1309 - Wood Flooring Installation
October 28-November 3, 2002 | April 28-May 4, 2003
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HI. I'M BOB VILA.
WELCOME HOME AGAIN
TO OUR CENTER ENTRY
COLONIAL PROJECT.
TODAY WE'RE SPENDING
MOST OF OUR TIME INDOORS,
BUT OUTDOORS, WE'LL DO
A LITTLE BIT OF HARDSCAPE.
WE'RE CONSTRUCTING AN APRON
ENTRANCE TO THE DRIVEWAY
WITH COBBLESTONES.
AND INSIDE, WE'RE INSTALLING
SOME BEAUTIFUL OLD-GROWTH,
NEWLY SAWN WHITE OAK FLOORING
IN RANDOM WIDTHS
AND THE MASTER OF FLOOR
INSTALLERS, HOWARD BRICKMAN,
IS WITH US TO SHOW US HOW.
STICK AROUND.
IT'S GOOD TO HAVE
YOU HOME AGAIN.
CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY
SEARS
COBBLESTONES ALWAYS
ADD A LITTLE TOUCH OF
CLASS TO MOST HARDSCAPE--
YOU KNOW, THE INSTALLATIONS
IN A LANDSCAPE JOB THAT
ARE MADE OUT OF STONE.
JAY SEMINARA'S HERE
PUTTING IN MOST
OF THE CONSTRUCTION,
AND, JAY, WHAT YOU'RE
DOING HERE IS CALLED
AN APRON, RIGHT?
CORRECT.
AND WHAT'S THE ROLE
OF AN APRON?
WHAT WE'RE TRYING
TO DO, BOB,
IS WE'RE TRYING
TO CREATE A GOOD-LOOKING
ENTRYWAY HERE,
AS WELL AS KEEP IN
THE DRIVEWAY MATERIAL,
WHICH COULD BE
THE SHELL, STONE.
IN THIS CASE,
IT'S GONNA BE SEASHELLS.
SO IT'LL BE A BARRIER
BETWEEN THE LOOSE
SEASHELLS THAT'LL BE
USED FOR THE PAVEMENT
OF THE DRIVEWAY
ALL THE WAY DOWN
TO THE GARAGE ENTRY
AND THE ROAD OUT HERE.
NOW, LET'S LOOK AT
THE PRELIMINARY WORK,
'CAUSE YOU'VE GOT
A SIDEWALK THAT
OBVIOUSLY CAN'T
BE DISTURBED,
BUT THEN YOU'RE
ADDING A FEW MORE
COURSES HERE, RIGHT?
YES.
WE'RE GONNA TRY
AND RUN THIS--
WE'RE GONNA TRY
AND KEEP THE SIDEWALK
HERE AND RUN THIS APRON
RIGHT THROUGH
TO THE OUTSIDE WITH
ABOUT 3 MORE COURSES.
NOW, HOW DEEP
DID YOU DIG?
WHAT WE DO IS
WE NORMALLY GO DOWN
ABOUT 6 INCHES
AND FIND A BOTTOM GRADE,
AND THEN WE ADD IN
ABOUT 4 INCHES
OF STONE DUST,
AND THEN PUT
THE COBBLESTONES
ON TOP OF THAT.
NOW, THE REASON
WHY STONE DUST IS
SUPERIOR TO JUST SAND
IS THAT THE STONE
DUST IS RELATIVELY
A JAGGED MATERIAL.
WELL, WHAT IT'LL DO
IS IT'LL SET UP AS WELL.
ONCE THE STONE DUST
GETS WET, IT BECOMES
SOMEWHAT OF A CONCRETE
AND WILL BECOME HARD
LIKE A "T" BASE,
SO THERE WILL BE NO
SINKAGE IN THE STONES.
IT DOES HARDEN UP,
DOESN'T IT?
YES, IT DOES.
ALL RIGHT. LET'S TALK
ABOUT THE COBBLESTONES
THEMSELVES.
THESE ARE NOT ACTUAL
ANTIQUE COBBLESTONES
LIFTED UP FROM AN OLD
STREET IN NEW ENGLAND
SOMEPLACE, ARE THEY?
