We asked readers about what they had done on a wood flooring job site and would never do again. Here are our favorite responses shared on the WFB Facebook and Instagram pages.
real_wood_floors_steveRe-bevel 1,500’ of Marie Antoinette parquet on a new install after another flooring contractor sanded too aggressively. It did save the floor.
Tommy Stuart
I was barefoot while coating along an open staircase and slipped in finish. I almost went over the edge—never again.
soulbrotha09
Tell the homeowner to move the smaller things and we’ll handle the large bulky items. It was a full day just moving things!
darin_dupree
Let’s just say: Always lock the bathroom door.
Paul Digiore
Screening and staining ⅜-inch engineered. The veneer was paper-thin.
dawshawg91
Forget to cut in or mark where the vent is/was…
Lorie Davidson
Installing paper-back parquet paper-side down.
Cody McLemore
My brother and I carrying a Galaxy that wasn’t taken apart up a 20’ ladder into this large floating sound booth above a dance floor. It was a new commercial building in downtown Seattle and the staircase had not been built yet. This was at least 12 years ago. Everything went fine, but there was a lot that could have gone wrong. Easily the dumbest thing I’ve done on a job, LOL.
Cody McLemore
My brother and I carrying a Galaxy that wasn’t taken apart up a 20’ ladder into this large floating sound booth above a dance floor. It was a new commercial building in downtown Seattle and the staircase had not been built yet. This was at least 12 years ago. Everything went fine, but there was a lot that could have gone wrong. Easily the dumbest thing I’ve done on a job, LOL.
higherstandard405
Try to change the plug end on a drum cord while it’s plugged in. 0/10 would not recommend.
Genia Smith
Install “used” flooring that wasn’t remilled.
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Mitchell Canter
Move stuff.
chill_dave
Having to stain individual boards in a hexagon border the color of the Italian flag.
evprmu
Fall through a ceiling doing subfloor repairs.
b_e_z_g
Giving away $hit for free. You can hook somebody up, but never give things away for free.
traversewoodworks
Patch in red oak into a white oak floor. It wasn’t my call, but it was a good lesson to learn early on.
Daniel Springroll
I messed up and went way too far into a header board that was against an existing floor that we were trying to match to, leaving a big lip—like right on the last quarter inch of the header. I got yelled at that day pretty good. That one stuck with me, LOL.
kshardwoodfloors
Stain and finish a floor installed and sanded by a customer! Never again!
eternity_floors
Paint the floor after she said she didn’t like the stain color. She paid us extra to paint it.
Tim Mikels
Used a Wendy’s napkin and glue to fix one-of-a-kind wallpaper that came off with the plastic and blue tape. They never knew ...
RELATED: Talk Back: What's The Dumbest Thing You've Ever Said to A Customer?