Probably not the kind of ripping you were expecting… I was ripping out old peel and stick floor tiles in my sewing room! Oh…that kind of ripping… Not so much fun but something I’ve been wanting to do for a R-E-A-L-L-Y long time. You see, the floor tiles under my sewing chair, where I roll back and forth, were chipping and peeling and the corners were curling up and several times my shoes have caught on them and tripped me. When Rebecca and I were doing all that weeding out in my house a few weeks ago, we found a full box of the same peel and stick tiles that were in my sewing room… 30 tiles!
I don’t know why I decided today was the day, but it was… it could have been because my dear hubby had me doing too many things for him that used up my whole day…and there was no time for sewing… taking pictures of the young hens and listing the ones we are going to sell on Craigslist… wanna see how big they are? They are 11 weeks old now…Now how did we end up with 2 roosters when we ordered pullets? You can see the black and white laced wyandotte in the mix here…and then the big He-man rooster next.
Then my hubby wanted my help ordering a stamp for his business… so I had to help him with that…
Earlier this morning we had company over…his niece and her hubby, and we visited till almost noon. So you see, my day was taken up with “stuff” and I don’t know what possessed me to start ripping up these tiles, but maybe if you see how ugly they are, you’ll know why.
If you’ve ever noticed, I never showed the floor when I took shots of my sewing machine area…it was always “above” the floor…like this shot…
Well, this is why you didn’t see “down below…”
Oh, here’s another shot in case you didn’t get enough “ugliness!”
Then it actually got worse as I used a chisel to pry up all those sticky tiles…
They cracked and they broke and the top layer peeled off…
…and it was the stickiest, ickiest, ooey, gooey mess you’ve ever seen…but almost 5 hours later I had this…
…and I was tired, my hand was tired of pushing the chisel, my knees were hurting, my back was about to break, and my rear end was tired of scooting around on the floor, but I had to get it finished… if I let any more dirt accumulate on the already sticky part, my new tiles probably wouldn’t stick. So I kept moving forward… until I had THIS!
Oh I have to show you again…
I put the peel and stick tiles down over 10 years ago right after we bought this house, and I guess I’d have to say, they lasted fairly well, considering how much use that floor takes, but now the new tiles are a bit shinier and brighter…but you know what? I LOVE THEM! Tomorrow I’m going to mop my whole floor in there…that is, “if” I can get out of bed! :o{
So that’s it… not nearly as fun a post as yesterday was, with all those neat doll houses (HERE) but a necessary post… at least for me!
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Congratulations on having a difficult job done and a much prettier floor as a result.
I have a friend who took up her kitchen floor, with the help of two young daughters, and replaced it. She said using heat softened the glue or whatever sticks the tile down. I don’t know what her heat source was but I’ll bet George knows something that would work if ever you decide to replace the entire floor or a similar one. If he doesn’t, someone in this group will, and if not, I’ll see if I can’t find out.
Thanks for the chicken pictures. I was about to ask about them.
Good morning Marilyn,
Yes, this morning when I got up the first thing I did was go into my sewing room and look at it in the daylight…It still looks nice. I’m very pleased…and still have half a box of tiles left for when other places mess up…
My hubby does have a heat gun, but I’m not sure if it would have helped. These came up okay, but they were just super sticky and it took a lot of strength to pry them up. They weren’t glued down with any glue other than the adhesive that came on them. Now my hubby probably could have gotten them all up in 45 minutes…(he’s strong as an ox) but I did this last night when he was gone to a meeting… I had 3 left to get up when he got home…
I think he wants to keep 12 young hens for ourselves… yes, they have grown…
Thanks so much Marilyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
What a fabulous job on the floor!! I know how hard that can be as my husband and I had to do that on one or two of the houses he renovated. It is a job and very hard on the hands. Your floor looks great.
I can’t believe how big the baby chicks are!! The variation is interesting. I know nothing about chickens other than I’ve seen a few chickens on the farms around here walking about in the fields in rows. I’m sure they have to worry about big birds over head, but the ones I see, are like visiting something and walking and socializing.
I’m afraid I could never raise animals for you-know-what. I’d be so attached to them all.
Sentimental me.
I’ve written on your blog but lately the comments I send in disappear. I think my computer is trying to act up again. Hopefully this post will show up. I’ve been reading all your posts though!
HI Paula,
Oh good, someone who knows first hand how messy and hard this job is.. I’m glad it’s over and now I can enjoy my pretty floor… my two-toned pretty floor!
We don’t usually butcher our hens… we have them for laying eggs… when they stop laying eggs or do it randomly, my hubby takes them to a swap and sells them.
I’m going to call Tech Support today as I’m having too many ladies tell me their comments aren’t going through or are disappearing after they post them…
Thanks Paula,
Blessings, Jeanne
Be careful of your hands! A hair dryer would probably work just fine to loosen the glue, but then it would be very sticky and maybe not come up as well? Sounds like a good question for George and his friends. The floor looks great!
I ordered the two children’s books about America and Paris that Marilyn suggested yesterday. Just $3.98 apiece with free shipping on Amazon.
HI Susette,
I told Marilyn my hubby actually has a heat gun but I think this was just a matter of strength more than being stuck to the floor. They came up in small pieces, but that’s because I wasn’t strong enough to get under and pry them up in bigger pieces. Like I said, I bet my hubby could have gotten them up in a flash. They were just super sticky and stringy and my scrawny little hands were too weak… but I did it…”all by myself!”
Good for you ordering 2 new books… you’ll love them! I bet you’ll be stalking the mailbox!
Thanks Susette,
Blessings, Jeanne
Guess the chicken sexer was asleep! Those two roosters look like the kings of the pen.
The first thing that comes to mind to me is asbestos! Hoping that since the tiles were only 10 years old they did not contain any. From what I’ve read, if they did have asbestos, they are not a problem to remove unless they are cracked. 🙁 Not to worry, I’ve done the same on some really old tile. Still here for the moment.
HI Joy,
I guess the chicken sexer WAS asleep…to get TWO roosters is uncommon. You should hear them trying to crow… it’s the puniest little sounds you’ve ever heard…
There is no asbestos in the tiles… they were flexible vinyl tiles we put them down on a wood floor 10 years ago and it was just a matter of the sticky glue attaching itself very well to the floor. I guess where my chair rolled over that area all these years, really made those tiles stick well…All is well here too!
I woke up this morning and went to look at them again… they are pretty and look SO much better than before…
Blessings, Jeanne
What a wonderful makeover you and Rebecca did! I know it isn’t a whole room, but I’m sure it does make the room looks so much better! It almost looks like a rug! Your chicks are now grown up young ladies!! Well, not the two young gentlemen trying to crow!
Sorry this isn’t too long, but like I have mentioned before, the computer is giving us problems, and I need to get off, but wanted to let you know I am still here! Michael has been corresponding with someone who is helping him in Switzerland—go figure! I just hope he knows how to fix things!
HI Linda,
Well, I’m not going to be much help either. I found out what needs to be done is my main feature of my blog posts deactivated and then activated again…I’m too chicken to do that, so I’m waiting on Sara to get back from Kenya. She’s supposed to be here in a week or so, so if you and everyone else who is having troubles, I’m going to have her fix it…
It is very nice walking on my new floor…oh, and by the way… I did it ALL by myself…no help from Rebecca…she just found the box of tiles! :o)
Blessings, Jeanne