THESE ARE ALL CUT.
THEY ARE DEFINITELY
NOT THE SAME.
MOST OF THE STONES
ARE DIFFERENT.
THE TOPS OF THE STONES
ARE ALL SQUARE,
BUT AS YOU'LL NOTICE,
THAT SOME OF THESE STONES
HAVE IRREGULARITIES
TO THEM.
SO YOU HAVE TO PICK
AND CHOOSE BEFORE YOU
DO ANY INSTALLATION.
WE HAVE TO HANDPICK
EVERY SINGLE STONE
FOR EVERY ROW.
AND THE OBJECTIVE
THROUGHOUT IS TO END UP
WITH A RELATIVELY
SMOOTH SURFACE
THAT YOU CAN WALK
ON WITHOUT TWISTING
AN ANKLE, RIGHT?
THIS IS CORRECT.
ANY GUIDELINES IN TERMS
OF HOW MUCH SPACE YOU
PUT IN BETWEEN THEM?
WELL, IT DEPENDS
ON THE STONES.
ON THESE PARTICULAR
COBBLESTONES, THEY
HAVE A LOT OF BOWS
ON THE SIDES, SO WHAT
WE TRY TO DO IS WE TRY
TO LEAVE ABOUT A 1-INCH
SPACE BETWEEN EACH ROW.
THAT WAY, IF THERE IS
A BUMP, WE HAVE A LITTLE
BIT OF ROOM TO MOVE IT.
YOU'RE ABOUT TO SET
THE LAST ONE HERE
BEFORE YOU GO
TO THE OTHER SIDE.
YES. THIS ROW IS
ALMOST DONE. THIS
IS MY LAST COURSE.
AND WHICH ONE
GOES IN HERE?
AND WHAT I'M DOING
IS I'M HANDPICKING
MY STONES FOR EACH ROW
AND FOR THIS ROW--
THIS ONE LOOKS LIKE
ABOUT THE RIGHT SIZE.
WHAT WE DO IS WE
SET THE STONES IN
HERE ON THE STONE DUST.
AND WE WANT TO TRY
AND KEEP THE STONE
A LITTLE HIGHER
ON EITHER SIDE,
BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE
GONNA DO IS WE'RE
GONNA SET THE STONE.
SO WE WANT THIS STONE
TO BE ABOUT LIKE THIS,
SO IT IS A LITTLE
BIT HIGHER THAN
THE FRONT STONE.
AND THEN WHAT?
AND THEN WHAT I WANT
TO DO IS I WANT TO GRAB
MY 20-POUND HAMMER
VERY GENTLY, BECAUSE
THE STONES WILL BREAK.
WE JUST WANT TO SET
THEM DOWN NICE AND EASY
UNTIL THEY'RE ABOUT
FLUSH WITH THE COURSE
IN FRONT.
SO A 20-POUND HAMMER
LIKE THAT IS THE TOOL
OF PREFERENCE.
YOU'RE JUST KIND OF...
CORRECT.
PUSHING IT DOWN
INTO PLACE.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO
IS WE WANT TO SET
THE STONE FLAT,
BECAUSE YOU'LL SEE HERE
ON SOME OF THESE THEY
HAVE THESE IMPERFECTIONS.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO--
YEAH. THERE'S
A REAL IRREGULARITY
TO THAT ONE.
WE WANT TO SET
THIS IMPERFECTION
INTO ITS SPOT
SO IT'S NOT
GONNA ROCK.
OK.
ALL RIGHT, SO ONE ROW
IS DOWN, AND THEN
YOU JUST CONTINUE.
SET THIS ROW IN
LIKE THIS,
LEAVING A LITTLE BIT
OF A GAP.
AND YOU BREAK
THE JOINTS SO
THEY'RE STAGGERED.
TRY AND BREAK
THE JOINTS ON
OUR NEXT COURSE
WHERE THE JOINTS
WILL BE EVEN.
GREAT, JAY. THAT'S
GONNA LOOK TERRIFIC.
OK.
