Question:

>>     He wants to put indoor/outdoor carpeting over the plywood flooring of >his porch. >IMHO, using plywood for the floor was a big mistake.  This is a >screened porch, you said.  So when you have a windy rain mucho water >will get on this floor.  Not a good application for plywood.  In FL (I >don’t live there but do visit) I’ve seen a lot of screened patios and >porches have concrete floors.  In fact, my old place outside >Rochester, NY had a concrete floored screened porch.

     Yes, that may have been.  Concrete wouldn’t be possible for this screened porch, however, because it’s for a raised mobile home, and so it has wood "pylons" about three feet high where the floor is.      I’ll let him see this, as well as any other reply, and he/we’ll find something appropriate, though!      Thank you!          Barry — Barry L. Bond, Software Engineer            | Barry L. Bond 72235,1530 (CIS)               <- personal  | KSC, FL  32899

Response:

Hi Dan! >I had to replace the deck on my outdoor pool with plywood and wanted to carpet >it also.  Rather than seal the plywood you might want to think about pressure >treated plywood.  That’s what I used.

     Thank you very much!  I’ll let him see this!          Barry — Barry L. Bond, Software Engineer            | Barry L. Bond 72235,1530 (CIS)               <- personal  | KSC, FL  32899

Response:

Greetings!      I posted this message (the part following this introductory part) on December 11, and haven’t heard one word.  It *is* possible that no one has had this particular problem solved!  ;-)  But, it’s also possible that appropriate people didn’t see it on misc.consumers.house, so I’m going to post it once more time, on misc.consumers.house as well as alt.consumers.      We’re not expecting any "miracle" solutions, even though this "friend" I mention is my Pastor!  :-D  Anyway, I’m having lunch with him Wednesday of next week, so I’m trying one more time.  The rest of this message is identical to the one I posted December 11.      A friend of mine is putting up a screened porch at the front of his house.  At this point, he has the largest, hardest work done, I believe. He has the base (it’s extended a few feet above the ground) very well done, and the wooden pillars around the edge, with plywood along the bottom (where kick plates normally are), and the roof on.  He has two doors still to place, screen to put on, soffit to put around the roof edge, and something to place on the "floor" of this porch, and THAT (the floor) is the reason I’m writing for advice!  :-)      He wants to put indoor/outdoor carpeting over the plywood flooring of his porch.  (And, it would be very much preferable to place something like indoor/outdoor carpeting over the plywood, to "feel" better on the feet walking on it, and to "hide" the small cracks between plywood sheets, etc.) However, when we started thinking about the carpet getting wet, and maybe mold forming (this is in Orlando, Florida), we wondered what would be the best way to seal or do whatever to the plywood to keep it in good shape, so it wouldn’t rot through.      We were thinking that it could be sealed, but this probably wouldn’t last a real long time… is this correct?  Would he be taking the indoor/ outdoor carpeting up once a year or so to reseal?      If yes, is there another approach?  Perhaps someone has dealt with questions such as these already, so that’s why I’m here for advice!  :-)      Is there some approach that would allow a person to "seal" plywood well (so it wouldn’t rot or mold) that lasts longer than a year, so it doesn’t have to be redone, at least too often?      Thank you!          Barry — Barry L. Bond, Software Engineer            | Barry L. Bond 72235,1530 (CIS)               <- personal  | KSC, FL  32899

Response:

>     He wants to put indoor/outdoor carpeting over the plywood flooring of >his porch.

IMHO, using plywood for the floor was a big mistake.  This is a screened porch, you said.  So when you have a windy rain mucho water will get on this floor.  Not a good application for plywood.  In FL (I don’t live there but do visit) I’ve seen a lot of screened patios and porches have concrete floors.  In fact, my old place outside Rochester, NY had a concrete floored screened porch. My present house has a screened porch with a pressure treated plank floor.  If one wanted to put indoor/outdoor carpet over that, at least the squishy wet carpet would not hurt the P.T. lumber any, though it might be awful to walk on! Hope your pastor friend gets good guidance on his boss’s birthday. -v.

Response:

>Greetings! >     He wants to put indoor/outdoor carpeting over the plywood flooring of >his porch.  (And, it would be very much preferable to place something like >indoor/outdoor carpeting over the plywood, to "feel" better on the feet >walking on it, and to "hide" the small cracks between plywood sheets, etc.) >However, when we started thinking about the carpet getting wet, and maybe >mold forming (this is in Orlando, Florida), we wondered what would be the >best way to seal or do whatever to the plywood to keep it in good shape, so >it wouldn’t rot through.

I had to replace the deck on my outdoor pool with plywood and wanted to carpet it also.  Rather than seal the plywood you might want to think about pressure treated plywood.  That’s what I used.            _           (_)  Daniel Warren, RPh             | Rx |        

Response:

Question:

take the wheels of your chair.  If the carpet is that thick, it’s not like you can roll around on it easily. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Howdy- > My rolling desk chair is making a mess of the carpet in my apartment. > Squashing down the padding, etc. > In the past I tried using one of those plastic pads, but it was too > squashy for typical high-pile residential carpet. > I’d like to make some sort of portable wood thing which the chair > could roll on, but wouldn’t look too ugly, and wouldn’t cost too > much. The few commercial wooden pads I’ve seen were rather > pricy for a sheet of wood and laminate. > I thought perhaps I could use a big piece of plywood, with > some moulding around the edges and a little wood flooring on > top, but I’m not sure this is the way to go. It could be a > toe-stubbing menace. > Any ideas? > Thx, > Jon

Response:

Howdy- My rolling desk chair is making a mess of the carpet in my apartment. Squashing down the padding, etc. In the past I tried using one of those plastic pads, but it was too squashy for typical high-pile residential carpet. I’d like to make some sort of portable wood thing which the chair could roll on, but wouldn’t look too ugly, and wouldn’t cost too much. The few commercial wooden pads I’ve seen were rather pricy for a sheet of wood and laminate. I thought perhaps I could use a big piece of plywood, with some moulding around the edges and a little wood flooring on top, but I’m not sure this is the way to go. It could be a toe-stubbing menace. Any ideas? Thx, Jon

Response:

Don’t they have heavy acrylic chair platforms? Like, 3/8" thick? By time you buy everything for a wood pad, you coulda bought one of those. Try Staples, or some other office suply store. Chris – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Howdy- > My rolling desk chair is making a mess of the carpet in my apartment. > Squashing down the padding, etc. > In the past I tried using one of those plastic pads, but it was too > squashy for typical high-pile residential carpet. > I’d like to make some sort of portable wood thing which the chair > could roll on, but wouldn’t look too ugly, and wouldn’t cost too > much. The few commercial wooden pads I’ve seen were rather > pricy for a sheet of wood and laminate. > I thought perhaps I could use a big piece of plywood, with > some moulding around the edges and a little wood flooring on > top, but I’m not sure this is the way to go. It could be a > toe-stubbing menace. > Any ideas? > Thx, > Jon

Response:

Question:

: ;Gloria, : ;We too asked the question as we are going to build shortly.  A friend, :and an installer of all kinds of flooring said, "Try this … stand on ;one of your countertops (laminate) after coming in from the yard.  Next, :spin with all your weight on one of your feet as if on the dance floor. ;When you get down from the counter,look closely at the twirling spot :with a strong light.  Then let me know what want to install." You mean you don’t leave your shoes outside?  How on earth are you going to keep from tracking dog poo poo all over your house?

