Well, we will file that previous post either in File 13 (the wastebasket) or File for Future reference. The Wood Craft veneer is not flat; it tends to have ripples here and there, which really did not flatten out as I thought they would when I glued them in place. The real problem with the floor, however, occurred when I realized that as I glued the planks in place, they were not level. So I tore the whole mess out and began again. I had glued the to flooring to card stock which was also glued to the floor so, I had to used my laundry softer/water solution to dissolved it and scrape out the card stock without damaging the wallpaper.
Plan B: I purchased flooring from Hobby Lobby. And here's how that went.
With the first floor installation, I used Aleene's Tacky glue to secure my card stock "sub" floor that would protect the copper tape.
I covered the copper tape with Scotch tape to protect it, leaving a small opening where the the connections for the wire that will connect to the upper floor and where I will connect the only floor lamp in the living room.
You can see the mess.
And I began a new.
This time to adhere the card stock to the floor, I used my favorite double sided tape found in the scrapbook section at Hobby Lobby. It will hold the paper secure and will remove easily should that ever happen.
The new flooring comes from Hobby Lobby, too. I've used it before. It comes adhered to a backing so I was able to use scissors to cut the shape of the floor from a template. Looks great. Fits perfectly.
I used a walnut stain to give the floor a really dark, rich look. . .
. . .which dissolved the glue that held the boards to the backing, so now I have to install them one by one. I did a dry fit--several times, remembering to leave a 1 inch gap in the living room to wire in the lamp. In the end, I've left 2 center boards that won't be glue in so that if I ever have to repair the connection, I can. More on that later.
I followed the same process in the kitchen, glued in each plank one at a time with tacky glue and pressing each plank next to the pervious one for a tight fit. For some reason the planks are not quite even at the bottom, but at this point I am not going to worry about that because I will use a trim along the edge.
With the wall supports as they are, planks had to be sculpted to fit. This wood cuts easily with an X-action blade. Next time I will stain the sheet of plants before I cut them and then cut each separate plank as I go to fit instead trimming to fit the template.
The floorboards will hopefully cover up any gaps.
Here, then, is the completed living room floor. Look closely at the bottom where you will find spliced blanks. I left 3 boards unglued that will be held in place by the center baseboard and the edge trim.
I did something similar to this in my first house, the remodel which I call the Blue Farmhouse Now Pink. I don't usually run tape wire across the main floor; instead, I run it up the walls, but in this house I wallpapered the wall panels before I installed them (Won't do that again), so for my one lamp in the living room I had to create the electrical connection and hide it in the floor. In my experience over the years with renovations and new builds, the copper tape never wears out or fails, but what does fail are the connections in the tape wire.
So FIY stay tuned for this I will be soldering my connections instead of using brads. Won't that be interesting--well I hope so.
The base board will come out, and the little splices will be easily removed. Then I got the brilliant idea to move them to the top where they won't be so easily spotted. Now I will be able glue the trim at the bottom in place for tight, secure fit.
And only you know my secret.
The same technique will be used in the front entry.
The copper tape runs across the kitchen floor and securely glued in place with the electric connection on the outside. I've used card stock as a base floor which will be taped in place with access to the spot where the wire leading to upstairs will be connected. While the sub flooring will be taped down as the wood flooring, the tile piece will be left unattached. The stairs will not be glued into place permanently either and will hold the tile in place. But more one that later.
Finally, after a lot of struggles, the first floor is almost complete. I have to paint and install crown moulding and it will be done. The second floor will not be as tedious for it is only 3 main pieces with two interior walls and straight lines, no bay windows to fuss with. It does have 3 windows that have to be built, painted, and installed. So stay with me.
Thanks so much for visiting.
Ann
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