WFB asked followers on Facebook and Instagram to open up about some of their most embarrassing moments on the job site. Here’s what they shared:
Jason Vivash
We installed a living/dining room in a new build subdivision in the wrong house. The guys wondered why the drywall wasn’t taped yet. Luckily it was the most popular color and it was what they had selected also. Long time ago.
Josue Vargas
Hit a pipe while installing over radiant heat. After telling my guys a million times to be careful.
Jesika Peterson
I had a bad cold and I fell asleep in a closet. We were installing so I thought no way would the homeowners come in. She did, and offered to get me a pillow. 💙🤦♀️
Troy Stanfield
Plugged in a hired drum sander once (a toy compared to a professional big machine like, say, a Hummel) and didn’t realize the switch was turned on. It shot across the room until the cord separated from the machine but not before it ran over the cord and stopped when it hit the opposite wall. A bit like those belt sander races you see. Thankfully the client wasn’t home and nothing was damaged except my ego.
Dean LaPointe
Broke into a house, moved their furniture to the garage and started to sand their floor. At least they got a free refinish out of the deal.
Juan Navarro
Start sanding a laminate floor. I felt like a tiny man afterwards.
Gregory Dozorec
First time using a round buffer, it started to wobble, which turned into jumping, resulting in the buffer going right through the drywall between the studs. Painter was laughing so hard he fixed it for me for free.
Daniel Springer
Caught a trashcan full of dust on fire. I was smoking a cigarette, I put it out—or so I thought. I guess there was still a small ember. Ten minutes later the boss man asks if I smelled smoke. We go out there and the trashcan is on fire. Also was the same job I almost got jumped by sandhill cranes.
Jorge Perez
Breast milk; six months of hard labor breast milk gone to sh*t because we popped a breaker to the refrigerator in the basement and forgot to turn it back on. Try backpedaling on that one.
T.J. Haas
I stained a floor the completely wrong color a couple of years ago.
Robbie Allen
While on vacation, my guys sliced and scored 2,000 square feet of ‘wet’ plywood for a floating nail down.
Anthony Perl
Years ago. Buffed a floor I stained and coated, didn't put down a sealer and buffed right through it. Had to re-sand 1,400 square feet because of where I started. Didn't realize at the time that not all stains have sealers. 🤦♂️
Paul Jack
Not shutting the power switch off on a belt sander after the plug came out of the receptacle. Plugged back in and sander ran across the room and went thru drywall into next room and went till the plug came out again … Fifteen years old at the time, since then I always make sure I turn the power switch off of any tool.
Hardwood Floors Rich
I asked a helper (big guy, 300-pounds-plus) to go sand underneath the stairs where there was a cubbyhole while I was on the BM. So he got down underneath with his feet hanging out and started sanding. I went on the BM . Hour later wondering where he went, I checked where I left him. I turn the corner to see his feet were sticking out the cubbyhole—as when I left him. I heart jumped thinking the guy died on me. Went and kicked his foot, nothing. My heart gets racing. Got down and looked in, and he was fast asleep snoring!
Cody McLemore
Coated a floor with conversion varnish and forgot to add hardener. Had to tie my shoes as tight as possible to keep them from ripping off when I did the second coat.
Bradley Ripley
Shook a can of stain all over the boss and contractor in their Sunday clothes—all over them and new wall … thought the lid was secured.
Wesley Goetz
When I first started in 1996, one of the fellows I was working with had a soda. I asked where he got it and he told me from the fridge in the garage, homeowner said it was fine. I was so thirsty and glad. I opened the fridge and was looking trying to decide which drink to get and looked up and the homeowner was looking at me with her jaw on the floor. POS lied to me. Next Monday the homeowner bought a BRAND NEW FRIDGE. I guess I defiled the old one.
oliverflooring
I was installing in a bedroom when a lady came in and started to undress and change clothes. She thought I wasn’t in there anymore, so I just yelled, “I’m in here!” She hurried and put it back on. Mind you she was a 70-something lady. 😂
universal_floors_dc
No breakfast, no lunch, third job, pushing 6 p.m. Moving the 96-year-old woman's furniture back. Couldn't resist eating her tray of fresh peanuts … Last handful, she walked in the room. I apologized and told her how hungry I was… She said, “No worries, I just like to suck the chocolate off the nuts…”
seanfloors
I took a mallet to a high edge board, and right in front of the customer used the wrong end of the mallet and smashed their floor....... LOL
plankd_flooring
So many stories but one stands out … I had to jackhammer the concrete subfloor to reduce the thickness up on the 4th floor of a city apartment. As the homeowner stuck her head round the corner to check progress, I ruptured a high pressure water pipe that no one knew was there. We both got sprayed with water and then we had to try and locate the isolation valve before the apartment got flooded.
ddtngcbb
My coworker and I having to ask for a plunger 🪠 from the homeowner because we simultaneously stopped up both bathrooms 🚽.
soulbrotha09
Thinking I had the house to myself and used the restroom with the door open. 🤦🏽♂️
ewfreeland0815
Broke a chandelier with my head once. 🤷♂️
paradigm_wood_floors
I like to sing out loud with headphones in. I listen to most every genre of music. I think I’m a great singer though I’m sure others are embarrassed for me… 😅
marco.pisos
I was getting ready to do some samples on a floor. I set up the floor fan to dry the water pop faster. When I poured the stain on the floor, I forgot about the fan and the stain flew all over their white cabinets. This all happened right in front of the homeowner and designer, mind you…
