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Siwsan

(27,285 posts)
Sat Nov 19, 2022, 06:52 AM Nov 2022

If all goes to plan we're finally tearing out the old shag carpeting in the den, today!!!!!

I'm moving the chairs and end tables before everyone gets here. We're going to try moving the couch to the far wall side and tear out that section. We will put felt pads on the furniture legs and move everything to the bare side and tear out the rest.

The floor has a light finish on it (it's been covered since the house was built). I have a big area rug and some smaller ones. I think as long as I'm careful, the floor should be fine, for now. In the Spring we will move the furniture to the garage, do a light sanding and then give it a durable finish.

I just couldn't wait until Spring to get rid of this horrible carpet. It's worn through and falling apart. Every time I vacuum, more comes up. And don't get me started on the dust situation. It's just not healthy.

This might help jolt me out of my current state of doldrums.



18 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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If all goes to plan we're finally tearing out the old shag carpeting in the den, today!!!!! (Original Post) Siwsan Nov 2022 OP
Good luck with your project! SheltieLover Nov 2022 #1
Good for you cyclonefence Nov 2022 #2
WOW! I will most definitely look in to those products! Siwsan Nov 2022 #6
We built Rebl2 Nov 2022 #15
Sanding floors makes a horrible mess cyclonefence Nov 2022 #17
shag rugs Crazyleftie Nov 2022 #3
This message was self-deleted by its author Rebl2 Nov 2022 #14
Save the carpeting and put it in your van. twodogsbarking Nov 2022 #4
expect lots of dust Brainstormy Nov 2022 #5
Yeah, the dust is unbelievable. murielm99 Nov 2022 #8
Getting rid of... 2naSalit Nov 2022 #7
Why is Mikey gone? murielm99 Nov 2022 #10
Mikey is a cat. 2naSalit Nov 2022 #12
Smart move Maine Abu El Banat Nov 2022 #9
I hate carpeting. Scottie Mom Nov 2022 #11
This was my aunt and uncle's house, built in 1967 Siwsan Nov 2022 #13
Shag carpeting is a plague. Ocelot II Nov 2022 #16
My sister Rebl2 Nov 2022 #18

cyclonefence

(4,873 posts)
2. Good for you
Sat Nov 19, 2022, 07:25 AM
Nov 2022

I bet your whole house is going to feel, maybe even smell, cleaner! There was dark gray shag *throughout* a house we bought, and when we tore it up, we found beautiful oak floors with darker edging around the sides--how could anyone have wanted to cover that up?

After you get squared away, look around at Bed & Bath, or Marshall's, for floor restorers. You just wipe them on with a rag or a mop, and they really brighten up wood floors--maybe you won't need to sand & poly them--plus, with these products, you can do just a section at a time, so no need for a big furniture move or the dreadful mess sanding makes. I'd definitely try one of them before I went to sanding. You might be perfectly happy with the results!

Siwsan

(27,285 posts)
6. WOW! I will most definitely look in to those products!
Sat Nov 19, 2022, 07:39 AM
Nov 2022

The whole house is carpeted. Even the kitchen! That will be going, soon, to be replaced by some sort of vinyl. Much easier to clean up than wood and less deadly to glass ware than tile.

I hope to have the whole down stairs and upper hall way stripped of carpet by Spring. The bedrooms can wait.

Rebl2

(14,677 posts)
15. We built
Sat Nov 19, 2022, 09:56 AM
Nov 2022

our house in early nineties, and I swear I am still cleaning up dust from sanding of hardwood flooring we had put in. I’m joking of course, but it was such a mess! My husband put it in, but hired someone to sand it and to seal it. Think I will look up that floor restorers you talked about.

cyclonefence

(4,873 posts)
17. Sanding floors makes a horrible mess
Sun Nov 20, 2022, 06:46 AM
Nov 2022

because the dust sticks to vertical surfaces as well as horizontal ones.

At one house, we hired a professional and moved out while he worked. They somehow contained the mess. If you have no choice but to sand, and if you can possibly afford it, hire somebody who will promise you a clean house after the sanding.

Youtube has a bunch of videos showing how to use the refreshers (sometimes they call them restorers). I've been very happy with the results from these products.