Response:

Gloria, We too asked the question as we are going to build shortly.  A friend, and an installer of all kinds of flooring said, "Try this … stand on one of your countertops (laminate) after coming in from the yard.  Next, spin with all your weight on one of your feet as if on the dance floor. When you get down from the counter,look closely at the twirling spot with a strong light.  Then let me know what want to install." We’re going with the real stuff! Hope this helps. Len Miller – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I am interested in finding out what everyone’s experience was with laminated > floor installation.  We heard that while they are not much cheaper than wood > floor, they are a lot cheaper in terms of installation cost, but a salesman > at a flooring specialty store told us that they are actually just as > labour-intensive to install as regular wood floor.  Needless to say, it is > probably to their best of interest to convince us of that, but I am > wondering what other people’s experience has been with installing laminated > flooring. > Also, any recommendation/advice on Pergo vs. Haro laminated floor would be > appreciated too. > Gloria C.

– Len Miller One of the greatest desires of man is freedom of the mind — which is fortunate, since there is an equally great one to squelch it.  Author unknown. Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

In misc.consumers.house >We too asked the question as we are going to build shortly.  A friend, >and an installer of all kinds of flooring said, "Try this … stand on >one of your countertops (laminate) after coming in from the yard.  Next, >spin with all your weight on one of your feet as if on the dance floor. >When you get down from the counter,look closely at the twirling spot >with a strong light.  Then let me know what want to install." >We’re going with the real stuff!

Gloria, I’m not sure I get your point.  Do you think that you can get rocks in your shoes and spin on wood floors without scratching them?  I assure you that you can’t.  Wood is softer than the laminates.

Response:

I have followed the discussion about varies laminated wood flooring products but have yet to see anything about Alloc.  This floating floor product uses a mechanical locking system that joins the floor planks without the use of glue (or nails).  The underlayment is built into the product.  The planks appear similar to other products in color and finish.  I would be interested in comments from anyone who has used the product (or chosen not to). – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Gloria, > We too asked the question as we are going to build shortly.  A friend, > and an installer of all kinds of flooring said, "Try this … stand on > one of your countertops (laminate) after coming in from the yard. Next, > spin with all your weight on one of your feet as if on the dance floor. > When you get down from the counter,look closely at the twirling spot > with a strong light.  Then let me know what want to install." > We’re going with the real stuff! > Hope this helps. > Len Miller > I am interested in finding out what everyone’s experience was with > laminated > floor installation.  We heard that while they are not much cheaper > than wood > floor, they are a lot cheaper in terms of installation cost, but a > salesman > at a flooring specialty store told us that they are actually just as > labour-intensive to install as regular wood floor.  Needless to say, > it is > probably to their best of interest to convince us of that, but I am > wondering what other people’s experience has been with installing > laminated > flooring. > Also, any recommendation/advice on Pergo vs. Haro laminated floor > would be > appreciated too. > Gloria C. > — > Len Miller > One of the greatest desires of man is freedom of > the mind — which is fortunate, since there is an > equally great one to squelch it.  Author unknown. > Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

Steve recently enlightened us with: > I installed the Bruce Laminate floor.  It was a one day job for > a 16×16 foot room and it only cost me a sore back. > It is not a labor intensive a real wood floors, as it doesn’t get nailed > down.  The seams are all glued. > I was able to buy the Bruce brand for $2.89 a square foot. > Some of the Pros of this floor – durability, easy to clean, less scratch > resistant than real wood, less espensive.

Not to pick nits, but wouldn’t "less scratch resistant" be a con?  and in conflict with "durability"? > Cons:  light glares off the floor more than real wood, not as nice as > real wood for appearance.  

Probably the biggest con is the fact that when high-traffic areas begin to wear, there is *nothing* you can do to fix it short of replacing it. To expand on Steve’s comment on appearance — one of the things that just doesn’t look right is the fact that 3 "planks" all line up at the ends of each piece, instead of being staggered as they would be with real wood planks.  When you look at it at the correct angle (actually, it’s quite a wide angle), this characteristic can be painfully obvious, particularly on a large floor. > I am interested in finding out what everyone’s experience was with laminated > floor installation.  We heard that while they are not much cheaper than wood > floor, they are a lot cheaper in terms of installation cost, but a salesman > at a flooring specialty store told us that they are actually just as > labour-intensive to install as regular wood floor.  Needless to say, it is > probably to their best of interest to convince us of that, but I am > wondering what other people’s experience has been with installing laminated > flooring. > Also, any recommendation/advice on Pergo vs. Haro laminated floor would be > appreciated too. > Gloria C.

–   If I didn’t know better, I’d   say it was a sectional sofa.

Response:

Can you feel the seams moving when you walk across the floor?  What is your subflooring?

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I have just installed about 500 square feet in an afternoon, including a > hallway.   It goes together fast, no clamping…  and you can move

Response:

I’m curious about this product.  Does it stay together tight? Hard wood basketball floors are taken up and down often.  Does it use the same technology? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I have followed the discussion about varies laminated wood flooring > products but have yet to see anything about Alloc. >>> > I have just installed about 500 square feet in an afternoon, including a > hallway.   It goes together fast, no clamping…  and you can move > furniture as you go instead of emptying the room. The underlayment is part > of the plank, so there is nothing else needed to buy/install. Since there > is no glue, there is no setup time… you can use the floor right away. > It has a much harder core than pergo (which many installers say is poorly > constructed), about the same or better build quality of Wilsonart. > Another great thing is that it comes back up just as easy, so its much more > forgiving.  In theory, when a piece gets damaged, just fold up the section > of floor replace the piece, fold it back together. > I’ve heard that many home owners have had much difficulty installing pergo > because of its tight joints. Anyone can do this stuff, I think, and get > good quality. Once a plank is in place, it stays there, no spreading apart > of the joint. Don’t even need a hammer, nothing to force. > It is a laminate, so it doesn’t look/feel like real would, but it has some > texture. In reflective light the joints between planks are noticeable, I > can’t tell if they are more noticeable than a glue together type installed > by a homeowner. > If you spend some time shopping, the planks themselves may be a dollar or > so more expensive per foot than something like Wilsonart, but there is no > glue (or glue clean up) or underlayment/padding needed. > Just an opinion, and your mileage may vary > Joe

Response:

> I am interested in finding out what everyone’s experience was with laminated > floor installation.  We heard that while they are not much cheaper than wood > floor, they are a lot cheaper in terms of installation cost, but a salesman > at a flooring specialty store told us that they are actually just as > labour-intensive to install as regular wood floor.  Needless to say, it is > probably to their best of interest to convince us of that, but I am > wondering what other people’s experience has been with installing laminated > flooring. > Also, any recommendation/advice on Pergo vs. Haro laminated floor would be > appreciated too. > Gloria C.

I installed 500 sq ft of Kahrs Beech plank flooring over a radiant heated slab. I could have done it in a day, but I started late, so I did it over 2 days. Toughest part was getting the glue in the groove. These boards were all 8′ long (unlike many competitors, which are 4′ long) and 7 1/2" wide and it was hard to maintain an even bead of glue. Plus, with radiant heat, it was recommended to use 2 beads of glue. It took longer to get the glue in than to whack the plank into place. My room is 25×20 and each "row" took 20 minutes to install, including cutting the last piece to fit. BTW, I much prefer the plank look to the block look, especially in a large room. — Mark Nevar

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I am interested in finding out what everyone’s experience was with laminated > floor installation.  We heard that while they are not much cheaper than wood > floor, they are a lot cheaper in terms of installation cost, but a salesman > at a flooring specialty store told us that they are actually just as > labour-intensive to install as regular wood floor. > At our local Home Depot, the *pre-finished* solid oak plank > floors made by Bruce are cheaper than Pergo.  The Bruce > hardwood floor require only nails and a nailer that you can > rent from the store. > The Pergo system requires an extra foam underlayment, > special glue, and installation tools (if you do it the > factory recommended way). > A real hardwood floor will last the life of the house, > while the Pergo floor has a 15 or 20 year warranty. > The advantages of Pergo are: > the wide selection of "woods", > only a 1/2 inch increase in height above >      the existing floor, and > OK to install in a cellar on top of concrete >      (with their moisture barrier). > PBS "This Old House" has done both real wood > floors and Pergo.  With a nailer, the real > wood floors are easier. Slap. Bang. Hit it > with a hammer and it’s in.

