Well, thanks to the storms we have a 1,000-foot sand job; it is a fingerblock that the GC was told could not be sanded. Here is the floor:
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Well, thanks to the storms we have a 1,000-foot sand job; it is a fingerblock that the GC was told could not be sanded. Here is the floor:
This is a simple task; it just is not going to make some carpet store installer happy. They were told to tear it out and start over; the carpet store installed it years ago and told everyone that it cannot be sanded. They said if you put a sander on it, that it would be down to the backing… carpet store, shame on you.
I can say this: The floor has a little cup from the water damage but not enough to worry about. I will post each step as we go just to show you that it can be done. I started with the rough cut: not 40, not 50, not 60, but 100 grit. Here are some photos of the floor after the 100 grit:
I recall at a NOFMA class in Memphis, Tenn., Bob Sweezey was telling folks that no sander could remove the finish on a factory finish floor they made. Me being me, I said, "That must be your butt talking, because your head knows better." Well, that was not nice; sorry Mr. Bob. Anyway, he said, "I will bet you $100 that you cannot get it off." We waited till the class was at dinner (what I call lunch) and we set up the belt sander; they got 40-grit and 36-grit paper for the unit. I went and got 100-grit and beat that floor like it stole something. Bob and his friends could not believe that the finish came off that easy. Any factory-finish will come off with the right grit. If you are sanding a factory-finish floor, just add 25% extra for the paper and extra cuts.
So, the end of the story: Well, Mr. Bob is a stand-up man, and before we got started after dinner, he asked Mickey Moore if he could say something. He told the class about the bet and had me come up and get the funds. It was not my goal to take it from him, but just to show that it can be done. If you know that crowd, the drinks were on me for the night. I don't drink, but the rest of them enjoyed the funds. Good friends and good times. Thank you, Mr. Bob.
I got about three-quarters of it cut today and should have it filled before dinner Friday. I got a late start because we had to take 30 sheets of plywood to the next job. I want it to sit on site while this job is being done so it will be close in moisture to the house. My next cut will be ? Stay tuned … (don't you hate that?)