Vila: NEXT WE'LL MEET
THE CARLISLES
AND TALK ABOUT THEIR OLD-GROWTH,
WHITE OAK FLOORING,
SO STICK AROUND.
OK. WELL, STARTING OFF
WITH OUR CENTER ENTRY,
YOU CAN SEE THE PLASTER
IS COMPLETE THROUGHOUT THE AREA.
WE'VE GOT A LOT
OF CARPENTRY STILL TO GO--
THE STAIRCASE,
THE DOORS--
BUT RIGHT NOW,
OUR FLOORS HAVE ARRIVED.
AND LET'S MEET
THE CARLISLES,
DON AND KERRY.
HI, GUYS.
HI.
HOW ARE YOU?
GREAT. THANKS.
HI. WE'RE VERY,
VERY HAPPY
TO HAVE RECEIVED
THE FLOORING.
AND THIS IS NOT
JUST--IT'S NOT
STRIP FLOORING.
THIS IS REAL SPECIAL
STUFF, RIGHT?
IT IS.
WHAT KIND OF WOOD
IS IT?
THIS IS ACTUALLY
OUR COUNTRY GRADE
OF OLD-GROWTH
WHITE OAK.
IT'S WHITE OAK
FROM NEW ENGLAND.
AND OF COURSE
IT COMES IN
VARIOUS WIDTHS.
AND, DON, WHY DO
THEY DO THIS ALWAYS?
WELL, THOSE ARE
JUST STRESS RELIEFS,
WE CALL THEM,
TO ELIMINATE THE SURFACE
TENSION ON A WIDE BOARD.
OK. BEAUTIFUL.
NOW, ONE OF
THE THINGS
THAT'S INTERESTING
ABOUT THIS
IS THE FACT THAT
IT'S ALL CUSTOM
TO THE ROOM AND
THE CLIENT, KERRY.
TELL US HOW
THAT WORKS.
OK. GREAT.
WHAT HAPPENS IS--
IS A CUSTOMER
WILL GIVE US AN IDEA
OF THE GENERAL
LOOK THAT THEY WANT.
THEY MIGHT WANT AN OLD,
TRADITIONAL-LOOKING FLOOR.
AND THEN WE MIGHT
NARROW IT DOWN
TO SOMETHING LIKE
OUR WIDE WHITE OAK FLOORS.
AND THEN FROM THERE,
THEY MIGHT CHOOSE, UM,
CERTAIN WIDTHS,
MAYBE 4-10 INCHES WIDE.
THEY TELL US CERTAIN
COLORS THAT THEY MIGHT
BE LOOKING FOR,
OR THEY'LL SEND US
PICTURES OF WHAT
THEY LIKE.
THEN WE CUSTOM-MAKE
THE SAMPLES
OR AN ACTUAL SAMPLE
OF THAT FLOOR FOR THEM
WITH DIFFERENT COLOR
TONES THAT YOU WOULD
SEE IN THE OLD HOMES.
OR IF THEY WANTED,
YOU KNOW, A DIFFERENT
LOOK, A MODERN LOOK--
WELL, LET'S TALK
ABOUT THE LOOK THAT
WE'RE GETTING HERE.
I MEAN, HOWARD HAS
ALREADY INSTALLED
THIS MUCH OF IT.
AND IT'S OLD-GROWTH.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
BASICALLY, IT'S A TREE
THAT'S BEEN ALLOWED
TO REACH MATURITY,
AND IT GROWS IN
AN ENVIRONMENT THROUGH
NATURAL SELECTION,
WHICH MEANS THAT
IT'S GONNA HAVE
A SLOWER GROWTH TO IT,
IT'S GONNA HAVE
A DENSER GREEN,
AND IT'S GONNA YIELD
A MORE DURABLE FLOOR.
BUT YOU HAVE THINGS LIKE
WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE
WOULD CALL FLAWS--KNOTS.
AND BARK LINES THAT ARE
STILL LEFT IN THE WOOD.
YES.
AND THAT'S PART--
TO MY EYE, THAT'S PART
OF THE BEAUTY OF IT.
BUT...