Is real wood more or less forgiving when it comes to how even the subfloor has to be? Here’s a question related to Home Depot and prefinished floors.  Has anyone tried the prefinished glue-down or the peel and stick type of floor from Home Depot?  Does it really work?  How hard would that be in comparison to laminate? Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

> I am interested in finding out what everyone’s experience was with laminated > floor installation.  We heard that while they are not much cheaper than wood > floor, they are a lot cheaper in terms of installation cost, but a salesman > at a flooring specialty store told us that they are actually just as > labour-intensive to install as regular wood floor.

At our local Home Depot, the *pre-finished* solid oak plank floors made by Bruce are cheaper than Pergo.  The Bruce hardwood floor require only nails and a nailer that you can rent from the store. The Pergo system requires an extra foam underlayment, special glue, and installation tools (if you do it the factory recommended way).   A real hardwood floor will last the life of the house, while the Pergo floor has a 15 or 20 year warranty. The advantages of Pergo are: the wide selection of "woods", only a 1/2 inch increase in height above      the existing floor, and OK to install in a cellar on top of concrete      (with their moisture barrier). PBS "This Old House" has done both real wood floors and Pergo.  With a nailer, the real wood floors are easier. Slap. Bang. Hit it with a hammer and it’s in.

Response:

I am interested in finding out what everyone’s experience was with laminated floor installation.  We heard that while they are not much cheaper than wood floor, they are a lot cheaper in terms of installation cost, but a salesman at a flooring specialty store told us that they are actually just as labour-intensive to install as regular wood floor.  Needless to say, it is probably to their best of interest to convince us of that, but I am wondering what other people’s experience has been with installing laminated flooring. Also, any recommendation/advice on Pergo vs. Haro laminated floor would be appreciated too. Gloria C.

Response:

I installed the Bruce Laminate floor.  It was a one day job for a 16×16 foot room and it only cost me a sore back. It is not a labor intensive a real wood floors, as it doesn’t get nailed down.  The seams are all glued. I was able to buy the Bruce brand for $2.89 a square foot. Some of the Pros of this floor – durability, easy to clean, less scratch resistant than real wood, less espensive. Cons:  light glares off the floor more than real wood, not as nice as real wood for appearance.   – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I am interested in finding out what everyone’s experience was with laminated > floor installation.  We heard that while they are not much cheaper than wood > floor, they are a lot cheaper in terms of installation cost, but a salesman > at a flooring specialty store told us that they are actually just as > labour-intensive to install as regular wood floor.  Needless to say, it is > probably to their best of interest to convince us of that, but I am > wondering what other people’s experience has been with installing laminated > flooring. > Also, any recommendation/advice on Pergo vs. Haro laminated floor would be > appreciated too. > Gloria C.

Response:

Question:

We’re thinking about getting Pergo wood flooring in our family room. Is this stuff okay?

Response:

>We’re thinking about getting Pergo wood flooring in our family room. Is this >stuff okay?

Best advice is to do a www.Deja.com search.  This question comes up about once a month on alt.home.repair. Gary Dyrkacz Radio Control Aircraft/Paintball Physics/Paintball for 40+ http://www.mcs.net/~dyrgcmn/

Response:

I don’t have it but have been in plenty of houses that have.  These floors had been installed for awhile and the people all loved it.  I’ve seen some very nice designs.  Like in the old days where the finishers when put different color woods to make perimeters around rooms. — Terry

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->We’re thinking about getting Pergo wood flooring in our family room. Is this >stuff okay? > Best advice is to do a www.Deja.com search.  This question comes up > about once a month on alt.home.repair. > Gary Dyrkacz > Radio Control Aircraft/Paintball Physics/Paintball for 40+ > http://www.mcs.net/~dyrgcmn/

Response:

Question:

I heard about someone who used a gymnasium’s basketball court for his living room hardwood floor, lines and all. I guess the school was closing, or was getting a new court, and decided to sell the old basketball court floor. While a little wacky in concept, it sounds interesting, since I’m sure it’s still pretty durable and probably costs way less than new. Is it a cost-effective alternative to traditional hardwood, and do you need to be an ace to rip it out and then re-install it? Mark Pasadena, Calif.

Response:

>I heard about someone who used a gymnasium’s basketball court for his >living room hardwood floor, lines and all. ….

You mean this joker pulled up all the strips and then put each one back down in *exactly* the same order with no damage to each one so as to have the lines ready made?  What about chipping and cracking the finish?  Are you sure he didn’t re-use material, and then being something of a joker, have lines placed on it again?  Is his LR the size of a B-ball court??? Inquiring minds want to know if this is for real or a troll!  ;-) -V.

Response:

: >I heard about someone who used a gymnasium’s basketball court for his : >living room hardwood floor, lines and all. …. : You mean this joker pulled up all the strips and then put each one : back down in *exactly* the same order with no damage to each one so as : to have the lines ready made?  What about chipping and cracking the : finish?  Are you sure he didn’t re-use material, and then being : something of a joker, have lines placed on it again?  Is his LR the : size of a B-ball court??? Inquiring minds want to know if this is for : real or a troll!  ;-) : -V. Ever notice that one week after your local NBA team has finished their season that the same arena will host something like an ice show or circus or a monster truck ralley? Do you think they are doing that on top of the hardware basketball floor? Modern floors are all modular and can set up or taken down with relative ease. Local news had a story on how a school in eastern Oregon was able to purchase the floor used in the NBA playoffs for about half of it’s original cost. Good deal and great floor. I think they paid about $30K for it. John Eaton

Response:

Maybe the effect was like it used to be in Washington DC where "used brick" was a fad.  Since older brick homes there were often painted, the used bricks were multicolored.   I liked it but the fad, I believe, ended about 20 years ago. President Clinton is a Rapist!  – But, that’s OK. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->I heard about someone who used a gymnasium’s basketball court for his >living room hardwood floor, lines and all. …. >You mean this joker pulled up all the strips and then put each one >back down in *exactly* the same order with no damage to each one so as >to have the lines ready made?  What about chipping and cracking the >finish?  Are you sure he didn’t re-use material, and then being >something of a joker, have lines placed on it again?  Is his LR the >size of a B-ball court??? Inquiring minds want to know if this is for >real or a troll!  ;-) >-V.

Response:

My grandparents did this in their living room around 1958; they got the floor the high school was tearing out of its old gym and installed it on top of their existing floor.  Consequently, the living room ceiling is something like 7′8" high.  When I was a kid the hardwood was fantastic for playing with toy cars, and it still looks great today…grandma used to wax it occasionally, but I’m almost certain nobody’s touched it since she died years ago.  The last time I went to visit grandad the floor looked the same as it did in 1970, and probably not much different that it did when my dad was in high school (he played ball on that same floor when it was in the gym). No lines though– it just looked like a very nice,very shiny pine floor. -drl — Derek R. Larson           Indiana University        Dept. of History                 "Nothing interesting occurred today…"         -Meriwether Lewis at Ft. Clatsop, Oregon, Jan.4th, 1806

Response:

I once bought the wood flooring from a school science class.  I got the whole room for $15, all I had to do was rip it up and haul it home.  Well, that was easier said than done.  I destroyed many of the tongues and grooves.  Since the floor was very old, it was filthy and uneven.  I’m still using some of it as kindling. Subsequently I bought used maple flooring from a racquetball court.  It was already removed, and the tongues/grooves were intact.  It was somewhat cheeper than new wood (I think I paid $2 -$2.50 per sf), but if it’s not in good shape, it can be a nightmare to install.  If the floor has been repeatedly waxed and/or refinished, some of that finish gets into the spaces between the strips.  When you go to reassemble at your place, it can prevent you from getting the strips tight to one another. Yes, the lines were still on when I installed it, but you need to sand the floor anyway and they come right off. df – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I heard about someone who used a gymnasium’s basketball court for his > living room hardwood floor, lines and all. I guess the school was > closing, or was getting a new court, and decided to sell the old > basketball court floor. While a little wacky in concept, it sounds > interesting, since I’m sure it’s still pretty durable and probably costs > way less than new. Is it a cost-effective alternative to traditional > hardwood, and do you need to be an ace to rip it out and then re-install > it? > Mark > Pasadena, Calif.

