Tax Refund
When we got our tax refund last March, we put my portion toward our mortgage debt and my husband's portion toward our California vacation. Both money well spent. This year we're spending all of it (plus a little more) on new floors for our upstairs.
In less trafficked places the carpet still looks decent. But the hallway and our bedroom look particularly worn - and of course the corners, which Monkey tore up her first two months here rather than one of the scratching posts.
We really love the hardwood floors we have downstairs so that was our first thought for upstairs. It would be cheaper to replace the carpet (about half the price) but the tax refund made us more willing to pay the extra. Plus the hardwood should last much longer than carpet ever would and I think it's easier to keep clean (especially for our family members with allergies).
The installation should be an interesting process with three cats in the mix! We're very excited for the end result though :)
What kind of floors do you have?
We really love the hardwood floors we have downstairs so that was our first thought for upstairs. It would be cheaper to replace the carpet (about half the price) but the tax refund made us more willing to pay the extra. Plus the hardwood should last much longer than carpet ever would and I think it's easier to keep clean (especially for our family members with allergies).
The installation should be an interesting process with three cats in the mix! We're very excited for the end result though :)
What kind of floors do you have?
That sounds like a good use of a tax return!
ReplyDeleteWe have the original hard wood floors in our house plus some saltillo tile in the kitchen and family room. I agree that floors other than carpet are easier to keep clean.
We hope so!
DeleteWe have tile in our bathrooms and I love that as well.
What an awesome idea! We have berber carpets that are looking (and feeling) very worn out. It's top on our list of projects to check off once I finish school!
ReplyDeleteVery smart - we wouldn't have considered this while I was still in school either!
DeleteWe replaced the carpet throughout the house with laminate, and wish we had splurged on hardwood. It's fine, 6 years in, but can never be refinished.
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely a splurge! We didn't consider laminate because Mr. G had it at his last place and didn't like it. (Of course it didn't help that the laminate was a faux red brick pattern in a yellow kitchen . . )
DeleteMy house has hardwood floors, but there's ancient carpet on top of them. My plan is to rip up the carpet at some point, but who knows what shape the floors will be in. I've sorta been waiting for a time when there isn't a kitty crisis to explore this option - this time will come, someday... won't it?
ReplyDeleteI love that plan! Things will calm down in kitty cat land, for sure. Usually that's about the time I foolishly add in another cat ;)
DeleteAgh did my comment get eaten? I assume it did.
ReplyDeleteWood floors are great - we've had colonial houses with them, and they've stood the test of time.
You should check out 'better after' blog, she's just getting her floors changed to wood too!
We're hoping they will last! My grandmother still has the original hardwood floors from the late 40s in her house. They've been refinished once, but still!
DeleteIf your comment doesn't show up immediately, it's been eaten. Sorry! I'll shake my head at blogger for you.
Scratch that, I think she went laminate, just reading now...
ReplyDeleteNo worries, thanks for the idea!
DeleteWe have hard wood floors with a large rug in the main living room. I agree with you and like hard wood floors because you can clean them regularly. Easy to sweep through with a soft broom too. Hate all the dirt and smell trapped in carpets. And I hate artificial smells like Febreeze. Ours need re-finishing in the high traffic areas, especially where chairs are pulled in and out. Still, worn wood floors look and smell better than old carpets. And who has the cash to replace carpets that often?
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm not a fan of Febreeze either. We're hoping to replace the floors this once and not have to do it again!
DeleteNothing beats the look and feel of real timber! Our house is built on a concrete slab so we'll only ever have the option of floating floors if we want a timber look. So far, we've had 14 years out of our carpet but they are now ready to replace (especially since they're beige and now really show the wear and stains.)
ReplyDeleteI hope the refinishing goes well - can't wait to see the new look!
Mr. G grew up in a house on a concrete slab and all the floors were carpet - even the bathroom!
DeleteYes, I think the color of our carpets hampers them as well. It's so light it shows every stain and footprint. I'll definitely share a photo when everything's complete!
We have carpet upstairs, tiles in the bathrooms and kitchen and laminate everywhere else on our main floor. The laminate has stood up really well to wear from the boys and dog. In our old place we put the engineered type hardwood in the upstairs and found it marked up easily and marks and chips were obvious since it was a darker colour. I like hardwood but would get one that was more textured and a lighter colour next time so dust/dirt and wear aren't as obvious. The carpet is so terrible with little kids and pets spilling things, getting sick, etc!
ReplyDeleteI think a lighter color hardwood would be nice - that's what my grandma has. But I'm torn because I would like it to match the first floor and the staircase. However - the hardwood downstairs has a dark, shiny finish and when we talked about how easily marks show, our floor guys suggested a matte (non-shiny) finish for upstairs so we're going to try that :)
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