
Okily-dokily. First...FREE SHIPPING! Seriously, this is an amazing feature of CSN. While I do pay what they refer to as an "International Fee", it really is of such a low amount that it doesn't phase me in the slightest. Items are delivered right to your door, no playing phone tag with the delivery company to arrange drop off or pick up. It's all very fantastic!
And their prices are considerably lower than buying retail (even with the US/Canadian exchange). For instance. I spotted these end and sofa tables at a local furniture store. I was quoted a price of $1200 (including tax) + $70 for delivery. And I would have to wait 6 week for them to arrive.
I found the same tables on CSN. They will cost me $940 (including exchange and fees) and they are shipped right away. That's over $300 in savings! So, I went ahead and placed my order.
I also ordered this dining set (minus the china cabinet).
I have my fingers crossed that this order will go as smoothly as the smaller ones I've placed in the past.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Let There Be...Shade?
I love the big windows in my bonus room. The abundance of light they let in is so, so delightfully *blinding*! Time to get some light control in this room! Before I show you the after, I am sharing with you my current redneck-esque window treatments. Ready? They are pretty sad:
Check out my designer hardware...3M hooks, baby!
Oh yes, and the best part...the swags held in place with dental floss! Just lovely!
I picked up some bamboo blinds for these windows, at a total steal ($180 for all 5 of them, even Mr. Mel was impressed), and brought them home giddy to put them up. Just to be safe, I decided to Google the best way to install blinds in vinyl windows...only to find out that it's actually something that is *not* recommended! Uh, oh. I emailed the manufacturer who told me that, if I drilled through the vinyl jamb, I would void my window warranty!
Hmmm, toughie. I called several blind companies, none of whom had a product that would use anything other than screws to install their products. So, I sucked it up and decided to just do it. My fingers are crossed that I never have an issue with my windows...but I think it was worth it.
Next up...curtains!
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Saturday Somethin' Somethin'
Hi everyone! With the leaves changing colour, the days getting shorter, and the evenings getting cooler...I am finding it hard to deny that winter (and Christmas) is fast approaching. So, it got me to thinking about what I want for Christmas. And, pretty much this song sums it up!
Sooooo, in place of a for realzies hippo, I could always have some 'hip'po decor (insert side eye here):
Paprika Shop
Joanthan Adler
Magellan Traders
Sprout Home
ThomasPaul
Have a great weekend!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
I hate(ed) these chairs
Mr. Mel and I, in all of our youthful wisdom, bought this table and chair set twelve-ish years ago when we moved in together. At the time, it was quite the stylish set, let me tell you! Now...not so much. The thing is, I pretty much regretted this purchase the first time we used it. The chairs are not the most comfortable, the table frame is designed in such a way that it touches the top of your legs when seated at the table, and don't *even* get me started on the impracticality of a glass-topped kitchen table!
Soon, the cats started using the chairs as a jungle gym. They would climb up the backs and soon there were awful scratches on them from their claws. The seats got dirty and stained from my darling nephews. And the glass got scratched from everyday use.
When we moved into the new house, we brought the set with us. I figured we could always use it in the basement, if not, we'd sell it.
I have decided to do neither. I have decided that these chairs are just what I needed to use in our bonus room at our game/activity table that currently has just one sad chair at it! I figured I have nothing to lose, since I already hated them, how much worse could it get?! Let me say for the record that Mr.Mel wanted no part of this project. He was sure it was going to go horribly horribly wrong.
I removed the seats and then sanded, primed, and painted the chairs with Rustoleum Painter's Touch in Apple Green (eeeek, I don't think I'd use this brand again...so much overspray and lots of wasted paint!).
Now for the seats. I found an awwwwwwe-some deal on fabric that was exactly what I was looking for (when does that ever happen?!). This stuff was regularily priced at $23/yd, on clearance for $3/yd...and with my discount card I got it for $1.50/yd!!! Can you imagine?!
I didn't bother pulling the old fabric off...too lazy. I measured the seats, and cut the fabric about 4 inches larger than that measurement. I used an elecric staple gun to attach it, then trimmed the excess.
$13 for fabric (I still have a ton of this leftover)
$0 for the chairs
$6 for paint
$0 for primer
Total cost = $18
Friday, October 1, 2010
Steamer Trunk Ottoman
Mr. Mel is a sucker for anything nostalgic or historical. Any object that looks like it has a story to tell is right up his alley. For several years, he has talked about wanting a steamer trunk/case. We've seen a few we liked but, for one reason or another, they weren't right.
Recently I took a friend with me on one of my regular "treasure hunts" to some local antique and second hand stores and we found this:
We both loved it and, at $55, the price was right. I encouraged my friend to ditch her leather ottoman in favour of this trunk. Her response was less than enthousiatic. She threw at me a bunch of practical reasons why she didn't want to get rid of her current piece: that the trunk wasn't tall enough, that she didn't know how to make it work...that it smelled like mothballs. People, my friend lives in a charming character home in a beautiful area of the city with mature trees and historical neighbourhoods...this piece would have been perfect for her! Oh well, ya snooze, ya loose!
I brought this home, cleaned it up (which was no easy task, I assure you), vacuumed it out and Kilz'd and painted the inside to rid it of the eau de mothball.
I needed to make this piece a bit taller and easier to maneuver so I decided to add casters. I got those awesome walnut casters from CoolCasters.com. Doneski!
Cost breakdown for this project:
$55 for the trunk
$0 for Kilz
$0 for paint
$88 for casters
Recently I took a friend with me on one of my regular "treasure hunts" to some local antique and second hand stores and we found this:
We both loved it and, at $55, the price was right. I encouraged my friend to ditch her leather ottoman in favour of this trunk. Her response was less than enthousiatic. She threw at me a bunch of practical reasons why she didn't want to get rid of her current piece: that the trunk wasn't tall enough, that she didn't know how to make it work...that it smelled like mothballs. People, my friend lives in a charming character home in a beautiful area of the city with mature trees and historical neighbourhoods...this piece would have been perfect for her! Oh well, ya snooze, ya loose!
I brought this home, cleaned it up (which was no easy task, I assure you), vacuumed it out and Kilz'd and painted the inside to rid it of the eau de mothball.
I needed to make this piece a bit taller and easier to maneuver so I decided to add casters. I got those awesome walnut casters from CoolCasters.com. Doneski!
Cost breakdown for this project:
$55 for the trunk
$0 for Kilz
$0 for paint
$88 for casters
Total cost $143
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