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Question:

|>  Which hardwood floor is hardest?’ |> The most common materials for wood flooring and the relative hardness of |> each is listed below. Do not take hardness to mean " best ".  Different |> floor materials for different purposes.  Some of the materials mentioned |> to me via postings and email don’t even exist ( on this planet anyhow) so |> let’s try to keep the discussion relevant to the parameters of this topic; |> hardwood floors. |> Hardness is Janka rating system.  This is the force it takes to drive a |> .444 inch steel ball to a depth where half the ball is imbedded into the |> wood.  This is a relative hardness table for hardwood floor materials. |>         rel.hardness                       relative cost |> douglas fir    660                            1.70 |> yellow pine    690                           .95 |> southern yellow longleaf pine   870            .95 |> cherry         950                           1.70 |> heart pine    1225                            2.00 |> birch         1260                           1.30 |> RED OAK *     1290                             1.00 |> beech         1300                           1.20 |> ash           1320                           1.20 |> WHITE OAK *   1360                           .95 |> maple         1450                           1.30 |> puple heart   1860                           2.30 |> brazilian cherry  2350                       1.30 |> * Although the hardness difference from red to white oak seems small, it |> is quite significant in actual wear – durability in the field. |> Note: we did not include about a dozen lesser used species as they are |> not germain to the topic and only add to the confusion. ( Nobody REALLY  has an |> |> african ironwood floor.) |>   For a complete list and chart go to WWW.tigerfloors.com/woods.htm. |> Best Wishes, |> Ari Ben Harav |> Tiger Floors, Inc. |> Lexington, Ma |> www.tigerfloors.com More important that hardness, in my opinion, is stability.  That is, the tendency to stay put under changing humidity and temperature.  On the stability scale ash ranks very high; I was tempted to use it in my house but other factors (like color, grain, and resaleablity) convinced me to go with red oak.

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 Which hardwood floor is hardest?’ The most common materials for wood flooring and the relative hardness of each is listed below. Do not take hardness to mean " best ".  Different floor materials for different purposes.  Some of the materials mentioned to me via postings and email don’t even exist ( on this planet anyhow) so let’s try to keep the discussion relevant to the parameters of this topic; hardwood floors. Hardness is Janka rating system.  This is the force it takes to drive a .444 inch steel ball to a depth where half the ball is imbedded into the wood.  This is a relative hardness table for hardwood floor materials.         rel.hardness                       relative cost douglas fir    660                            1.70 yellow pine    690                           .95 southern yellow longleaf pine   870            .95 cherry         950                           1.70 heart pine    1225                            2.00 birch         1260                           1.30 RED OAK *     1290                             1.00 beech         1300                           1.20 ash           1320                           1.20 WHITE OAK *   1360                           .95 maple         1450                           1.30 puple heart   1860                           2.30 brazilian cherry  2350                       1.30 * Although the hardness difference from red to white oak seems small, it is quite significant in actual wear – durability in the field. Note: we did not include about a dozen lesser used species as they are not germain to the topic and only add to the confusion. ( Nobody REALLY  has an african ironwood floor.)   For a complete list and chart go to WWW.tigerfloors.com/woods.htm. Best Wishes, Ari Ben Harav Tiger Floors, Inc. Lexington, Ma www.tigerfloors.com

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Hi all, I have a real mess with my wood floors in my new house .  When we moved in, the floors were fine except for a couple of areas that needed touching up. (One small area was very rough and had a thick blob of polyurethane; another had some dried drips of something on it.)  The floor guy screened and recoated these areas with polyurethane and the results were really awful – every brush stroke was visible; the problem areas looked worse than ever. Our contractor said the only way to fix the problem was to screen and recoat the entire floor, so the floor guy came back a couple of weeks later and did just that.  This time, he used a big roller to apply the polyurethane so there were no brush strokes, but guess what?  He didn’t clean the floor properly first, so the floor was covered with dirt – clearly visible and very rough to the touch.   So, a couple of weeks later, the floor guy comes out to screen and recoat the floor AGAIN.  This time, he cleaned the floor, but used a brush to apply the polyurethane and guess what?  More brush strokes. By this time, I was thoroughly fed up, so I hired a new floor company to come out and screen and recoat the floors (at my contractor’s expense, of course).  Anyway, the new guys were just as bad – they didn’t clean the floor very well AND they used a brush to apply the polyurethane.  So now, I have gritty floors (not that bad, but noticeable to me) and visible brush strokes. Throughout this ordeal, I’ve noticed some long, tiny cracks in the floor in several places where individual pieces of the flooring are moving apart. I’m not sure if this is because the house is settling, or because its winter and the wood is contracting in the cold, or because the repeated screened is damaging the floor, or because the floor was poorly installed to begin with. I’ve decided to just live with the floors the way the are for now and accept the fact that we hired the wrong people.  (I don’t think the problem is severe enough to justify legal action, and, after our house-building ordeal, I don’t have the stomach for it anyway.)  However, I wonder if there is a fix for these problems, and/or, should I just plan on totally refinishing the floors someday?  The cracks are really worrying me. Thanks for your help, Margaret

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[snip] > Throughout this ordeal, I’ve noticed some long, tiny cracks in the floor in > several places where individual pieces of the flooring are moving apart. > I’m not sure if this is because the house is settling, or because its winter > and the wood is contracting in the cold, or because the repeated screened is > damaging the floor, or because the floor was poorly installed to begin with.

I am assuming that you had flat t&g plank flooring installed, and that the cracks are gaps opening up between planks? It’s possible that the wood was improperly stored in the warehouse (before the flooring guys had it delivered to your house), allowing moisture into the wood.  Then the flooring guys installed it within a day or so of it’s delivery. Wood flooring needs to be stored in a dry, climate-protected warehouse and upon delivery needs to be allowed to acclimatize to the installation site before being installed.  This involves laying the individual planks out or stacking them in such a way that there is plenty of air flow around the wood.  And letting it sit that way for at least a week. I bet your flooring expanded due to improper storage, was installed right away in your warm house and is now shrinking as the moisture absorbed into the wood evaporates. Not a lot you can do.  Maybe have the floor sanded, putty the gaps, restain and finish?

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> I bet your flooring expanded due to improper storage, was installed right > away in your warm house and is now shrinking as the moisture absorbed > into the wood evaporates.

In cold climates & especially with forced hot air heating, it also helps a lot to run a humidifier.  Extreme humidity swings are tough on furniture as well as floors (not to mention people :) .  –Steve

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>So now, I >have gritty floors (not that bad, but noticeable to me) and visible brush >strokes. >Throughout this ordeal, I’ve noticed some long, tiny cracks in the floor in >several places where individual pieces…etc.

