[Build] Flooring work--suggestion to save time and money

Torrie Fischer tdfischer at hackerbots.net
Thu Jul 17 20:04:18 UTC 2014


Thanks, Jim. This information is very helpful!

I'm estimating that we'll need about 35 gallons of polyurethane to cover the 
5.3k square feet of the whole space with two coats with a little bit of 
buffer. We'll also need some plastic sheeting and lots of duct tape to build a 
45'x14' wall as we do the space in sections.

I'll post a more thorough BOM to build@ here in a bit. Then I'll head to 
discount builders to price things out.

On Tuesday, July 15, 2014 08:48:40 jim wrote:
>      In the interests of saving time and money, your idea
> of a single coat can be done like this :
> 
> Contents
> A. free up areas to work on
> B. crew sizes
> C. tools
> D. materials
> E. process steps
> 
> A. Try to free up multiple areas to work on simultaneously.
> 
> B. Crew sizes
> maximum crew for mopping one area, two.
> maximum crew for sanding  and scraping one area, four.
> maximum crew to prime, fill, and reprime one area, four.
> maximum crew to put finish coat on any one area, one per area.
> 
> C. Tools
> one or more flat or angled brooms
> one or more push brooms
> one or more vacuum cleaners
> one or more buckets for cleaning solutions
> one or more paint rolling tools
> one floor mop
> one or more fans or forced-air heaters
> one or more dust brushes
> one or more paint scrapers
> one or more digging tools (e.g. "five-in-one")
> zero or more orbital hand sanders
> one or more pole sanders
> gloves, knee pads, breathing masks...
> one orbital floor sander
>      (Note: do not use drum sanders or edgers, only
>       an orbital floor sander and perhaps orbital hand
>       sanders for edges and large depressions.)
> one or more cauking guns
> one bucket for primer and (later) top coat
> one or more roller trays
> 
> D. Materials
> white vinegar
> washing soda
> detergent (use very small quantities of this)
> rags and towels
> roller covers 1/4" or 3/8" max (not 1/2" or greater)
> 80 grit sand paper
> caulking compound
> one or more cans of floor primer (water base)
> one or more cans of floor filler
> one or more cans of floor (top coat) finish
> (for all materials, generally good to buy a little and
> then get more as you see you need it.)
> 
> E. process steps
> 0. clear away one or more areas of floor to work on;
>      do all the work to finish the area(s) so you can move
>      stuff from other areas onto the now-finished area(s)
>      of floor. if you can free up multiple areas, you can
>      work on all of them simultaneously. If the orbital
>      sander is busy on one area, hand sanders should
>      do just floor edges where they meet verticals.
> 
> 1. dig things out of cracks and depressions, including
>      cracks where floor meets verticals: hands and
>      knees folks should have dust brushes along with
>      scraping and digging tools.
> 2. sweep up as much as possible.
> 3. vacuum.
> 
>      (work backward, backing away from your work)
> 4. damp mop a vinegar-water solution (use a roller)
>      -- vinegar etches everything (this is a backup
>          approach to sanding--probably helps with areas
>          that sanders miss despite best efforts)
>      -- damp, not wet, so's not to drip through onto
>          the second floor people's work
>      -- let dry (with fans and heaters if you wish)
> 5. damp mop with washing soda and maybe a little
>      detergent.
> 
> 6. sand (all with 80 grit paper) (back away from work) :
>      -- one person uses a single orbital sander
>      -- use a pole sander where floor edges meet
>         verticals.
>      -- have two people on hands and knees with
>         80 grit paper and scrapers and digging tools
>         and dust brushes to sand depressions that
>         the orbital and sanding poles don't get and
>         dig out any remaining detritus. Maybe use a
>         rag balled up and pressed onto the backs of
>         the sand paper so's better to get into
>         depressions.
> 7. vacuum.
> 
