I Got a New Way to Walk! (Walk, Walk!)

For Fun:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANQPlGmhAmA

After we removed the old wall-to-wall carpet, we couldn't figure out what to re-cover the floors with. In our current house we've done:

Tile, rejected now  because it is cold, slippery and makes my knees hurt to install;
Raw hardwood, rejected now because it is slippery, it needs finishing, and the dogs nails ruin it;
Prefinished hardwood, rejected now because it is slippery, the dogs nails ruin it, and it's expensive;
Professionally installed wall-to-wall, rejected now because it will be ruined in 2 seconds flat and it is profoundly unhygienic, trapping God knows what and all their friends down where we cannot evict them.

I started researching carpet tiles awhile back, but rejected them as too expensive because the only thing I was willing to consider were the kind that stay put without adhesive, like Milliken's Legato.

 http://www.millikencarpet.com/americas/residential/carpetpanels/legato/Pages/default.aspx

I thought that regular glue down carpet tiles had to be attached with the same kind of thing that Daddy used to install linoleum tiles with in our basement in 1963 - a foul smelling tar-like substance. So without doing any further research, I put that option out of my mind. But then that rascal, Reality, reared its ugly head and we had to choose something. (The adhesive is smelly, but not as bad as that adhesion primer we used.)

So we're driving down Fillmore Blvd. on our way to Cañon City one bright Saturday morn, and I says to Mikey, "Why don't we stop here at The Floor Trader to see what they have?".

 http://www.gcocarpet.com/linkframe.asp?wt=The+Floor+Trader&l=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.floortradercoloradosprings.com 

And that is when we met The Fellas.

Mark, Ramon and Mark. (Not shown: Roy - Get well soon, Roy!)

Ramon and Mark answered all our questions about the carpet tiles they were discounting, helped us lay out possible patterns, and explained how to apply the pressure sensitive adhesive to the floor. (When applied correctly, it sticks ONLY to the floor, so the tiles can be removed if a replacement or spot cleaning is needed, or if you just love them so much that you want to take them with you to your next abode.) I guess the thing that impressed me most about The Fellas, was that they listened closely to our list of requirements and helped us fit the product to the project and our budget. And, they stored it for us until we were ready for it. Now that's service!

We were able to replace the floors in the entire house for under $1800, and it is WAY easier and faster than anything we've ever done before. We bought 3 different tiles - 2 of them were 18" x 18" and one was 24" x 24". Can you imagine how quickly they covered the areas? It was brilliant! I am so impressed with the products and The Fellas at The Floor Trader that I encourage you to consider them for your next DIY floor replacement project. It is a casual look, to be sure, but man, it is fast and easy. THANKS, FELLAS!

Mikey installing the carpet tiles in the office. The greys and black in the tiles go swimmingly with the cow shade.

With this pattern, the seams are virtually invisible. And that is saying something for a low pile carpet tile.

We could have installed raw hardwood for less $$$, but it would have MUCH harder on our bodies, MUCH messier because of the need for so much cutting with the chop saw, and MUCH slower. And then when we were finished, we wouldn't have been finished because then we'd have to seal it. Carpet tiles are my new favorite flooring option. No, they're not appropriate for the Queen's parlour, and the low pile is even more casual than the shag (which is deep enough to catch more yuckies). But for a quick, easy, durable, hygienic floor, this is the nuts!