WFB asked wood flooring pros on Instagram and Facebook about their least graceful moments on the job, and they delivered. Read on:
Bryan Mattson
Popped the hose off the air compressor but didn't have a good grip on the end. Was a bit too close to an oven door in the kitchen and it shattered the glass through the kitchen. Client got a new oven/range out of the deal.
Glenn Harris
Ran over the cord with the big machine in the middle of a $10,000 Renaissance medallion, which resulted in sanding through one spot of the veneer. Homeowner was 100% mafia ... I was $hitting.
David Jeffries
Told the homeowner we were almost dust-free. Purged the Bona vac and got sidetracked before I reattached the vacuum hose. Went in another room and started sanding with the big machine for about 15 minutes. When I turned around to look in the room with the vac I couldn't see 4 feet across the room. Man, that big machine blows a lot of dust with 36-grit.
James Cortright
My helper did me a favor and loosened all the DuraSeal lids for me while I was showing a customer samples. So when I grabbed the Espresso and gave it my best bartender shake, I ended up splashing their brand new paint job, kitchen cabinets and door wall with stain. The looks on their faces were priceless. Jaws on the floor. Lucky for us it all cleaned up with mineral spirits. I'm positive they still hate me.
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Jerry Bennett
Backed myself into the porch cavity!!! Man that hurt!!!
Ken Ballin
I nailed my shoelace in between rows with my tools on the other side of the room and no one else in the house to pass me a pry bar. I somehow managed to get the end of the lace as well as the loop, so I couldn't just untie myself. That was an interesting few minutes of anxiety.
j.l.w.floors
Broke a lamp that cost $5,000 .
cottonwoodfinishesllc
I was helping a GC demo a restaurant for a remodel. Restaurant owner refused to close for renovations. I dropped a tiny piece of sheet rock that broke a PVC water pipe. Flooded the restaurant we were working on, and the next one over, and the next one over.
Ryan DeGrange
I was coating a floor, bent down to coat under a toe kick, stood up and smashed my head into a low chandelier. Hit so hard that it knocked me out momentarily, fell straight into wet finish and was down for a good 60 seconds or more.
Cindy Carol
Locked myself and my husband into the balcony after the last coat. It was wintertime; we were freezing outside. We waited for the customer to come bring us a 20- to 30-foot ladder to get down. I had never climbed that high; I was so embarrassed. Now I laugh.
Bradford Lawson
I put a staple right through my shoe into my baby toe. The client walked in right after I did it and started talking to me as I pretended nothing happened. As soon as she left my helper pulled it out with some pliers.
Chuck Bailey
Stepped on a Durabond bucket lid to seal it, my shoe folded the aluminum lid, and now I needed a new pair of shoes.
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