Home improvement (4 Viewers)

sleepy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2006
Messages
3,795
Website
www.facebook.com
Hi, so we've been locked down long enough and spending enough time at home to realise that we need to do the place up. The house is 20 years old and we've been living in it for 5 years. Apart from getting the attic converted after we moved in, we haven't done anything with the place. We're living in a 3 bed terraced house and We want to get the kitchen, living room and bathrooms done. We're looking at getting new floors and doors (including pocket doors between the kitchen and living room). We're no good at any sort of handy work. We were just wondering if anyone here has any recommendations for renovating companies around Dublin.
 
Ours was closer to a rebuild than a renovation, but we used Clancon. We did have some issues, which they came back and rectified. They were good to deal with, they came out to have a look and a chat, they had good ideas and solutions. They came recommended to us by neighbours but they were also the cheapest of three tenderers, this was about five years ago.

For some stuff they recommended other companies who we dealt with directly, rather than Clancon bringing them in as subcontractors. For the kitchen fitout we used Grand Designs. I think we visited Margaret once in her office to design everything, she came here once to measure up, she made everything in the factory and then the installers came and put it all in in one or two days. Really easy, as I recall it, and the quality of the work is great.

We didn't get Clancon to install flooring, so I can't speak to that. They put down a temporary OSB subfloor that we lived with for a while.
 
Ours was closer to a rebuild than a renovation, but we used Clancon. We did have some issues, which they came back and rectified. They were good to deal with, they came out to have a look and a chat, they had good ideas and solutions. They came recommended to us by neighbours but they were also the cheapest of three tenderers, this was about five years ago.

For some stuff they recommended other companies who we dealt with directly, rather than Clancon bringing them in as subcontractors. For the kitchen fitout we used Grand Designs. I think we visited Margaret once in her office to design everything, she came here once to measure up, she made everything in the factory and then the installers came and put it all in in one or two days. Really easy, as I recall it, and the quality of the work is great.

We didn't get Clancon to install flooring, so I can't speak to that. They put down a temporary OSB subfloor that we lived with for a while.

That's brilliant. Thanks Jen, we're starting to look into this stuff now so it's good to get the names of companies
 
If you do a fair bit of cooking then I highly recommend reading this book, and doing a lot of thinking about it, before you get your kitchen redone

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Design-Cooking-Donald-Silvers/dp/0932767095/

We lived in a lot of shit flats with shit kitchens, so knew what we didn't want, but we didn't know what we needed until we read that book. Our kitchen is so much nicer to work in than any place I ever lived (and also looks fabulous, fwiw, but that's Mrs. egg_'s eye for colour rather than the book)
 
If you do a fair bit of cooking then I highly recommend reading this book, and doing a lot of thinking about it, before you get your kitchen redone

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Design-Cooking-Donald-Silvers/dp/0932767095/

We lived in a lot of shit flats with shit kitchens, so knew what we didn't want, but we didn't know what we needed until we read that book. Our kitchen is so much nicer to work in than any place I ever lived (and also looks fabulous, fwiw, but that's Mrs. egg_'s eye for colour rather than the book)


Sound, thank you. It'll be good to get a read of that.
 
My new electric hand planer IS THE FUCKING BALLS
I have been wrecking myself scraping up that old floor glue by hand - and wrecking the wood underneath in the process

This thing was cheap as chips (relatively) and it's a fucking dream - just keep it at the lowest thinnest setting and it takes this fine layer up
A. Dream.


When the (not cheap) belt sander arrives, I will hopefully be able to get around the edges and the deep spots
(Hittin' them corners and them low-lows, girl)


1656169171304.png
1656169187655.png
1656169230783.png
1656169247096.png
 
My new electric hand planer IS THE FUCKING BALLS
I have been wrecking myself scraping up that old floor glue by hand - and wrecking the wood underneath in the process

This thing was cheap as chips (relatively) and it's a fucking dream - just keep it at the lowest thinnest setting and it takes this fine layer up
A. Dream.


When the (not cheap) belt sander arrives, I will hopefully be able to get around the edges and the deep spots
(Hittin' them corners and them low-lows, girl)


View attachment 15870
View attachment 15871
View attachment 15872
View attachment 15873


Planing is the most satisfying way of cleaning stuff.


Though a client once asked us to plane a bunch of cherrywood or walnut floor boards, I don't remember now, whichever the harder. After we broke the handheld planer, and then broke the bigger industrial standard planer, he was not happy. We just destroyed about a grands worth of kit. Eventually the client had to acknowledge that the machines weren't up to the task, it's too hard a wood. We didn't break the machines, it was his stupid idea. we did it, it didn't work. He eventually accepted it. So then I did a day of sanding and sanding and sanding.

When I was on the boats my boss had something like this:
Amazon product ASIN B00V8IOCFM

I think he had the Makita version. Great for getting into the really fiddly corners, of which on a boat there are many.
 
Last edited:
and then broke the bigger industrial standard planer
Christ on a bike
I knew that old hardwood was tough, but not that tough

I have to go through and find all the nails - it's a pain. But progress is good!
That sander is an amazing looking yoke.
 
My new electric hand planer IS THE FUCKING BALLS
I have been wrecking myself scraping up that old floor glue by hand - and wrecking the wood underneath in the process

This thing was cheap as chips (relatively) and it's a fucking dream - just keep it at the lowest thinnest setting and it takes this fine layer up
A. Dream.