WELL, YOU KNOW,
A LOT OF THE LOOKS
THAT ARE COMING BACK
TODAY--PEOPLE ARE READING
A LOT OF THESE MAGAZINES
LIKE COUNTRY LIVING AND
THINGS OF THIS NATURE,
AND THEY WANT TO GET
THAT MORE TRADITIONAL
LOOK IN THEIR FLOORS.
AND IN YOUR OLD FLOORS,
THEY DIDN'T GRADE
THESE THINGS OUT.
NO.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING
TO TAKE THE LONG BOARDS
AND WIDE BOARDS
THAT YOU SAW IN
YOUR OLDER HOMES
AND LEAVE SOME
OF THE NATURAL
CHARACTERISTICS
IN THE WOOD.
NOW, CARLISLE HAS BEEN
AROUND FOR ABOUT
30 YEARS, RIGHT?
YES. MY FATHER
ACTUALLY STARTED IT
ABOUT 35 YEARS AGO.
SO YOU'VE BEEN
SELECTIVELY HARVESTING
SOME OF THIS TIMBER.
OH, YEAH. WE HAVE
FORESTERS ALL UP AND
DOWN THE EASTERN SEABOARD,
DEPENDING UPON
THE SPECIES, THAT
SPECIALIZE IN GOING IN
AND SELECTIVELY TAKING
IMMATURE, DOMINANT TIMBER.
AND IT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
IT'S A VERY GOOD THING
FOR THE FOREST,
BECAUSE IT'S CREATING
A HIGHER VALUE ON
YOUR OLDER WOOD,
WHICH IS PRESERVING--
GETTING THE AVERAGE
LAND OWNER
TO PRESERVE THEIR TREES
VERSUS CUTTING IT QUICKLY
AND USING IT
FOR SOMETHING
THAT YOU CAN--
PAPER OR SOMETHING
OF THAT NATURE
THAT'S MORE--
GREAT. NOW, DON,
SOME OF THESE PIECES
ARE--WHAT IS THIS?
14 OR 16?
THAT'S PROBABLY
A 14-FOOT-LONG PIECE, BOB.
THAT'S QUITE
A LENGTH OF MATERIAL.
NOW, IS THERE
A PROCESS BY WHICH
YOU CAN MAXIMIZE
THE YIELD?
WELL, THERE IS.
UM, WE TAKE EACH
PIECE OF TIMBER
AND TRY TO MAXIMIZE
THE LENGTH AND THE WIDTH
OF THE BOARD
TO LEAVE AS MUCH
OF THE NATURAL
BEAUTY IN THE WOOD.
WELL, THIS BRINGS US
TO THIS WHOLE AREA
OF THIS PLANK.
SOMEONE MADE
A CONSCIOUS DECISION
NOT TO CUT OUT
THIS KNOT.
THAT'S CORRECT.
NOW, IT'S UP TO
THE HOMEOWNER ONCE
THEY GET THEIR FLOOR
IF THEY WANTED
TO LEAVE THAT IN
THEIR FLOOR OR NOT.
BUT MOST
OF OUR CUSTOMERS,
WHEN WE'RE DESIGNING
OLD FLOORS,
WOULD PREFER TO HAVE
THAT OLD KNOT IN THE BOARD
AND SHOW THE LENGTH
OF THE BOARD
VERSUS CUTTING IT
AND PUTTING IN A 4-
AND A 6-FOOT PIECE.
RIGHT.
PLUS, IF I CAN
JUMP IN,
YOU'LL WANT TO REMEMBER
THAT EACH CUSTOMER
GIVES US
A VERY GOOD IDEA.
WE HAVE A LOT OF
CONVERSATIONS ON WHAT
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
WE WORK WITH THEM
FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS.
EXACTLY. SO WHEN
THIS GOES THROUGH
THE VARIOUS PROCESS
TO MAKE THE FLOOR,
EACH PERSON KNOWS,
"OK, THIS CUSTOMER
WANTS TO REALLY MAINTAIN
"THOSE LONGER BOARDS
AND KEEP IN THE KNOTS
AND CHARACTER
THROUGHOUT THE WOOD."