It’s always best to find a reputable tradesperson based on a REFERAL from some folks who have used them .  Good floor guys would never leave you in this kind of a bind.  They would do it right and/or fix any problem with their work.    The cracks you’ve described as "tiny" are simply part and parcel of the hardwood floor scene.  As the temperature and humidity outside drop, and we begin to heat our homes in the winter, we inadvertently dry out all the wood in the house. Therefore , if we bring in wood flooring with a  moisture content of say, 8% in September and then dry it out to 5% in JAnuary , we have decreased the moisture content by over 30%.  The boards shrink a little and this can be overcome by running a humidifier along with the heating system to bring the houshold relative humidity back up to 50%.  Best wishes and best of luck. Ari Ben Harav Tiger Floors, Inc. Lexington, Ma www.tigerfloors.com

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> > How difficult is it to install it yourself? Is this a DYI job? > How much would it cost to retrofit if a professional had to do do it. > Try searching "central vacuum" with any number of search engines.  Many > sites have detailed installation instructions.  If you’re reasonably > handy, have access to your attic, and a partner, it’s less than a day’s > job (depending on the number of outlets.  I’d guess professional > installation runs about $250.

I don’t know anyone who would do a professional day’s job for $250 in my area. I had trouble finding someone to do the work at all, partially due to the extremely high building rate here. One man offered to install it for $650, quoting $150 per inlet and $200 for a VacPan. I balked at that, and a friend installed it for $400. In my case I didn’t have the time to do it, so I felt it was worth paying someone. The electrician also wired it for 110, but that was lost in the entire house wiring price (new construction). By the way, I don’t really use the VacPan much. It’s nice for dry spills, but getting the hose out isn’t much more trouble than getting a broom and sweeping to the VacPan. Just a toy. I got the cloth hose cover, and installed it, but I’m not sure I like it. The cheap material mars the (painted white) baseboard when I pull it around a corner. It was a hassle to install. It may make the hose a little easier to handle, softer. I worry about hearing loss, so the quieter operation of a central vac is nice, and the dust going outside keeps the house clean and fresh. (A HEPA filter would do that too.) Mine is an Electrolux, and I’m happy with it, but it sure did cost a lot. I’d probably do it again.

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>>1) More powerful motor >It has to be in order to suck efficiently thru up to 100′ of tubing >and pipe. The actual "suck zone" at the head doesn’t seem any stronger >than a good upright.

I’m glad to see people talking about this issue, but I’d be unhappy to see it devolve into the "one true vacuum" debate.  What suits one person does not suit another.  In some cases it is important to realize that what aggravates one person about a particular system is not something that afflicts all other modems of that particular system.  For instance, the upright that I had before my current one had an extremely difficult to change bag, no hose, and no on-board tools.  We were very careful when buying the new one to get one that eliminated these aggravation deficiencies, and vacuuming is now much less of a horrid chore.  I still want a central vac though.  :) But it would be unfair of me to attribute the shortcomings of that first vac to all uprights. That being said, there are some facts that do affect all central vac systems that might be hard to distinguish from things affecting only particular models. In general, central vacs are superior at "suckage."  There are two standard ways of measuring "suckage", inches of lift and cfm.  Inches of lift is a measure of static suck power, you measure how high the motor can lift a column of water at standard atmospheric pressure. The amount of hose or tubing between the motor and measuring point will not affect this measurement.  Cfm means cubic feet per minute, and is a measure of how much air the motor can move, and will be affected by the amount and degree of bending of hose or pipe in the system.  In general, central vacs outperform portable vacs on both of these two measurements, though some high end canister vacs do better than the lowest end central vacs.   However, neither measurement is a foolproof way of determining how well a system will clean.  Given equal measurements, and using only the hose, a 1 inch hose will clean better than a 2 inch hose. That’s because the motor will have to pull air though the 1 inch hose faster to meet the same cfm measurement.  And air speed is a big determinant of cleaning power.  The air rushing by at high velocity is what moves particles into the vacuum.  Your furnace fan might be capable of some really high cfm, but it doesn’t suck like a vacuum because the ducts are so wide.  A poorly designed attachment set can make a really good motor perform badly, because it either allows too much or too little air to develop optimum air flow velocity.  Some central vac attachment sets include a "turbine" power head, which uses the power of the air flow to spin the beater bar.  This steals suck power, degrading system performance.  The electrically powered beater heads do not have this problem. Another factor that can cause a central vac to perform poorly is leaks in the tubing, usually because the installation was done poorly.   >2) Exhaust is sent outside; no recirculation of dirt >Agreed, but bags contain most of the  dust.

The exhaust being sent outside is often frequently touted, but it is important to realize that not only is the dirt sent outside, but also a lot of the air in your house.  That air will get replaced somehow, and the source of that air and the filtering applied to it should be considered what is "recirculated" to the house.  Central vacs can be powerful enough to cause downdrafting of fireplace and gas appliance flues, possibly bringing smoke or carbon monoxide into the house.  Many newer houses have air exchangers that bring outside air into the house continually, and these go really well with central vacs, helping to reduce or entirely eliminate both of these side effects of central vacs. >3) I much prefer carrying a hose then dragging a cannister which >invariably hits furniture >I would much rather wheel around an upright (not a cannister) than >haul around a big  clump of tangled up hose.  I actually like the >uprights with a integrated suction wand for hard to get areas.  The >centrals can only do this by changing heads.

This is really an issue of style, personal preference, what have you. There’s no way getting around the fact that some people think canisters and uprights are "bulky, clunky beasts" and some people think the long hoses are "a tangle-prone pain in the neck".  But I will say that things like swiveling connects, quick connects, and self-standing power heads alleviate much of the hose aggravation. >4) I have an outlet in the garge for cleaning our cars >Yes, it might save from getting a separate shop vac for the garage but >I want one anyway for big "sucker upper" jobs.

I dunno if this is true of all shop vacs (other than that new QSP thing), but ours is so noisy we need ear protection to run it.  We also need a longer hose to reach all areas in the car.  I know I’d be more willing to clean the car out more often if the process were less aggravating.  For me, a central vac outlet goes in the garage, even though we already have a shop vac. >6) Adds value to the home >I doubt it’s cost is 100% transferred to value.  I bet this is one of >the poorer ROI home improvements.  

I agree.  You should get a central vac because you like it and it will make vacuuming that much less of a hassle, even enjoyable, not because of any kind of value investment in the home.  After all, the only part you really can’t take with you if the buyers don’t want a central vac is the pipe in the wall, and that’s cheap.

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> > How difficult is it to install it yourself? Is this a DYI job? > > How much would it cost to retrofit if a professional had to do do it. > Try searching "central vacuum" with any number of search engines.  Many > sites have detailed installation instructions.  If you’re reasonably > handy, have access to your attic, and a partner, it’s less than a day’s > job (depending on the number of outlets.  I’d guess professional > installation runs about $250. > I don’t know anyone who would do a professional day’s job for $250 in my > area.

Gee, that’s $30 bucks an hour.  Here in Arizona that’s considered a gold mine in the construction business… > I had trouble finding someone to do the work at all, partially due to > the extremely high building rate here. One man offered to install it for > $650, quoting $150 per inlet and $200 for a VacPan. I balked at that, > and a friend installed it for $400. In my case I didn’t have the time to > do it, so I felt it was worth paying someone. The electrician also wired > it for 110, but that was lost in the entire house wiring price (new > construction).

$400 for *new* construction? Mark Atanowicz

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Whether or not central vac installation is a DIY job depends on your house’s size, construction details, and your carpentry/plumbing skills.  The first house I installed in was a single story with basement.  That was a breeze, using floor mounted outlets.  I’d guess that the professional installation cost would have been minimal, say half the cost of the hardware. My current house is of timber frame design, with two stories plus basement and few hollow walls.  One plumbing run goes right up through the living room to a floor-mounted outlet on the 2nd floor;  I covered the first floor piping to look like part of the timber framing, and it is truly invisible, even on close inspection.  Another goes up through a first floor closet to a second floor outlet, once again in the floor.  If this installation had been done professionally, I’m sure the cost would have exceeded the cost of the hardware. The poster’s comment about installing the outlets upside-down is a good one. I’ve observed the same thing. -Larry – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->We’re in our third house with central vac.  First was a Sears unit.  It was >surprisingly excellent.  Second was from Galaxy.  OK.  Current house has >Vacuflo, the best by far.  I installed the systems in the first and third >houses. > How difficult is it to install it yourself? Is this a DYI job? > How much would it cost to retrofit if a professional had to do do it. > Thanks > Somesh > — > NEC Systems Inc.,                       609-734-6115 (Voice) > 4 Independence Way,                     609-734-6001 (FAX) > Princeton, NJ 08540 > How’s my posting?  Call 1-800-DEV-NULL > #include <std-disclaimer.h> > I speak for myself. I do not speak for NEC and NEC does not speak for me.

