Carpet Gutting

[Pic0o]

Last weekend I went downstairs to remove the carpet we got from the last owners of the house. Like the rest of the stuff we ripped out, it was nasty and smelly. We added to the carpet wear with our dogs and their muddy feet.

 

Anywho, Tearing up carpet is a blast. You get to remove the carpet, foam layer under it, and the fuckin nail strips. I accomplished this with many mixed drinks, a Carpet Shank (AKA: Carpet Blade - will attach image) and several trips outside to dump the carpet. Nail strips removed w/ a Hammer and ghetto crowbar.

 

Happily, our trash people took all the carpet shit, so all I had to do was drag it to the street. The remaining task, is to remove the foam that is clued to the green Tile. Kat thinks we can do this w/ water and goo-gone, but for the time being, just having the carpet out, and mostly tile exposed is kosher for now. :P

 

Edited to add Old Basement layout.

 

Here is the old basement layout with the old wall still up. The Post above, is the current setup, in the same room.

Edited September 8, 2009 by Pic0o
Images will go up later, gotta find Digi.

[Pic0o]

I made some progress on the phase of removing the foam layer from the floor. For some reason, this shit was glued to the floor. As you can guess, removal is quite a pain. I started on the front room last night and should be able to get most of the remaining foam out of that room tonight.

 

I am using a Water / Dish soap mix for soaking the foam for 24 or so hours. Since the stuff is so absorbent, you can splash any excess mix on the stuff so it does not soak to the walls.

 

Once I get that room cleared of foam, it will be Goo-Gone and Scrub brush time. After that, the tile should be good enough for the basement to look reasonable, and also serve as a good place for the dogs to dry off on rainy days (like yesterday til Tue via local weather).

 

Over time and work on this project, I learned that carpet in the basement is kinda crappy. Especially if you are a pet owner. The basement being done pretty much marks all the original carpet being out of the house. This is great, as all rooms had vile carpet from previous tenants and their pets & kids.

[tOucan]

Whats under the carpet in a basement? I asume just cement, not hard wooded floors like you would dream. I only ask beacause Australia doesnt have basements no matter how much I wish we did for my awesome gaming room ive been planing in my head for years, and because I also belive my future wife wont allow me to turn a normal bedroom of the house into a nerd retreat :lol:

[Afronomicon]

You should keep lady hunting then, since our 2 upstairs rooms are toys, an downstairs will be Guest and Dining table area, since the space is good for that.

 

We have some 70's green tile under the carpet, laid on top the very uneven cement. Once we clean the current stuff up, we can consider new floor when the tree of duckets sprouts up with a lush harvest ;)

 

By time it's new floor season, I'd prolly just pay to get the floor leveled and new tile on. Some stuff R worth the cost and saving of your time. It also is a factor since the rest of the basement is 3 to 4 times the size of the little room we did.

 

Anywho, chillin in the Car wash parking lot, Kat's ride needed ultra TLC.

[JeT]

I wish they would air Bob Vila still... what ever happened to all those great home construction shows I used to watch growing up as a kid? I remember weekends constantly watching them around my dad-- now it's all more decorating / trading spaces / fixer-upper-quick-fix type shows that really seem to be more after a female audience than the grunting guy handyman type.

 

Or maybe I'm just missing them all?

 

BTW, you lied about "Pics later"-- unless you meant _really_ later. :o

[Pic0o]

Good call on the fixup shows. Some will show a dood (or industrious gal) laying concrete or some shit, but yeah on the quick fix, else fuck it.

 

Yup super later. :P I may put some goo gone down to get one of the stick layers off the floor. I </3 scrubbing, be it on knees or with a big push scrub brush.

[Pic0o]

It is officially later. I did some house cleanings and condensing of items. My room is now the super AV accessory room, as I cleaned the downstairs closet out, my old cable slum. :pirate:

 

Floor of green is almost all unpadded and unsticky. Pretty much just some spots by the couch that need scrubbed and the Window-side of the bed has the last of the padding to get up. Wall painting is eventually on that list too. :stab:

 

We also had a bonfire in the yard last night, pic also attached. :)

 

Old Basement layout of fail, is in the 1st post. I don't miss that wall, carpet and I'm OK with being in a Cat free house. 1 Kat is enough. :kat:

Edited September 8, 2009 by Pic0o
Old Pic in OP

[JeT]

Mmmm bonfire. Is that the bonfire image Kat tried to send me last night? Got a msg but can't view pics on iphone without going to crazy website and sucheries.

 

Does the basement work well in the summer for keeping temps down at nice levels for sleeping and such? Sounds like it would be a good setup...

[Pic0o]

Those were the pics. As for temps, shit yeah, much cooler.

[JeT]

Before and after pic0o pictures are particularly partaking.

[Kat]

Twas a good night, there was much burning of things and then we came inside and pulled out the N64 and rocked out some Perfect Dark!