SURE. AND THAT
IS JUST THE POINT--
THE CHARACTER
OF THE WOOD.
I MEAN, THAT KNOT
IS NOT JUST A KNOT.
EXACTLY.
IT'S THE HISTORY
OF THE TREE LIMB,
AND THAT GOES ALL
THE WAY DOWN HERE
IN THE GRAIN
OF THE WOOD
AND UP BEYOND IT.
NOW, THIS BRINGS ME
TO THE QUESTION
ABOUT WHERE YOU ARE
AND THE FOLKS THAT
WORK BEFORE YOU,
'CAUSE YOU'RE
UP IN STODDARD,
NEW HAMPSHIRE,
WHICH IS A SMALL
VILLAGE, RIGHT?
Don: SMALL VILLAGE
UP IN SOUTHERN
NEW HAMPSHIRE.
IT'S ABOUT 600
YEAR-ROUND RESIDENTS.
AND WE EMPLOY
ABOUT 70 PEOPLE,
AND A LOT OF THE PEOPLE
THAT WORK WITH US
WE GREW UP WITH
AND WENT TO SCHOOL WITH.
Kerry: WE HAVE
FATHER, DAUGHTERS,
A LOT OF PEOPLE
THAT ARE RELATED,
AND BEST FRIENDS.
I THINK THAT,
COMBINED WITH THE FACT
THAT EVERY PERSON
REALLY CAN TAKE OWNERSHIP
OF WHAT THEY DO
BECAUSE THEY KNOW
WHAT THE CUSTOMER WANTS
IN ALL PROCESSES
OF MAKING THE FLOOR,
IT REALLY GIVES PEOPLE
THE PRIDE
AND THE RESPONSIBILITY
TO MAKE
A BEAUTIFUL FLOOR,
AND IT MAKES IT
A REALLY NICE PLACE
FOR PEOPLE TO WORK.
NOW, THE SURFACE
OF THE BOARD,
AS IT'S ARRIVED HERE
AT THE JOB,
IS ALMOST
FURNITURE GRADE.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE PROCESS
INVOLVED.
WE USE A REAL
HIGH-GRADE MOLDER,
PLANER/MOLDER,
THAT THEY USE
TO MAKE WOOD FOR
FURNITURE AS WELL.
THEY'RE DESIGNED TO RUN
WOOD AT REAL FAST SPEEDS.
150-200 LINEAL FEET
PER MINUTE WOULDN'T
BE IRREGULAR.
WHERE WE RUN THEM
AT, LIKE,
25-30 LINEAL FEET
PER MINUTE,
WHICH IS REALLY SLOW.
SO BY GETTING
MORE REVOLUTIONS
ON YOUR KNIVES,
YOU GET A MUCH
SMOOTHER SURFACE,
AND IT ACTUALLY
SEALS THE WOOD,
AND IT MAKES
A NICE, SMOOTH FLOOR
THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE
HEAVY SANDING.
INDEED. WE'RE NOT
GONNA HAVE TO DO
ANY KIND OF 3
PASSES WITH GRINDER
ON THIS FLOOR.
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
JUST TYPICALLY A SCREEN,
AND THEY MIGHT BUFF IT
TO CLEAN OFF THE FOOTPRINTS
FROM THE INSTALLATION,
AND YOU'RE READY TO GO.
YEAH. WHAT
ABOUT THE COST?
THE COST ON OUR FLOOR
IS GONNA RANGE
BETWEEN $5.00 AND, WHAT,
$8.00 A SQUARE FOOT?
ABOUT $5.00-$8.00.
YES.
BETWEEN
$5.00 AND $8.00
A SQUARE FOOT?
PER SQUARE FOOT.
NOT A BOARD FOOT.
AND THAT OF COURSE
DOES NOT INCLUDE
INSTALLATION.
THAT'S CORRECT.
INSTALLATION
WILL BE ADDITIONAL.
I HEAR YOU'RE VERY
KEEN ON PACKAGING.
WELL, WE ARE.
WE LIKE TO TAKE PRIDE
IN PACKAGING.