> 8. prime then fill any holes, especially in cracks.
>      use a caulking compound in cracks where floor
>      edges meet verticals. Let filler cure (dry).
> 9. prime filled places and let dry.
> 
>      (back away from work)
> 10. roll on top coat and brush it in; let dry.
> 11. put on another top coat if you want to be real
>        thorough.
> 
> repeat on other areas till all areas are done.
> 
> # # #
> 
> :wq
> 
> On 07/14/2014 10:21 PM, Naomi Most wrote:
> > A bunch of us had talked about doing a single poly coat, nothing
> > more... but I'd defer to your expertise.
> > 
> > As for timing and getting a group together: for obvious Noisebridgey
> > reasons, it's really hard to know when one can safely assume the
> > floors will be cleared.  Having 2-3 days notice is pretty luxurious,
> > I'd say.
> > 
> > Fortunately, we have about 40 people on the volunteer sheet and a good
> > handful specifically interested in flooring. I'm sure if you just
> > emailed the Flooring group, some agreement could be reached.
> > 
> > If you have a really bad time organizing this, btw, I'll take it on
> > the next go-round.
> > 
> > Flooring this week would be ahead of schedule, actually -- so by all
> > means, attempt it, but don't worry too much if it can't be
> > accomplished.
> > 
> > --Naomi
> > 
> > 
> > On Mon, Jul 14, 2014 at 10:10 PM, Torrie Fischer
> > 
> > <tdfischer at hackerbots.net> wrote:
> >> On Monday, July 14, 2014 14:16:12 Naomi Most wrote:
> >>> You may already have this well in hand, Torrie, but just to chime in
> >>> -- we'll need transportation for heavy equipment (trucks, preferably)
> >>> and someone (or a group) to underwrite the rental expenditure.
> >> 
> >> Yes. As I am currently unemployed I cannot fund any of this, so someone
> >> will have to cover it in advance.
> >> 
> >> Its also alright to delay this 'till the weekend if that means more folks
> >> are available to contribute the needed transportation and funding for
> >> equipment. Now that I'm remembering the work it took to redo my house a
> >> few years ago and how much larger noisebridge is, that might just be the
> >> best option. I somehow assumed that a lot of this had already been
> >> figured out :D
> >> 
> >>> The rental costs will come to something like $150/day to use 3
> >>> sanders.  Not sure about the chemical costs.
> >> 
> >> I heard rumors that someone has access to gallons of denatured alcohol?
> >> 
> >>> I'll be out of town for HOPE X during this particular flooring
> >>> adventure.
> >>> 
> >>> Which part of the NB space are you covering this Thursday?
> >> 
> >> I'm pretty sure we can get at least a quarter of the space sanded and
> >> cleaned on Thursday. It'll take at least two coats of polyurethane with
> >> around 4-6 hours of drying time and a light sanding between coats.
> >> Considering the use of the floor, I'd say 3 coats total which means
> >> we're unlikely to get that far on Thursday.
> >> 
> >>> On Mon, Jul 14, 2014 at 1:58 PM, Torrie Fischer
> >>> 
> >>> <tdfischer at hackerbots.net> wrote:
> >>>> Hi, build at .
> >>>> 
> >>>> This week we'd like to start the process of sanding and refinishing
> >>>> vast
> >>>> swaths of the floor.
> >>>> 
> >>>> What is needed:
> >>>> 
> >>>> * Two floor sander pilots
> >>>> * One floor edger pilot
> >>>> * Folks to apply denatured alcohol on the sanded surfaces for cleaning
> >>>> * Folks to apply polyurethane over the cleaned surfaces
> >>>> 
> >>>> Equipment rentals and supplies are being worked out in the meantime.
> >>>> 
> >>>> Idealy this can start on Thursday at 6pm. Is that an issue for anyone?
> >>>> I'll be there a bit before 6p to get things ready.
> >>>> _______________________________________________
> >>>> Build mailing list
> >>>> Build at lists.noisebridge.net
> >>>> https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/build
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Build mailing list
> Build at lists.noisebridge.net
> https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/build
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