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We’re in our third house with central vac.  First was a Sears unit.  It was surprisingly excellent.  Second was from Galaxy.  OK.  Current house has Vacuflo, the best by far.  I installed the systems in the first and third houses. The Vacuflo system has the on/off switch in the hose handle.  The rug beater runs by vacuum power, and so does not entail running 120v power to the vacuum outlet or having a separate power cord.  It works extremely well.  No bags, exhausts to outside.  Non-crushable hose.  One advantage no one mentioned (I think):  Central vac is quiet!  You can hear the phone, the radio, the baby, yourself think. I would not consider living in a house without central vac.  The hose can be a nuisance, but it is much less of a nuisance than the alternatives. -Larry – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Was house shopping last week and saw one house with Central Vacuum. > Any thoughts on the subject?  I have no idea on the usefulness of this. > The house is about 30 years old, do central vacs last that long? > Can I expect clogged lines? > Thanks in advance. > — > Pat Lundrigan

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>We’re in our third house with central vac.  First was a Sears unit.  It was >surprisingly excellent.  Second was from Galaxy.  OK.  Current house has >Vacuflo, the best by far.  I installed the systems in the first and third >houses.

How difficult is it to install it yourself? Is this a DYI job? How much would it cost to retrofit if a professional had to do do it. Thanks Somesh — NEC Systems Inc.,                       609-734-6115 (Voice) 4 Independence Way,                     609-734-6001 (FAX) Princeton, NJ 08540 How’s my posting?  Call 1-800-DEV-NULL #include <std-disclaimer.h> I speak for myself. I do not speak for NEC and NEC does not speak for me.

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> >We’re in our third house with central vac.  First was a Sears unit.  It was >surprisingly excellent.  Second was from Galaxy.  OK.  Current house has >Vacuflo, the best by far.  I installed the systems in the first and third >houses. > How difficult is it to install it yourself? Is this a DYI job? > How much would it cost to retrofit if a professional had to do do it.

Try searching "central vacuum" with any number of search engines.  Many sites have detailed installation instructions.  If you’re reasonably handy, have access to your attic, and a partner, it’s less than a day’s job (depending on the number of outlets.  I’d guess professional installation runs about $250. Mark Atanowicz

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>I gotta agree about the dust. I decided to do something about it while >watching my wife vacuum with our upright in a sunlit room.

Best solution here is to sit in the neighborhood pub until she’s done.  ;-) — Dave Clark Opinions expressed are my own. Any resemblance to other opinions, living or dead, are purely coincidental. Iran this threw my spell check her an it toll me it was all write.

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I installed my Galaxie and 3 outlets myself in a weekend. It arrived via UPS with all 8 ft. pipe lengths, fittings, wire, glue etc. necessary for installation. I only had to buy a hole bit and some 120V power wiring. My house is 2 story w/basement and is 90 yrs old. You only need to run enough outlets central to the living space to reach all corners 30 ft away. We needed only one upstairs, ran the pipe thru a heating duct. Downstairs and the basement was easy. The easiest installation would be a single story rancher with a basement. The pipe used is thinwall PVC; cut with a hacksaw, ream the edge smooth, and it glues together in minutes. Tedious part is patching up when thru. If you use the combination outlets with power plug, install them upside down – its easier to see and align the power plug when its on top. You cant twist it to align it as it would damage the pins. — Richard I also hate spam so discard the stop from my address – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->How difficult is it to install it yourself? Is this a DYI job? >How much would it cost to retrofit if a professional had to do do it. >Thanks >Somesh >– -= >NEC Systems Inc.,                       609-734-6115 (Voice) >4 Independence Way,                     609-734-6001 (FAX) >Princeton, NJ 08540 >How’s my posting?  Call 1-800-DEV-NULL >#include <std-disclaimer.h> >I speak for myself. I do not speak for NEC and NEC does not speak for me.

-=

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I gotta agree about the dust. I decided to do something about it while watching my wife vacuum with our upright in a sunlit room. The standard vacuum bag is no match to a HEPA bag. The central vac eliminates any recirculating dust that used to settle everywhere, and there is no vacuum smell afterword. It has also helped my allergies. The issue mentioned about bringing in outside air is a no brainer. He better shut off his range hood and bathroom fan, and keep his doors locked, too, if he’s worried about that. My Galaxie vac is about 2 yrs old and does a great cleaning job. Our hose incorporates the switch and electric wires and is extremely lightweight, doesnt kink or scratch furniture, and slithers around with ease. The motor brushes are about the only thing that need to be replaced, probably every 10-20 yrs. — Richard I also hate spam so discard the stop from my address – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->>2) Exhaust is sent outside; no recirculation of dirt >Agreed, but bags contain most of the  dust. >Do this little test.  Take a bright desk lamp and put it next to the exhaust >of your vacuum cleaner (in the case of an upright just shine it on the bag) >turn on the vacuum and see how much dust is blown back into your room.  If >it is a level you are happy with then you don’t need to exhaust it outside. >I have only seen minimal dust on very high end electrolux systems – and they >are comparably priced to central systems, and a lot tougher to lug around. >I suspect HEPA systems are also excellent, but they are very expensive. >I’m in my first house with central vac.  I’ll never own another house >without it. >– >Dave Clark >Opinions expressed are my own. Any resemblance to other opinions, living or >dead, are purely coincidental. >Iran this threw my spell check her an it toll me it was all write.

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> And I’d > prefer a central vac canister that used BAGS! but I’d don’t know if any > do.  

Hoover for one and I’m pretty sure there’s a couple more. Mark Atanowicz

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>>2) Exhaust is sent outside; no recirculation of dirt >Agreed, but bags contain most of the  dust.

Do this little test.  Take a bright desk lamp and put it next to the exhaust of your vacuum cleaner (in the case of an upright just shine it on the bag) turn on the vacuum and see how much dust is blown back into your room.  If it is a level you are happy with then you don’t need to exhaust it outside. I have only seen minimal dust on very high end electrolux systems – and they are comparably priced to central systems, and a lot tougher to lug around. I suspect HEPA systems are also excellent, but they are very expensive. I’m in my first house with central vac.  I’ll never own another house without it. — Dave Clark Opinions expressed are my own. Any resemblance to other opinions, living or dead, are purely coincidental. Iran this threw my spell check her an it toll me it was all write.