IT'S PART OF THE PROCESS
WHEN YOU DEAL
WITH A FLOOR
THAT WE MAKE FOR YOU.
YOU KNOW, WHEN
YOU GET ALL DONE
PUTTING 20-30 PEOPLE'S
EYES AND WORK INTO
CRAFTING A FLOOR,
YOU WANT TO TAKE JUST
AS MUCH TIME
TO MAKE SURE IT GETS
TO THE CUSTOMER IN THE WAY
THAT WE FINISHED IT,
WHICH IS PERFECT.
WE BUILD A CUSTOM CRATE
AROUND EACH FLOOR
SO THAT NO MATTER
WHAT HAPPENS IN SHIPPING,
IT DOESN'T DAMAGE
THE FLOOR.
FABULOUS.
THANKS, DON.
YOU'RE WELCOME.
THANKS, KERRY.
THANK YOU.
Vila: WHEN WE COME BACK,
HOWARD BRICKMAN JOINS US
TO SHOW US HOW TO INSTALL
THE OLD-GROWTH OAK FLOORING.
Vila: NEXT TIME ON
BOB VILA'S HOME AGAIN,
WORK CONTINUES ON OUR CENTER
ENTRY COLONIAL PROJECT.
OUTSIDE, WE'LL BE ADDING
AN APRON ENTRANCE
TO THE DRIVEWAY
WITH COBBLESTONES.
INSIDE, WE'LL BE
INSTALLING SOME OLD-GROWTH,
WHITE OAK FLOORING.
DON AND KERRY CARLISLE WILL
EXPLAIN HOW THE FLOORING
IS MANUFACTURED
AT THEIR FACTORY
IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
AND HOWARD BRICKMAN
WILL SHOW US THE PREFERRED
METHODS OF INSTALLATION.
SO DON'T MISS IT.
THAT'S NEXT TIME
ON HOME AGAIN.
Vila: NEXT TIME ON
BOB VILA'S HOME AGAIN,
IT'S A COBBLESTONE DRIVEWAY
AND MANUFACTURING AND INSTALLING
OLD-GROWTH,
WHITE OAK FLOORING.
DON'T MISS IT.
WELL, HOWARD BRICKMAN
IS WITH US NOW,
WHO IS OUR
FLOORING INSTALLER
EXTRAORDINAIRE.
AND TALKING ABOUT
EXTRAORDINAIRE,
LOOK AT THE LENGTH
AND SIZE OF THIS
BOARD, HUH?
IT'S ABOUT
AN 18-FOOT LENGTH.
JUST BEAUTIFUL.
NOW, HOWARD, HOW DID
YOU GET STARTED
INSTALLING THE FLOOR?
I MEAN, THIS IS
AN OPEN PLAN, ALMOST.
WELL, WITH AN OPEN PLAN,
WE PICK A STRAIGHT LINE
THAT PROJECTS FROM
ONE ROOM TO THE OTHER.
WE PLACE A STRAIGHT LINE,
AND WE PUT A STRAIGHT BOARD.
THIS IS OUR
STARTER BOARD.
WE PUT A STRAIGHT
BOARD, AND THEN WE
REVERSE DIRECTION
TO GO BOTH
DIRECTIONS WITH IT.
AND THAT ORIENTS US
TO THE PROPER AXIS
OF THE HOUSE
SO THAT ALL THE BOARDS
ARE PARALLEL TO
THE EXISTING WALLS.
NOW, EXPLAIN
REVERSING DIRECTION.
REVERSING DIRECTION
IS WHERE WE TAKE
A SPINE, BOB,
AND WE PLACE IT
IN THE GROOVE.
AND WHEN WE PUT THE NEXT
PIECE AGAINST IT,
IT ACTS LIKE A TONGUE
AND HOLDS THE EDGE DOWN.
EXACTLY. OK.
NOW, WHAT'S
THE MANUFACTURER'S
SUGGESTED
INSTALLATION METHOD?
