Bamboo Flooring

Thanks for all the bamboo feedback after the last post! It is really time for us to come to a decision and order our floors soon. We are going to have the same floors throughout the house, in every room, except 3 of the bathrooms.  When we were in the early stages of planning, we alloted a very small amount per square foot in our original contract so, unless we want to peel and stick our floors, we are going to need to pitch in a significant amount of money.  We do want hardwood and have quickly realized how difficult it is to get a good looking, high quality floor on a budget.  The biggest problem is that at any price, 1750 sq. ft. of flooring adds up very fast!

Here are the samples that we have ordered online and have found in stores.

In a previous post, I mentioned that Sam found a couple of bamboo floors for $1.99 but after putting the dark samples to the test, just saw that they scratched and dented very easily.  The exception was the carbonized bamboo that Anthony bought from iFloor (I am pretty sure we have the same sample). It seemed like a great floor but it was just a little too light.  We have been planning on dark floors from the beginning so, if we can afford to do so, hopefully we can stick to our plan! 

Of all of the samples we ordered, Ambient Floors seemed to be, at first glance, the best quality and the most durable. This was all according to my testing methods which were: scraping it with a key, then a penny and then poking it very hard with various things I could get my hands on. 

Ambient had 2 darkly stained floors that passed my tests with flying colors so I decided to take them to the house and see how they looked in the natural light:

This is strand woven bamboo. Like the carbonization process, weaving the bamboo under pressure adds a lot of strength.  Bamboo of either carbonized or woven types are recommended for households with a lot of traffic, children or pets. 

This is a sample of hand scraped bamboo. I believe this technique is for esthetics rather than strength. 

In the natural light, the hand scraped sample looked more brownish/red and the strand woven was more of a chocolate color:

Sam was not a fan of the ridges in the hand scraped floor and we both liked the color of the strand woven better.  It is still a little scary going with a dark floor but Ambient claims that they put 8 coats of finish on every type of bamboo and they come with a 30 year guarantee on the finish and lifetime structural guarantee.  Spending a little more might be worth that piece of mind. 

We took all of the measurements again today to double check our square footage. It should be within the next few days that we make a final decision.  I really, really cannot wait until this decision is behind us! Your feedback is helpful and, as always, greatly appreciated! 

Awning Gone

The awning has finally been taken down! I have been waiting to see the house sans-awning since day one...

I hope that nobody gets the wrong idea now that our delicatessen sign is much more visible. In this vegetarian household, there would be more than a few disappointed customers. 

The weather this week was also favorable for installing some of the new windows:

There are going to be three additional windows on the first level.  The first will be where you see the glass block. The other two windows will be added in this section, below...

This week's Drama...

The guys arrived early one morning to find a pile of bricks in the street next to the house.  One of the chimneys on our roof collapsed.  There are several chimneys that were to be removed when the roof gets redone.  Since gutting the house, they were left unsupported.  In addition, the chimneys would get in the way of the rooftop decks.  The picture below shows the damage it did on the interior of the house. All of the chimneys are now gone to prevent this from happening again.

(where the wood beam has buckled)

We have been ordering many flooring samples online and are trying to come to a decision soon.  We both like dark bamboo floors best and have found one online for $1.99/sq.ft.

 

But, I have a few concerns. I was told that bamboo is manufactured to be harder than oak flooring.  This made me confident in its durability, at first, but then I ordered the samples and they seem to scratch so easily. This would be a bigger issue with the dark floors because the scratches reveal a natural, yellowish color underneath. They would be VERY noticeable. I don't want to have a house where everyone has to take their shoes off to come in and I don't want to be paranoid to move furniture around.  I have read a few horror stories online but the consumer report gives them a very high rating and I've read plenty of positive reviews also. It may be possible that different companies manufacture their floors differently so maybe it is a problem for some and not all. 

If anyone has had any experience with bamboo floors please report your findings. We did find one solid oak floor that is within our budget so we may consider that one as well.  I do enjoy the eco-friendliness of the bamboo floors, though. 

Finished Framing

This past weekend, all of the framing was finished.  No thanks to me... I actually delayed the process with a last minute change on the third floor bathroom.  After all of the careful planning and hard work that everyone did (which I really, really appreciate), I just strolled in there and said it was too small. I felt horrible and I definitely owe the guys some brownies and/or cupcakes. So, here are the most recent pictures...

This is the second floor, front of the house. Much to my disappointment, there are not any walls in the house that are in good enough condition to keep exposed... except this section above the wooden beam...

