Taking Up Carpets -- Oh Dear Lord This Is Revolting

[pruss]

So we're putting in hardwood on the second floor.
Today was "Take Up the Carpets Day 1", in which we pulled the carpet runner on the stairs. I can't believe how much sand, dirt, and shmeg lives under the rubber underlay. I can't wait to see how cruddy the second floor is once we get the carpets up. I don't think I'll ever live in a house with wall-to-wall again. This house is only ten yeears old, and we've had the carpets professionally cleaned twice in the four years we've been in the house.... and it's still appalling how much dust, dirt and crap there is.
Yay for better air quality.
Happy Saturday gang.
-- Pat

 

[brdavidson]

That doesn't sound like much fun to me, good luck sir! I'll think of you when I light up my new Stanwell tonight :nana:

 

[ghost]

Ha! I just pulled up the carpeting yesterday in my rec room, and was not too pleased with what was underneath it either. I'd also like to get rid of all of it in my house, it would be great for my allergies. We're putting down vinyl waterproof flooring in a few days.
Right now we just painted a first coat on the walls. Looks so much better. I can't wait to get my pipe-nook back though.

 

[numbersix]

Good luck Pruss. We have mostly wood floors throughout and really like it.

 

[cavendish36]

Carpets are nasty, even if cleaned on a regular basis. I like how they feel on my feet, but the allergenic risk is greatly increased with them. We're changing carpets to hardwood one room at a time.

 

[gwtwdbss]

Yes, taking up carpet can get pretty disgusting. Post some pics of the new hardwood floors please!

 

[trailspike48]

I bought a forclosure home a year ago. The first job was remove the carpeting and put in hardwood flooring throughout he house. Just like you noticed, it was nasty, but the results are worth the effort. I will always have a dog so it makes the house easier to clean, and I bought one of the robot floor sweeper to make it easier.

 

[tbradsim1]

Try rolling it out of a house after a flood , not an easy thing to do, so be glad it's dry, and yes carpeting is nasty.

 

[Perique]

I recently bought a new (old) house - [yea, I moved an entire farm, including livestock, but that's its own thread]. Carpets over good old hard wood. Spent several weekends pulling up carpet and about 8,962 staples. On hands and knees. I can relate. The wood floors are great. Why would anyone cover them up?
I don't understand carpet. Maybe in the suburbs. With one or zero pets.

 

[captainsousie]

I don't think I'll ever live in a house with wall-to-wall again.

Agreed if I can help it. Not looking forward to tearing out the carpets here but it's gotta be done soon. Best of luck getting that stuff out and new floors installed. It'll be worth it.

 

[pruss]

Thanks for all the comments folks. It's nice to see that we're not alone in our loathing for carpet. Some of the neighbours have been raising eyebrows as we've been hauling our carpet to the curb. It seems like the majority of the doubters worry about cold toes getting out of bed in the winter... I'd rather have slippers than live with so much dirt/dust/crud under my feet.
Bradley, I hear you on pulling wet/post-flood carpets. When I was in college I ran a moving crew for the school. One of our jobs entailed gutting a frat house that had been "flooded" (flooded from the inside, and I don't wanna know how) and left with closed windows and doors for a week before anyone found the mess. What and un-godly stink.
-- Pat

 

[cavendish]

LOL! Yeah man! Carpet holds alot of dirt and grime. Working in construction for 9yr I saw my fair share of gross carpeting. Thats the worst part of the job bro. I've done hundreds of hardwoods and ceramic floors. It will be SO nice when it's all done. Post some pics for us!

 

[boudreaux]

This thread interested me a lot.
I have some questions though.
I've lived in a home with hardwood floors (oak), and I always remember the entrance foyer getting discolored when kids or inconsiderate people tracked in stuff - dirt, water, etc. from outside, and did not remove their shoes. Seemed like a yearly refinishing job would be necessary.
So my question: what do you do to make the hardwood floors easily maintainable under such circumstances?

 

[pruss]

Good question Boudreaux.
We have ceramic tile in our foyer, and transition to hardwood from the foyer to the living room. Our back doors open to the kitchen, which is also tiled, as does the door from the garage. So we're good there. Canadians, by and large, have shoe free homes. Most folks take their shoes off at the door when they arrive. Failing that, keeping the floors clean is just a matter of vacuum and the occasional swiffer or dry mop.
Roth - LOVE the mudroom. When we eventually build our own place that'll be on the black line for sure!
-- Pat

 

[ghost]

I can't fathom wearing shoes in the house, let alone someone else's house. We were wearing our shoes as we worked in our basement, on a concrete floor, and it still felt weird.
On another note, I really thought I'd be slapping down my new floor today and finishing up. Typically, a simple paint and flooring job has the wife now contemplating new tile for the fireplace, plus an old baseboard heater now needs to be replaced, turning this job into a "no end in sight" debacle as we both have to go back to work tomorrow.

 

[kashmir]

I would never live with carpeting. It's unhygienic. Hardwood floors only. Or tile.

 

[pruss]

turning this job into a "no end in sight" debacle as we both have to go back to work tomorrow.

I feel you... we had the "What's the line of credit look like?" conversation yesterday.
Best of luck Ghost.
-- Pat

 

[ghost]

we had the "What's the line of credit look like?" conversation yesterday.

RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY! :D

 

[plateauguy]

In June my wife and I finally came to an agreement on hardwood floors for the diningroom and livingroom floors.
In July we were "discussing" light -vs- medium oak when the whole rear end went out in the truck. $3000 later, we still have the old flooring but a new truck rear-end.
As long as we're on hold till we save up again, I have some questions. Pergo -vs- hardwood? Do dogs nails scratch the flooring? Do the rooms echo? Does the wood discolor under any large rugs that are put down?
Thanks,

Rob

 

[dochudson]

Pergo -vs- hardwood?
Pergo type flooring is pretty much indestructible.. My 75# German Short Hair pretty much had the run of the hpuse for 12 years and not a scratch.
The newer finishes on hardwood are much better but you may still get the occasional scratch. (easily fixed)
Assuming you have normal furniture, area rugs and window treatments you won't notice any echo.