THE SUGGESTED
INSTALLATION METHOD
FOR THIS FLOORING
IS TO, UM,
PLACE AN ADHESIVE
ON THE UNDERSIDE
OF THE FLOOR,
AND THEN NAIL
THE FLOOR INTO PLACE.
OK.
WE PUT A BEAD
OF ADHESIVE ACROSS
THE BACK OF THE FLOOR.
NOW, WHAT TYPE
OF ADHESIVE IS IT?
IT'S A URETHANE
ADHESIVE, BOB.
IT'S, UM--IT DRIES
BY COMBINATION
OF EVAPORATION
AND ABSORBING MOISTURE,
RELATIVE HUMIDITY
OUT OF THE AIR.
THEN YOU PLACE THE PIECE
INTO LOCATION...
TAP IT IN PLACE,
AND THEN WE DO
ONE RUN AT A TIME.
WE, UH,
PLACE THE ADHESIVE
ON THE BACK
OF THE BOARD
SO WE GET A NICE
UNIFORM BOND WITH
THE SUBFLOOR.
AT THE SAME POINT
THAT YOU'RE PUTTING
A LOT OF ADHESIVE
ON HERE, YOU WANT
TO BE SOMEWHAT
CAREFUL WITH IT,
BECAUSE IT TENDS
TO GET ON
EVERYTHING, SO...
YEAH. IT CAN BE
MESSY STUFF.
IT REALLY
IS MESSY STUFF.
OK.
IT REALLY IS.
OH, A LITTLE BIT
LIKE TOE DANCING, EH?
MM-HMM. SIMILAR.
THERE YOU GO.
NOW, WHAT ABOUT
NAILING IT?
USE A POWER NAILER.
[CLEARS THROAT]
AND THIS LAST PIECE
WE'LL JUST HAND-NAIL
INTO PLACE.
SURE. NOW,
IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS--
I KNOW WHEN YOU'RE
TRYING TO GET A FLOOR IN
AND THE AMBIENT HUMIDITY
IN THE HOUSE
IS NOT IDEAL,
YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE
A DIFFERENT APPROACH,
RIGHT?
YES. UH, WE WILL PUT
SOMETHING TO BLOCK
THE HIGH MOISTURE
CONTENT FROM
THE SUBFLOOR
FROM BEING ABSORBED
BY THE UNDERSIDE
OF THE FLOORING.
AND THAT'S STILL
THE SITUATION OVER HERE
IN THE DINING AREA.
YES, OVER IN THIS AREA
WE HAD THAT PROBLEM.
Vila: WE'LL BE BACK
IN A MOMENT WITH MORE
ON OAK FLOOR INSTALLATION.
DON'T GO AWAY.
HOW, IT'S BEEN A FEW MONTHS
SINCE WE LAID DOWN
OUR GP TOUGH-PLY
SUBFLOORING,
AND OF COURSE ALL
THE DIFFERENT TRADES
HAVE TRAMPLED ON IT,
INCLUDING THE PLASTER,
SO IT'S A PRETTY
DIRTY SUBFLOOR.
YES, IT IS.
WE NEED TO CHECK
THE MOISTURE CONTENT,
THEN WE NEED TO CLEAN
THE SUBFLOOR OFF.
ALL RIGHT. AND YOU'LL
CLEAN IF OFF WITH THIS,
BUT HOW DO YOU CHECK
THE MOISTURE?
WELL, WE CHECK
THE MOISTURE
AND THE CONTENT
OF THE SUBFLOOR WITH
A PORTABLE MOISTURE
METER IN MOST CASES.
PUT THE PINS IN
AND PRESS A NEEDLE,
AND IT GIVES US
A READING.
THE OTHER DEVICE
WE USE--WE HAVE
A MONITORING SYSTEM
WE INSTALL IN
THE HOUSE THAT HAS
A MOISTURE METER,
RELATIVE HUMIDITY,
AND TEMPERATURE CIRCUIT.
WE REPORT THE DATA
WITH A TELEPHONE LINE
TO OUR WEB SITE,
AND IT RECORDS THE DATA,
AND YOU CAN
ACTUALLY PRINT IT OUT
AND MONITOR IT.
