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That job in a 1920s house in Pasadena changed how I prep floors
I mean, I thought I knew what I was doing until I pulled up the old carpet and found the original wood planks were all different heights. Some were worn down a full quarter inch. My old boss, Frank, was there and just said 'kid, you can't just pad over that.' We spent a whole day with a floor sander and leveling compound before we even thought about tack strips. Now I always check for level with a long straight edge first, no matter what. Anyone else run into crazy uneven subfloors in old places?
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stellawood2mo ago
Frank just watched you pull up that carpet like a kid opening a cursed birthday present. The look on your face when you saw that rollercoaster floor must have been priceless. A full quarter inch drop is the house telling you it has a personality. At least you learned the hard way with someone who knew to bring the leveling compound. My first solo job had a dip so bad I almost lost a wheeled office chair in it.
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hannaho522mo ago
Reminds me of my old kitchen floor swallowing spoons.
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aaron6776d ago
Man, you hit the nail on the head with that one. I always carry a 6 foot level in my truck now just for that reason. Old houses like that, they settle in weird ways. You gotta float the low spots with self-leveling compound before you even lay down the vapor barrier. I had a place where the subfloor dipped so bad near the fireplace that I used a 2x4 and a rubber mallet to tap the compound flat. Saved a whole lot of headaches later, believe me.
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