There is still some work we will need to do to make this brick more attractive and Sam has already started work sanding and finishing the wooden beam.  

Just a close up of that same beam, the other side. It is really starting to look good!  Before Sam got to it, it looked like an old piece of driftwood with a lot of nails in it. 

Also in this pic, you can see the hallway to the right (which leads to the back bedroom) and, to the left, is a small bedroom. 

This is the back bedroom on the second floor.  

Sam and I are still planning on living in the third floor bedroom and having that as our master bed/bath but we have also designed this bedroom so that it could double as a master. The framing in the center of the photo is the bathroom and, to the right (on the other side of the window), is a closet. I have a pretty interesting plan for this bathroom door that I am very excited about!

Same room, different angle.  

Remember, this is the bedroom with the step-up to a platform.

This is the third floor bedroom. Towards the center of the photo is the railing along the staircase. There is a closet and a bathroom in the right, back corner.

Better view of the closet and bathroom entry.  This window will eventually be a door and the access to our roof deck. 

Two front windows, third floor bedroom. 

You may have seen hints of plumbing in some of the pictures.  The plumbing is in progress and that will be followed by the HVAC work. I will keep you updated as each of the trades come in. 

A few interesting things I've discovered this week:

1. Crestview Doors

http://www.crestviewdoors.com/ 

Crestview doors is a website that sells kits to help you take a plain door and give it mid-century modern design. They encourage buying used doors at a second hand store to save money, and the planet. The kits are affordable and come with detailed do-it-yourself instructions. Plus, there are many designs to choose for both exterior and interior doors. 

2. Second Chance

http://www.secondchanceinc.org/default.aspx 

I learned about this website from a fellow Baltimore home renovation blog, Locust Point Rowhouse. They salvage items from buildings that will be demolished and sell them to the public. It looks like it might be a bit pricy but I think we will definitely check it out.  With four warehouses, there may be a gem waiting there for us. 


3. Baltimore Renovation Blogs 
Two new blogs: "Locust Point Rowhouse" and "My Big Fat Greektown House"
Both of these are blogs about townhome renovations in Baltimore.  It is interesting to see what other folks around town are doing and it is helpful as they share info about local businesses. Links to both of these sites are on the right hand side of our page. And, if you haven't already, check out our friend Harper's "bleak to chic" blog as well... she finished the major renovation on her Canton townhouse but is still making improvements. 

Range Hoods?

What is the deal with range hoods? 

I've been asking myself this question all day.

When I began looking at kitchen designs, I thought that hoods were just a decorative element. I knew that you could turn them on if something was burning, but I really thought people just liked the way that they looked.  If that's not the case why are there vintage brass ones and futuristic space age ones and some that look like fire places? 

So, I began looking for one that suits our modern style.  When I saw the price tag ($750 to $2,000), I began to wonder, Do I really need this? And, when I found out that installation would add another $400-$500 to the bill, I began to talk myself out of this idea altogether. 

Here is what I learned... 

It does seem necessary to have a range hood of some type. I found two types:

The first, that I referred to above, is attached to an exhaust duct that directs the smoke/ fumes outside of your home.  These are more expensive because the size is larger and the styles tend to be more elaborate.  In addition, it requires the installation of a duct system that leads outside. 

The second option is a smaller, cabinet or microwave mounted hood, that recirculates the air rather than directing it out of your home.  They have filters that clean the incoming smoke/fumes.  These were priced from $50-$500 and have no additional installation costs. 

These are likely our options...

(number one: exhaust) 

OR

(number two: recirculating, curved)

OR

(number three: recirculating, standard)

Please, feel free to comment with thoughts or experiences.  I will also post a poll so please take a second to vote!

Great Neighbor, Great Stuff

We would like to introduce a neighbor who hasn't complained about our dust and noise, Church of the Holy Rosary. 

These first two pictures show the view from our front door. The front of the church is actually around the corner, on S. Chester St. 

The unique thing about the Church of the Holy Rosary is that since 1887, it has been an ethnic church with masses in the Polish language and tradition. Coincidentally, permission to form the parish was originally granted by Cardinal Gibbons.  It's starting to sound like I have a lot in common with my neighbor... it's only a matter of time before we are sharing pierogi recipes. 

For those who are curious, here is a link to their website: http://www.holyrosarypl.katolicki.eu/ 

According to the mass schedule, it looks like we will be waking up at 8:30 on Sunday mornings.  We can already hear the church bells pretty well from our house, now, a block away. 