When the (not cheap) belt sander arrives, I will hopefully be able to get around the edges and the deep spots
(Hittin' them corners and them low-lows, girl)


View attachment 15870
View attachment 15871
View attachment 15872
View attachment 15873

We are going to have to replace a lot of floorboards and they're going to have to be treated hardwood. and I'm not sure what thickness they need to be BUT I was wondering, if they are uneven heights, would his be the job for them? They'd be Small rooms
 
We are going to have to replace a lot of floorboards and they're going to have to be treated hardwood. and I'm not sure what thickness they need to be BUT I was wondering, if they are uneven heights, would his be the job for them? They'd be Small rooms
I am no expert but if you are replacing what's there, you should be able to get the same size - unless the house is super old. Very old lumber is true dimensional - but they standardised these things long ago.
And even at that, I would say (if you can't get matching thickness) to buy on thin side and then shim your new boards on the joists, far less hassle and aggravation than planing
I'd leave it to your pest expert, but not sure you need PT hard wood - my guess would be anything PT would do. Like whatever they use for decking. PT pine might work fine.


I think you will be able to to get the sizes you need. I would try somewhere like Chadwick's or Kelly's in Ballybough before I'd try Woodies.


I know this is daunting, but you have the right attitude.
This is the kind of job that a few capable lads with the right attitude could handle readily enough.
 
I am no expert but if you are replacing what's there, you should be able to get the same size - unless the house is super old. Very old lumber is true dimensional - but they standardised these things long ago.
And even at that, I would say (if you can't get matching thickness) to buy on thin side and then shim your new boards on the joists, far less hassle and aggravation than planing
I'd leave it to your pest expert, but not sure you need PT hard wood - my guess would be anything PT would do. Like whatever they use for decking. PT pine might work fine.


I think you will be able to to get the sizes you need. I would try somewhere like Chadwick's or Kelly's in Ballybough before I'd try Woodies.


I know this is daunting, but you have the right attitude.
This is the kind of job that a few capable lads with the right attitude could handle readily enough.


Cheers.

Yeah the house is late 19th Century so nothing looks standard. Not a square wall or floor in the place! Reckon we'll go go for a local lumber yard.
And as I'm finding out, I think any decent hard wood is going to be treated for pests anyway.

Going to get a man in for advice and possible fumigation.
So depending on professional advice:
  1. rip up carpets and bring them to the dump
  2. Rip up current flooring. Use as firewood
  3. Fumigate
  4. Cut new timber to soze and Install new floor on not treated/fumigated joists (hopefully not replace (m)any joists)
  5. Get a new job
 
My new electric hand planer IS THE FUCKING BALLS
I have been wrecking myself scraping up that old floor glue by hand - and wrecking the wood underneath in the process

This thing was cheap as chips (relatively) and it's a fucking dream - just keep it at the lowest thinnest setting and it takes this fine layer up
A. Dream.


When the (not cheap) belt sander arrives, I will hopefully be able to get around the edges and the deep spots
(Hittin' them corners and them low-lows, girl)


View attachment 15870
View attachment 15871
View attachment 15872
View attachment 15873

Made some good progress

1656272735558.png
1656272752947.png
1656272762658.png



You need some mess of tools all the same

1656272813782.png

Don't forget to wear safety sandals
 
This is what people will do on the cheap

Original floors
Someone comes in and lays a sheet of plywood plus lino on top

Then, some comes years later and adds another layer of plywood and then tile

I've had to rip up all this lazy work
1656273039066.png
 
So everything is sanded out and I went nuts with the filler (which I may regret)

1656273108178.png

1656273136143.png


One more sanding
Well two
One with 80 grit, and one with 120
Then hoover it and tack it
Then the fun part
Coats and coats of finish


It is gonna look so good
 
Last edited:
Cheers.

Yeah the house is late 19th Century so nothing looks standard. Not a square wall or floor in the place! Reckon we'll go go for a local lumber yard.
And as I'm finding out, I think any decent hard wood is going to be treated for pests anyway.

Going to get a man in for advice and possible fumigation.
So depending on professional advice:
  1. rip up carpets and bring them to the dump
  2. Rip up current flooring. Use as firewood
  3. Fumigate
  4. Cut new timber to soze and Install new floor on not treated/fumigated joists (hopefully not replace (m)any joists)
  5. Get a new job
Brother, get all the advice you can get

You might be able to just pull the boards up and treat them, plus the joists


Do not fuck out or burn the original boards til you are finished - they will be a very helpful reference point for whatever is going back

Get advice. Bore yourself to tears reading about these things. Watch Youtubes.

I would try to avoid getting int a situation where you are doing overkill out of ignorance.
It will be very disheartening to do all of this and realise you only needed to do half of it.
 
New posts

Users who are viewing this thread

Activity
So far there's no one here

21 Day Calendar

Mohammad Syfkhan 'I Am Kurdish' Dublin Album Launch
Bello Bar
1 Portobello Harbour, Saint Kevin's, Dublin, Ireland
Mohammad Syfkhan 'I Am Kurdish' Dublin Album Launch
Bello Bar
1 Portobello Harbour, Saint Kevin's, Dublin, Ireland

Support thumped.com

Support thumped.com and upgrade your account

Upgrade your account now to disable all ads... If we had any... Which we don't right now.

Upgrade now

Latest posts

Latest threads

Back
Top