Flooring it.

9/5/19

(Above: The office, fully floored.)

Building Summary: Today I began morning activities by filling eight Moo-Magic manure bags in the name of Jacobhouse funds. This was followed by my venturing to the container and, with Padre’s and Wag’s help, rehanging the sail-shade*. After that, I returned to Old-house to watch some videos on how to install Allure Grip-strip flooring**, and then I returned to Jacobhouse where I began laying down those linoleum planks. I finished off the morning a little bit early so I could run into town with Madre to pick up sushi, but by that time, I had already floored almost half of the office area.

(7:15 PM Update): This afternoon, farm activities ended early enough that I was able to spend another hour at Jacobhouse. During this hour, I continued working on the floor of the office. There was one spot of trouble near the beginning when a tile did not stick appropriately and I accidentally broke the edge in my struggle to detach the glue strip. Fortunately, I was able to tap it back into place with the combination of a rubber mallet and speed square. The rest of it went quite easily, and I finished off the afternoon activities by laying the first plank in the small section separating the bedroom from the office area.

TIL: I learned how to install Allure’s grip-strip flooring today. It is a fairly straightforward process, but the most important things I learned are:

1. To measure what size tile will fit at the end of a row, rotate the tile 180 degrees, line it up, and mark the section to cut off. I did this without performing the rotation portion and was left with a piece that was ~ 1.5″ too short. This is because I was including the sub-floor ‘stick pad’ as part of the length.
2. If one does not have a floor roller available, procure a rubber mallet. This instrument can be used to tap along the seams to activate the pressure-sensitive glue, and then, the same instrument can be used to rub along the entire seam to ensure complete contact.

Commentary: It was overall a very productive day. I knew I would likely begin flooring, but I had no idea that it would be so easy nor that I would end the day with a fully ‘planked’ office.

As for today’s highlights, two really seemed to stand out above the rest. The first was my morning ride around with Padre through the beefers. The air was cool, the sky was a rosy pink, and every single animal we came across seemed relaxed and content. The sun ended up warming the day later on, but for that first ride around both Padre and I agreed that Autumn was beginning to make itself known.

The second highlight would be the fact that Madre brought me in to Sushi Bistro so I could pick us up lunch today. During that time, I was able to revise some of the creative writing I’ve been working on. Thus, the activities of ‘cooking’ and ‘write time’ were joined into a downright divine combination of delicious efficiency.

Final Note: Tomorrow I intend to continue flooring Jacobhouse, and I shall continue to do so until I reach the end of the bathroom hallway. Then, I will tend to some kitchen-related tasks before finishing up with the flooring. It should also be noted that I got the grill in today, and now I wonder if I should assemble it before or after I move in to Jacobhouse. Part of me wants to save it as a reward, while the other part desires access to some fire-roasted beef and vegetables.

*Very simple task. Took only about 5 minutes, even with the moving of the ladder.

** And use the restroom. Jacobhouse does not yet have any toilet paper.