This weekend, Sam and I did a little work ourselves at the Bank house. We have been trying to do whatever we can to pre-insulate the house. Needless to say, after 120 years, there are quite a few drafty areas... to put it nicely.  In reality, there are walls that seem to dissolve at the touch and walls that might not quite reach the roof and walls that have some pretty good views to the outside world. Sam has been filling in cracks with cement and we have both been going wild with Great Stuff Foam:

About this product:

• Forms a permanent weather-tight seal to minimize drafts and insect infestation.
• Bonds to wood, drywall, metal, masonry, glass and most plastics.
• Interior or exterior use.
• Water-resistant.
• Tack free in six minutes. Trims in 30 minutes.
• Foam elasticity allows for movement/shifting within a structure from winter to summer.
• Paintable, stainable and sandable.
• Cures rigid.
• Yields same as 19 to 25 quart tubes of caulk.

Basically, this stuff is pretty amazing.

There are a few options available specific to windows/doors, large holes, small cracks, etc. 

It sure beats the current system at the house we rent: plastic Target bags shoved in the spaces around the doors and windows. If this is also your current system, I would recommend you purchase a can for $5.00. Here are our tips: 1. wear gloves. 2. it comes off with nail polish remover and a scouring pad and a lot of effort

The framing is almost done so I will have those pictures up shortly. 

It's time for UConn basketball, then to Max's for hockey... U-S-A U-S-A! 

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Back to Work

After a week and a half hiatus, the crew should be back to work this week. The mission: to finish framing all of the rooms. The result: our house will begin to look, and feel, like a house... or a 2x4 forest. Here are a few pictures of what is framed so far...

As I walked around the house this weekend, I had feelings of excitement... and impatience! Things seemed to be moving pretty quickly up to this point but, now that the rooms are almost done being framed, I can see so much potential... and I just want to hurry, hurry, hurry! (the rent + mortgage combo isn't helping either) But, after all, haste makes waste... and patience is a virtue... etc, etc. 

Sam and I were able to show our brother and sister-in-law, Josh and Nezie, around this weekend. We were like proud, beaming parents as we showed off our skeleton of a house! They will be new homeowners very soon, too... they just settled on a house in New Jersey. It will be a very exciting day for all of us when we can start visiting each other without having to sleep on a floor, air mattress, cot or couch! We are finally growing up. sigh.

Hopefully there will be more to blog about later in the week! If not, I can fill you in on a few more design ideas or another Baltimore neighborhood. Stay tuned and get excited! 

Snow Days

It is snow day number 2 and a half.  On our list of things done: video game solving, book reading, online shopping, napping. No work... and that includes the Bank St. house. We have 3 feet of snow and nowhere to put it! Some of us had a little cabin fever last night and ventured out.  Here are some pictures...

It was very peaceful walking in the middle of the street without any cars on the road

Thames Street 

Arriving at the Horse You Came in On... snowmobiles parked out front

On a warmer note, the polls are closed and the results are in. For the kitchen countertop survey, there was a tie between granite and engineered stone. Following were concrete, corian and stainless steel.

GRANITE 33%

ENGINEERED STONE 33%

CONCRETE 16%

CORIAN 11%

STAINLESS STEEL 5%

LAMINATE 0% 

TILE 0%

While the survey was up, a few people asked me, "What exactly is engineered stone?" To which I replied, "I have no idea." I did my research... and then I tried to make a neat, excel spreadsheet...  and then I realized that Bob Villa did a better job.  

Check out this website: 

http://www.bobvila.com/HowTo_Library/Countertop_Options-Countertops-A1579.html 

or: http://www.taunton.com/inspiredhouse/pdf/kitchencountertops.pdf 

Sam and I still haven't made a decision.  We voted for concrete because we like the texture and the color of natural concrete.  We are planning on darker floors and darker cabinets and so we want a lighter, neutral countertop.  I am concerned, though, about the installation and installation costs.  Off-site fabrication sounds difficult to transport and on-site sounds messy.  I am also a little concerned about the staining.  It is easy to say that we will keep up with the sealing and waxing but, once every 3 months is a lot (and we do occasionally eat beets). 

I guess our second vote, right now, would be for corian. This is because it is a durable, affordable option and it comes in solid colors.

If anyone has additional input, please comment! (I did change the settings so you can now comment even if you do not have a blogger account) 

We would like to dedicate this blog entry to the memory of Bill Marych's car.  Bill's car fell victim to the Baltimore Blizzard of 2010 when a tree fell on it. For you, Marych, a haiku:

bill's green dodge stratus,

stolen two times and once robbed,

good riddance cursed car.