L is for Living Room

I'm hanging in there with the annual A-to-Z Blogging Challenge. For more information on the challenge and its creator visit:   http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com

I'd like to tell you about my living room. It's a sunken living room and that in itself is a whole new set of problems. Contractors seem to get pretty confused on what to do with a sunken living room. Don't ask me why. It's like any other room, except it a step down. Right?

Problems were pretty evident with our living room floor long before the actual flooding. The wood laminate buckled. We learned after the fact, that there were some obvious reasons why. Our contractor had stored our wood laminate in the garage. When he brought it inside, he didn't let it acclimate to the house temperature. Did you know that was necessary? We didn't either. But any contractor worth his reputation knows or should know that flooring has to acclimate, so make certain your contractor (or your husband) doesn't bring it from outside and start putting it down immediately. This is a crucial step. Some manufacturers suggest 24 hours while others suggest a couple days longer.

You should also test to see how much moisture is in your concrete. Wood laminate
can not get wet--on top or beneath. Believe me, we know from experience.

Also, make certain your concrete is relatively smooth, doesn't have gouges and chips. Those holes and low places need to be filled in. Here's a good website that will give you information on laying wood laminate. I wish I'd read it before Mr. Contractor entered my life. Read it. Even if you don't do the work yourself, you should research and read about the procedure so you'll know if your contractor is doing it right or wrong. Don't hesitate to call his hand on things.

The pictures here are before the floor buckled and had to be removed, and hubby stacking the floor we removed, trying to salvage it for daughter and her husband.

I know I'm painting a real horror story about my renovation experience, but only because YOUR experience doesn't have to be.