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Our house came with system installed by previous owner. I guess they went cheapo with an unelectric hose. So the power head has this 36 ft power cord that runs along with the hose. The "sock" holds the power cord and the hose together for about 85% of the hose run. I can think of no other useful purpose one of these socks could have.   Now some personal opinions. I was suprised how unthrilled we were with the central vac system. We have a quite powerful canister vacuum from our previous place. It certainly cleans better than our central vac. Lugging the hose is almost as much a chore as using the canister. The canister vac gets caught on furniture, but the long central vac hose can kink up. Although I’d say the central’s long hose is marginally easier, my wife disagrees. (I wouldn’t recommend a canister either, I’d consider an upright with onboard hose and tools, one for each floor.)   We have an outlet in the garage also, but I don’t want to drag the hose I use inside the house through around my garage or outside. An additional hose is no cheaper than a good shop vac.   No bags, that’s true for ours. Quite frankly, I think anyone who feels that not having an easy to change vacuum bag in a vacuum cleaner is a good thing, is a moron. Or maybe they are rich enough to have someone else empty their vacuums for them, in which case they do their own vacuuming as a fun hobby. As for adding value to the house. Well when we moved into this house we brought our vacuum cleaner with us. We didn’t lose a cent. The people whom we bought this house from took quite a loss on it, I’m pretty sure they don’t think they recooped any of the money they spent on this central system. Just more hard earned money down the tubes from their point of view. However there is one area where the central sytem beats all, Stairs. There is no question having a hose long enough to tackle a complete set of stairs is the ideal way to go.       Now I think some of our dissatisfaction is because our system it is bottom of the line. If I were building a house I would plan for central vac. I’d put the hose outlet in a cupboard or closet where I could store the hose. I’d want an on/off switch on the handle, so I could leave it plugged in. Our’s turns on when the hose is connected and the hose must be disconnected to turn it off. A drag when your 30 feet away and want to stop for a few minutes to do something else. I’d go for the same setup on each floor, even if I couldn’t afford separate hoses and attachments at the time. If I start upstairs and finish downstairs, I’d like to be able to put the hose away downstairs and vise versa.  And I’d prefer a central vac canister that used BAGS! but I’d don’t know if any do.   – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->We’re buying a central vacuum unit to install in our pre-plumbed house.  The >local Electrolux store recommends that we buy a "sock" to put over the hose so >that it doesn’t damage furniture and rounded wall corners. >How necessary is one of these "socks"? > Not at all, IMHO – we’ve had our central vac for over 3 years, and > I’ve yet to see any damage that I can attribute to abrasion by the > hose. > Cheers, > David

–       Jeff Cohen         itv,  Instructional Television, 625 Southam Hall Carleton University,  Ottawa, Ont, Canada,  K1S 5B6    tel: (613) 520-2600 ext. 8105     fax: (613) 520-4368

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> >FWIW, here are my reasons for installing one: >1) More powerful motor > It has to be in order to suck efficiently thru up to 100′ of tubing > and pipe.

In actual use, airflow rates are low and the length of tubing is not that significant.  The real factor is the suction generated at these flow rates which is a function of motor power along with impeller fan design. > The actual "suck zone" at the head doesn’t seem any stronger > than a good upright.

Take your hose attachment and place your palm over the opening, leaving a small gap to simulate actual usage.   >3) I much prefer carrying a hose then dragging a cannister which >invariably hits furniture > I would much rather wheel around an upright (not a cannister) than > haul around a big  clump of tangled up hose.  I actually like the > uprights with a integrated suction wand for hard to get areas.  The > centrals can only do this by changing heads.

I wear a tool pouch with all the various attachment.  What I like about the CV compared to an upright is my ability to move a coffee table and sweep simultaneously, something that’s hard to do with an upright. Mark Atanowicz

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>We’re buying a central vacuum unit to install in our pre-plumbed house.  The >local Electrolux store recommends that we buy a "sock" to put over the hose so >that it doesn’t damage furniture and rounded wall corners. >How necessary is one of these "socks"?

Not at all, IMHO – we’ve had our central vac for over 3 years, and I’ve yet to see any damage that I can attribute to abrasion by the hose. Cheers, David

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> The beater power source is incorporated into the outlet so I don’t have > an issue with plugs.

Except in New York City :-( We’re putting a central vac into a house we’re having built now.  We wanted the outlets with the electric power built in, but the fixtures only come in plastic, for use with romex.  NYC electric code requires metal electrical boxes and BX, so we couldn’t install the electrified vacuum outlets. Bummer.

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These points are not all really true, here is why: >1) More powerful motor

Depends – not always true. >2) Exhaust is sent outside; no recirculation of dirt

Misleading – Usual typical sales pitch.  A HEPA type vaccum, recirculates clean air inside the house, while a whole house vaccum exchanges air with what’s outside.  In the summer, for example, you bring in pollen, dust and whatever is available in the ambient air as you take out the air inside the house. >3) I much prefer carrying a hose then dragging a cannister which >invariably hits furniture

As another stated, the hoses do tend to be a pain as well. >4) I have an outlet in the garge for cleaning our cars

And a cheap $19 bucks small vacuum gets around my garage too. >5) No more vacuum bags

A Fantom Vaccum, for example, has NO filters either – although you do have to replace the HEPA filter every so many years. >6) Adds value to the home

True in most cases. Joseph

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Was house shopping last week and saw one house with Central Vacuum. Any thoughts on the subject?  I have no idea on the usefulness of this. The house is about 30 years old, do central vacs last that long? Can I expect clogged lines? Thanks in advance. — Pat Lundrigan

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> Was house shopping last week and saw one house with Central Vacuum. > Any thoughts on the subject?  I have no idea on the usefulness of this. > The house is about 30 years old, do central vacs last that long? > Can I expect clogged lines? > Thanks in advance.

I installed a central vacuum (Sears) in our house about 15 years ago and it’s still going strong.  None of the lines have ever clogged up.  Did have to replace the Power Mate unit after it got tangled up with a shag rug one day.  Might have been able to repair it instead of replacing it but decided to get a newer version.  Cost was $123.00 including tax. Don, retired in Tracy, Calif.

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>Was house shopping last week and saw one house with Central Vacuum. >Any thoughts on the subject?  I have no idea on the usefulness of this. >The house is about 30 years old, do central vacs last that long? >Can I expect clogged lines?

To let you know my perspective, I intend to install a central vac as soon as finances permit.  You do need to make sure that it fits your cleaning style though, some people are rather aggravated by the long hose, others prefer the usually light weight hose to pushing an upright or tugging around a canister. The tubes, or lines, can be considered a permanent fixture, I’ve never heard of any getting clogged in a troublesome way.  The wall outlets have a bend right there at the outlet, and some are designed slightly smaller than the main line, so that if you suck up anything that plugs the line, you just pull the hose out of the wall, and the item is right there where you can just grab it. The power units, normally situated either in a basement or garage, will wear out over time, but they generally last much longer than a portable vac.  It’s certainly possible that the power unit in the 30 year old house is original, you’d have to check the unit itself to know that. The suction and cleaning power from a central vac unit is generally superior to portable vacs. Nowadays they come with some pretty nice features, such as self-standing power heads, "dustpan" or "grate" outlets that you can install in places like kitchens where you just sweep stuff into them or wipe your shoes on them and then kick the toe button to suck stuff away.

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We’re buying a central vacuum unit to install in our pre-plumbed house.  The local Electrolux store recommends that we buy a "sock" to put over the hose so that it doesn’t damage furniture and rounded wall corners. How necessary is one of these "socks"? *** My e-mail address is k7may at aol dot com.  The other text in my posting address is to keep spammers away! ***

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I have a home that had a central vac built in when it was built in ‘91. (previous owner chose it) I think these things are a joke!!  I would never have one installed. You have a huge tangled up mess of vacuum hose and then still need to plug into AC for the power head.  I see absolutely no  benefit using these over a  good old Hoover.  The conventional vac’s seem to clean a little better anyway. If there’s a compelling benefit to having a central vac, I have yet to figure out what it is.  (it’s quieter but that’s hardly compelling enough to justify the cost and installation) P.S. I’ve never had a clogged hose – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Was house shopping last week and saw one house with Central Vacuum. >Any thoughts on the subject?  I have no idea on the usefulness of this. >The house is about 30 years old, do central vacs last that long? >Can I expect clogged lines? >Thanks in advance.