Response to Crazyleftie (Reply #3)

2naSalit

(92,668 posts)
7. Getting rid of...
Sat Nov 19, 2022, 07:45 AM
Nov 2022

Old carpet is always a plus even though messy. Glad for you, it will make you feel better physically and mentally. Plus it gives the kitties more skittle space.

The last place I lived in had no carpet, this one has it in the bedroom but it's new. I did decide what to do with my old wool blankets, I made braided rugs for area rugs and one big one to replace a 5x7 area rug that got old. Easy to make, got rid of a lot of fabric that I needed to do something with and they look great. Mikey likes to attack them and stuff things under them when he's on a tear.

I got an update from his other mom yesterday, he's been rediscovering his domain and finding he has a new feature to deal with... wild turkeys. Freak him right out which is good because he needs to learn to be in the house more now that he's nine years old. I sure do miss him already. Small as my place is, it feels so empty without him and his regular interruptions of whatever I'm doing.

2naSalit

(92,668 posts)
12. Mikey is a cat.
Sat Nov 19, 2022, 08:36 AM
Nov 2022

He was at the last place I rented, adopted me before I even moved in. It was a converted portion of an older house and he hadn't quite figured out the separation thing.

His human, my former landlady and now friend, sold the place lest year (long story) upending both our worlds, she had horses, a dog and Mikey. She ended up homeless for a few months so I took Mikey to my new place, not rural like we were. Once in her newly built home, Mikey went to live there since he's not an indoor cat full time and I have little space with no yard to speak of and close to streets. The kicker was when Mikey, who has to go outside and watch over the home place, discovered the storm drain out at the street and would spend much of his time there and not come when called. It's freezing and with a foot+ of snow it was a very dangerous place for him so he had to go to his other home where the house is bigger, he has 8 acres to rule and can be in the house at night. He was regularly inside at night during winter but I had to convince his other mom that he needs to be in at night year round because it's pretty wild out there and he's prey for too many critters, not like our old place at all. And she has to feed him better. So that's why he's there for now. We agreed that he has two homes and he can come back in a few months when it's safe for him to be outside here.

Until then, I have to focus on other stuff that I had in the works before I brought him home last August.

Maine Abu El Banat

(3,479 posts)
9. Smart move
Sat Nov 19, 2022, 07:53 AM
Nov 2022

Carpets are not a healthy floor covering. Had every carpet removed from our house. Respiratory problems disappeared.

Scottie Mom

(5,812 posts)
11. I hate carpeting.
Sat Nov 19, 2022, 08:33 AM
Nov 2022

It dirty and dusty and after the first day on the floor, it will NEVER be truly clean again. I am about to rip out carpeting throughout my home. Starting a total remodel...inside and out.

Siwsan

(27,285 posts)
13. This was my aunt and uncle's house, built in 1967
Sat Nov 19, 2022, 09:10 AM
Nov 2022

This house has hard wood floors in every room but the kitchen, laundry room and bathrooms. They put down quality but VERY UGLY (IMHO) carpeting. My aunt had epilepsy and they wanted some padding should she fall. Even the kitchen is carpeted!!

Now, I HATE carpeting but love hard wood floors. The trouble is both getting help and the logistics of what to do with the furniture. And I procrastinated. Far too long.

It's a 'split level' house with just 1 step to the upstairs. If we get the whole downstairs and upstairs hall way taken care of in the next few months, the bedrooms can be done at a later date. The master bedroom being the priority.

I'm already looking at some nice area rugs.

Ocelot II

(120,820 posts)
16. Shag carpeting is a plague.
Sat Nov 19, 2022, 12:01 PM
Nov 2022

My house was built in 1885 and has mostly nice hardwood floors, but whoever owned the place in the '60s or '70s covered the entire upstairs floors and the stairs themselves in nasty orange-ish gold shag carpeting. I have removed almost all of it (one room still needs to go, but that's part of a bigger project). The underlying floors are just painted planks, not finished flooring, but that's OK. I've repainted the stairway and at some point will either repaint the rest of the floors or leave them as is. I was so glad to get rid of that hideous carpeting!

Rebl2

(14,677 posts)
18. My sister
Sun Nov 20, 2022, 10:15 AM
Nov 2022

back in early to mid 2000’s had a short shag put in her house-yes it was a thing for a while. Don’t remember where exactly it was in her house. She got rid of it.Said it was a bad decision. With two kids then and couple dogs and cat back then, yea I would say it was not a good combination.

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