AND THIS IS
THE PRINT-OUT
OF THE CURRENT JOB.
WE STARTED MONITORING
ON THE 16th OF JULY...
OH, BOY.
AND IT GIVES
A CONTINUOUS READING
OF TEMPERATURE,
RELATIVE HUMIDITY,
AND MOISTURE CONTENT
IN THE SUBFLOOR.
THAT IS PRETTY
IMPRESSIVE.
IT'S VERY CONVENIENT
FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVE
TO DRIVE AN HOUR OR TWO
TO GET TO THE JOB.
SURE.
IT ELIMINATES
THAT TRAVEL TIME.
YEAH. NOW, THIS
IS GOING TO GRIND DOWN--
IT'S REALLY NOT
GONNA BREAK THE SURFACE
OR ANYTHING, RIGHT?
NO, NOT REALLY.
IT'S JUST--IT'S
A VERY COARSE ABRASIVE.
IT'S ACTUALLY
FAIRLY WORN DOWN.
WE'VE USED IT
ON CONCRETE BEFORE.
AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS,
UH, WE'RE JUST KNOCKING
THE PLASTER DUST
AND THE OTHER STUFF
OFF OF IT.
SO, UH...
PLACE IT DOWN.
[WHIRRING]
IT ALSO TAKES THE HIGH
SPOTS OFF THE SUBFLOOR.
SURE. NOW,
THE SECRET INGREDIENT
IS GOING TO BE
AN ICE SHIELD, RIGHT?
YES. IT'S
A BITUMEN MEMBRANE
UH, THAT'S
PRIMARILY ASPHALT.
AND ITS PRIMARILY USED
ON ROOF APPLICATIONS,
BUT WE FOUND THAT IT'S
A REALLY EFFECTIVE
VAPOR BARRIER,
SO IT'LL--
HOWARD, I THINK WE'LL
LET YOUR SON RICHARD
BE YOUR HELPER HERE,
'CAUSE THIS IS LIKE
FLYPAPER WHEN YOU TAKE
OFF THE BACK CRAFT LINER.
YEAH. IT'S REALLY,
REALLY TOUGH
TO WORK WITH.
[WHISPERING]
Ok.
That's it.
RIGHT TO THE WALL.
RIGHT TO THE WALL,
AND THEN OF COURSE
YOU'LL BE TRIMMING
EVERYTHING ELSE,
BUT NOW YOU'LL PUT
CONTINUOUS SECTIONS OF...
ALL THE WAY
ACROSS THE ROOM.
THE SHIELD ALL THE WAY
ACROSS THE ROOM
BEFORE YOU START
BRINGING IN THE WOOD.
NOW, HOWARD, WILL YOU
USE THE SAME ADHESIVE
AND NAILING SYSTEM
THAT WE HAVE OVER THERE?
NO. WE CAN'T APPLY
ADHESIVE, BECAUSE
WE DON'T HAVE
A BARE WOOD FLOOR
TO STICK TO.
I SEE.
SO WHAT WE'LL DO
IS WE'LL INCREASE
OUR NAILING PATTERN.
WE'LL ALSO MARK
OUR JOIST LOCATION,
AND THEN WE'LL PUT
SCREWS AND WE'LL PUT
WOOD PLUGS--
MATCHING WOOD PLUGS
OVER THE HOLES SO YOU
DON'T SEE THE SCREW HOLES.
BUT THE MAIN THING
IS TO BE ASSURED
THAT THE FINISHED JOB
IS NOT GONNA CUP
OR ABSORB--
EXACTLY. IT'S
MECHANICAL RESTRAINT.
MECHANICAL RESTRAINT.
THANKS VERY MUCH. WE'RE
RUNNING SHORT ON TIME.
COME HOME AGAIN NEXT
WEEK WHEN WE'LL BE
CREATING SOME
REPRODUCTION
RAISED PANELING
IN THE DINING ROOM
AND INSTALLING SOME
WIDE PINE FLOORING
WITH HOWARD BRICKMAN.
TILL THEN, I'M BOB VILA.
IT'S GOOD TO HAVE
YOU HOME AGAIN.
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