Have A Rip Out The Carpet Party, Or Buy ANOTHER Vacuum/Cleaner?

Confused

Well-Known Member
Ok!!!!!! Arggh!!!!!! Vacuums do not last in this house!!! I don't know why but we have bad luck with all of them!! We have had many types, Hoover,Eureka, Some bag less one, something else, now a Shark!( I miss KIRBYS!!!- they are very expensive and hard to come by but the best) After a while, all but the Kirby, they get motors blown, belts broken, too much stuff stuck in them!! Yes we have dogs, had rodents, I lose my hair a lot( yikes) misc items on floor from son, and shoes tracking in mud/dirt. Well, it also needs to be cleaned, so we need a new carpet cleaner too, the other one was all wrong and just pushed in the dirt in more! No, I didnt pick it out!

So, Im to the point maybe we should have a "rip the carpet out party and put tile"? I like carpets for bedrooms and the living room but the living room is beginning to be too much!!!

Ideas- thoughts? Stories of troubles with your vacuums or other appliances? If you have tile/wood floors how is it working with kids, dogs, elders?
 

Tanya M

Living with an attitude of gratitude
Staff member
I have been trying to decide for over a year if I want to stick with carpet in the living room or put in hardwood. I keep leaning towards hardwood because it will be easier to clean than carpet and I know for re-sale value most people want hardwood.
Also with hardwood you can use area rugs. You can buy carpet remnants and have the edges bound or buy a traditional patterned area rug.
One thing to keep in mind with hardwood is the sun can fade them, so if you have a piece of furniture that sits where the sun comes in, over time the floor around it can fade. They may have new product out that doesn't do that but it's something to ask at the flooring store.
Hardwood comes in so many different widths, colors, hand scraped, etc.... lots of choices.
DO NOT DO LAMINATE!! it can sound hollow and echo.
In case you are wondering, I used to work in a flooring store.
 

Confused

Well-Known Member
Its a tough decision isnt it? I do see your point about hardwood, but, what about handling stains and spills? Plus I have a big fish tank in my living room, so I don't know how it would work? I don't like laminate or linoleum! Thank you for your opinion/ expertise!!!
 

Lil

Well-Known Member
By coincidence, I was looking at flooring options today. The least expensive, other than vinyl, was bamboo. It was actually less expensive than tile. Bamboo is also the greenest hardwood. A really renewable resource. If I were to do hardwood, it would be my choice.
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
I have hardwood in my kitchen. I'm not the neatest person on the earth. And we have furbabies.

And I would do it again. It's an area where you STAND a lot - and it is really easy on feet and legs. NOTHING else comes close.

But... hardwood and water do NOT mix. So... fishtank? if it leaks, will destroy hardwood. (ditto... waterbed, and other watery pursuits)

I hear you about the quality of current vacuum cleaners... it IS hard to get one that stands up these days.
 

donna723

Well-Known Member
I only rent my house but I've lived here for eleven years. If it was mine, I'd rip all this carpeting out ASAP! The carpet was new when I moved in and I was fanatical about vacuuming. In a few months I bought a carpet shampooer and did it for the first time. And what came out of it looked like MUD! Really nasty! And no matter how many times I do them, the rinse water still ends up looking like mud! I don't think it's possible to ever get all the dirt out of carpeting. At least with hardwood or tile, you can get them really clean.
 

Scent of Cedar *

Well-Known Member
I vote for tile throughout, or tile and wood. Slate tile is very beautiful, and lasts forever. Carpeting can be so pretty, but it does trap and hold dirt.

We have tile throughout ~ even in the bedrooms, and I love it.

Tile can be slippery. We use thick scatter rugs, machine-washable and with rubber backing, and that is working well for us. Every time one of the animals is sick or has an accident, I am so happy we have tile.

Wood or tile floors will reflect sound differently than carpeted floors do.

Cedar

I love aquariums, too.

:O)
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
Tile... is hard on the feet for standing. It works well in areas where you don't stand, and where there is water, such as bathrooms, laundry, entry ways.

Bamboo is no different than oak or maple - another natural product. Bamboo happens to be a faster growing, easier to renew natural resource.

And yes... hard surfaces can bounce sound around, change acoustics, as compared to carpet. If you use hearing aids or have other hearing issues, you do not want 100% hard surface.

Carpet... CAN be kept clean. You have to start with clean underneath - as in, really CLEAN subfloor. Then new underlay. Then carpet. And then... vacuum every single day, and use a carpet cleaner at least 4x/year. :D How many of us are prepared to do that?
:rofl:

My mother's answer to dirty carpet was to plan to change it every 5 years. Now that I have my own home, I understand why.

At least with area rugs, you can send them out to the cleaners.
 