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> I have a home that had a central vac built in when it was built in > ‘91. (previous owner chose it) > I think these things are a joke!!  I would never have one installed. > You have a huge tangled up mess of vacuum hose and then still need to > plug into AC for the power head.  I see absolutely no  benefit using > these over a  good old Hoover.  The conventional vac’s seem to clean a > little better anyway. > If there’s a compelling benefit to having a central vac, I have yet to > figure out what it is.  (it’s quieter but that’s hardly compelling > enough to justify the cost and installation)

FWIW, here are my reasons for installing one: 1) More powerful motor 2) Exhaust is sent outside; no recirculation of dirt 3) I much prefer carrying a hose then dragging a cannister which invariably hits furniture 4) I have an outlet in the garge for cleaning our cars 5) No more vacuum bags 6) Adds value to the home The beater power source is incorporated into the outlet so I don’t have an issue with plugs. Mark Atanowicz

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> >Was house shopping last week and saw one house with Central Vacuum. >Any thoughts on the subject?  I have no idea on the usefulness of this. >The house is about 30 years old, do central vacs last that long? >Can I expect clogged lines? > To let you know my perspective, I intend to install a central vac as > soon as finances permit.  You do need to make sure that it fits your > cleaning style though, some people are rather aggravated by the long > hose, others prefer the usually light weight hose to pushing an upright > or tugging around a canister.

<snip> We bought a house a year ago with a central vac, fully expecting to dislike it . . .one year later, we love the central vac system. Superior suction and believe it or not we find it convienient. One nice thing is that because our entire lower level is tile and wood flooring, the central vac allows us to clean large areas witout unplugging, plugging etc. Two outlets downstairs does the trick. A year ago I would never have imagined loving the central vac but we do. CK

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>FWIW, here are my reasons for installing one: >1) More powerful motor

It has to be in order to suck efficiently thru up to 100′ of tubing and pipe. The actual "suck zone" at the head doesn’t seem any stronger than a good upright. >2) Exhaust is sent outside; no recirculation of dirt

Agreed, but bags contain most of the  dust. >3) I much prefer carrying a hose then dragging a cannister which >invariably hits furniture

I would much rather wheel around an upright (not a cannister) than haul around a big  clump of tangled up hose.  I actually like the uprights with a integrated suction wand for hard to get areas.  The centrals can only do this by changing heads. >4) I have an outlet in the garge for cleaning our cars

Yes, it might save from getting a separate shop vac for the garage but I want one anyway for big "sucker upper" jobs. >5) No more vacuum bags

Agreed >6) Adds value to the home

I doubt it’s cost is 100% transferred to value.  I bet this is one of the poorer ROI home improvements.   – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->The beater power source is incorporated into the outlet so I don’t have >an issue with plugs. >Mark Atanowicz

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Question:

I’d like some input from anybody who’s put a new covering of any type in their basement. Althought it would be nice, I don’t have the overhead clearance to sacrifice to radiant floor heating or even some of the insulated underlayment.  I **can** sarifice the 1/2 inch it would take for carpet, tile, wood floor, etc.  And use the R2 styrofoam underlayment. Benefits seem negligable, but it beats a sharp stick in the eye. There *should* be no water down there, so I’m not too concerned with that, although any solution thats able to withstand moisture to any of the varying degrees is nice.  However, the floor does create dampness. We’re on ledge, that drains poorly.  When it downpours for days, everybody in the area has a wet basement except me, (knock-on-wood) my sump pump keeps it at bay, however the floor gets very damp.  Wood or cardboard boxes will get damp if left on the floor, so I suspect it’ll transfer to whatever floor covering I use.  FWIW: My dehumidifier keeps it at about 65% humidity, if left unchecked, we could hit 90% and the floor would feel slimy. It’ll be part excersise room, part rec room, etc. I’ve considered Tile of various type, preferably large outdoor terracotta type stuff.  Carpet is always an option and the cheapest to dispose of if it got wet.  Wood flooring is an option insofaras it doen’t conduct cold although it’s not very good for water resistancy (but I’d consider dipping each piece in sealer if that’s what it took) Any suggestions would be great – Thanks for your time. I follow this group regularly, but my ISP is awful so if you could mail as well as post, I would ***really*** appreciate that.     Matt     -Why is talk so cheap?  Because supply exceeds demand.

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> I’d like some input from anybody who’s put a new covering of any type > in their basement. > . . . > Any suggestions would be great – Thanks for your time.

The first thing you should do is paint the floor surface with special basement paint.  This seals the surface so it will not generate stone dust under whatever floor or carpet you apply on top.  Painting requires first etching the surface with some preparation so the paint will stick well.   This house has a basement room with good in/outdoor carpet laid over the concrete floor.  Wear seems OK but I believe stone dust raised by ordinary walking makes the carpet appear dirtier than it should.  I prepared and painted a workshop floor next door (no carpet or flooring) and am happy with the results. — |  Donald Phillipson, 4180 Boundary Road, Carlsbad Springs,  | |        Ontario, Canada, K0A 1K0, tel. 613 822 0734         |

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Question:

Depending on when your house was built, you may have 1/2" to 3/4" partical board as underlayment; plywood as subfloor. We recently did exactly as you are planning on doing (i.e., removing the particle board underlayment).  However, we did NOT replace it with anything — the hardwood installers put down the 3/4" wood directly on the subflooring (with felt in between of course).  The reason I point this out is that if you replace the underlayment with more plywood, the additional thickness of the flooring will cause you to have to deal with different levels if you are meeting up with areas (such as a kitchen) that you are not replacing.  In other words, your new floor will not be the same level as the floor you are meeting. In our case, the underlayment we removed was 3/4", so the 3/4" hardwood floors met exactly with all the other flooring that we didn’t replace (kitchen and foyer). Another hint (that I learned from this newsgroup) — once you pull up the underlayment, be sure to screw down your plywood subfloor prior to the installers coming.  This will prevent creaking when you walk across your wood floors.  I used 1 3/4" drywall screws at about 18" intervals, drilled directly into the joists. (the nails typically used to hold down the subfloor eventually rise a bit, allowing the subfloor to have movement, and thus creaking) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I am planning to pull up the carpeting in my family room and install real > hard-wood flooring.  I recall being told that there are different types of > subflooring, and that some are only for carpet. > Does anyone know the details on what builders use under carpet, and what impact > that will have on my installation of wood flooring. > I am not interested in Pergo (or clones) or prefinished products. > Thanks > Peter

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Thanks for the great information. If I understand what is being said here its: 1)  The right thing to do is pull up the particle board and put down sufficient plywood to get a 1" thick sub-floor 2)  Its possible to use only the plywood subfloor that currently exists, without the particle board. Which is the most proper, and what are the cons of the least proper? Intellectually, why can’t I just lay the hardwood over the particle board? Thanks Peter

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I am planning to pull up the carpeting in my family room and install real hard-wood flooring.  I recall being told that there are different types of subflooring, and that some are only for carpet.   Does anyone know the details on what builders use under carpet, and what impact that will have on my installation of wood flooring. I am not interested in Pergo (or clones) or prefinished products. Thanks Peter

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Pull up a corner of the carpet and look, you’re going to tear the carpet out anyway.  If you have any heat registers in the floor that is a good place to look.  You can usually see both the sub-floor and the underlayment.  Under my carpet I have 1/2" particle board and under that is 1/2" plywood.  I talked to the wood installers and they said they needed plywood to under the hardwood floor.  I am taking out the particle board and installing 1/2" plywood on top of the 1/2" that is already there.  This will give me 1" of plywood under 3/4" hardwood.  The installers are coming on the 30th to start.  I have to have the floor ready and the room painted before then.  Good luck on your floor. Mark – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I am planning to pull up the carpeting in my family room and install real > hard-wood flooring.  I recall being told that there are different types of > subflooring, and that some are only for carpet. > Does anyone know the details on what builders use under carpet, and what impact > that will have on my installation of wood flooring. > I am not interested in Pergo (or clones) or prefinished products. > Thanks > Peter

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