Tanya M

Living with an attitude of gratitude
Staff member
Tile... is hard on the feet for standing

I have tile in my kitchen and love it. A couple of years ago I spent about 12 hours one day prepping to host a sit down Christmas dinner for 26 people. The whole day I was in my bare feet on that tile floor. About 2 days later my right foot was really hurting, any pressure was very painful. I went to the Dr. and told her about prepping for the holiday, she said "at your age you should not be going barefoot for that amount of time, especially on a hard surface" Way to make me feel old doctor!!:groan: I had a hairline fracture in my foot. Had to wear a boot for 6 weeks.

I still love my tile floor, I just make sure I wear slippers.
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
I still love my tile floor, I just make sure I wear slippers.
I have done 10 hours of baking, two days of canning... and I have "problem" feet. And no problem on hardwood. Back in the "old" days, real wood was the major component of sub-floors, and even lino went over wood. Now... it's all over manufactured stuff that is full of glue and has no give.

Yes I'm a "hardwood convert".
 

Confused

Well-Known Member
Thank you everyone! I see all your points and will use them in my next home, but Im not worrying about this one Im in( was going to but when I move that will be their problem!!!) Hmm, it will be interesting, see Im thinking if I save, I can get a used mobile home, and that why I was thinking of having tile or something in the living room. I am budgeting for everything as I have a fire under my butt and am trying to put my plans in reality! A mobile home can hold a fish tank right? Maybe I will have to reinforce the floor in that room? Yikes never thought of that until now!!! I cant afford to rent a house, plus I want to own my place, ya know? Maybe one day I can have my land and build a small ( under 1,000 sq feet) home? Who knows!
 

Lil

Well-Known Member
Im thinking if I save, I can get a used mobile home, and that why I was thinking of having tile or something in the living room. I am budgeting for everything as I have a fire under my butt and am trying to put my plans in reality! A mobile home can hold a fish tank right? Maybe I will have to reinforce the floor in that room? Yikes never thought of that until now!!!

Depends on the weight of the tank, but up against a wall is the strongest part of the floor and you are probably okay there. BUT, tile is heavy! You actually might not have floors strong enough to hold full tile floors. If the floor isn't strong and sound enough you'll get movement and that will cause your grout to break and come out.

We're dealing with that right now in our house. You don't want that.
 
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Jabberwockey

Well-Known Member
Maybe one day I can have my land and build a small ( under 1,000 sq feet) home? Who knows!

Yeah, we looked into doing this as well. Not sure what the price per square foot is in your area but we were looking at between 80 to 100 K for low end build for 1,000 sq ft home. And that was JUST for the house. Didn't include running utilities to and from the house, driveway, landscaping, and what not. Building is ridiculously expensive.
 

Confused

Well-Known Member
Oh wow Lil thanks for the info on the floor! Its definitely a reconsider what Im going to do now! Maybe No fish tanks! Ill have to see after my last fish goes.

Lil and Jabber, yikes you guys have done my dirty work of looking at cost! That's expensive! Well, ok, maybe not build a home now haha. Have you seen those homes built from shipping containers and old barracks or portable metal sheds? Wouldn't that be basically the same as a trailer? Ok, maybe not floor wise depending, but the strength wise maybe? Still, they cost a lot and I have no clue how to do much work on my own :)

***Speaking of different buildings... did anyone see that article where that postman built a castle looking home out of pebbles and took him 30 years? I don't know if he had any plumbing or really lived there!
 

AppleCori

Well-Known Member
I have a Kirby, got it 15 years ago. I have had to take it in to be re-conditioned several times (OK, a couple of those times are because the puppy chewed the cord). Rest of the time, operator error.

I have thought about dumping it for a cheap vacuum next time it needs work. Or just dumping the carpet altogether!
 

Jabberwockey

Well-Known Member
Lil and Jabber, yikes you guys have done my dirty work of looking at cost!

We looked into the possibility of building when we first discussed moving. Not so much now! As far as the shipping containers and what not go, I have no idea. The home improvement stores have some pretty nice sheds that would fix up easily but if you cant do the work yourself it could get very expensive.
 

Lil

Well-Known Member
Have you seen those homes built from shipping containers and old barracks or portable metal sheds? Wouldn't that be basically the same as a trailer? Ok, maybe not floor wise depending, but the strength wise maybe? Still, they cost a lot and I have no clue how to do much work on my own :)

Actually, we've looked into that too a bit! They make very large portable "sheds" or "barns" or "cabins". You'll see them outside of Lowe's etc. We were planning on one of those as a cabin on hunting property. They seem to be best if you want a tiny home.
 

Tanya M

Living with an attitude of gratitude
Staff member
Here's a house that was built out of a container. Looks cozy.

http://blog.bacoent.com/cost-effective-home-solution/

Baco-Coupling-Nuts-May-2014-5263fd8c409e6b61f08a294bf3c4e461.jpg
 

pasajes4

Well-Known Member
I love tiny homes. I am actually looking at a one bedroom + office/ small bedroom with a large kitchen and living room. My current home was intended for a large multi-generation family. I am so over trying to keep up with this place.
 
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