Hard flooring

[Les C]

Don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but some friends who live in HPP mentioned that termites loved their mango wood picture frames. It might have been just a random choice by the termites and not be indicative of a higher risk for infestation, but it caused us to count it out as a possibility.

We haven't made our purchase yet, but we had a very good experience so far at Pacific Island Floors, 447 Kalanianaole, 935-3715. Janel is very helpful and seems to know her stuff. They seem to have a good selection of tiles, natural stone and ceramic. Anyone feel or know otherwise about them?

Les C

Edited by - Les C on 08/08/2006 00:43:48

[Hotzcatz]

Aloha Punamom & Les C. and all other Punatics as well,

Hey, Punamom, then your floor may have grown behind my house! How wonderful! It would be lovely to see some pictures, it must just be awesome!

It is nice of Hal to "hire women for mens' jobs" but I don't see what gender has to do with many jobs. He probably just hired the best person he could for the work he wanted done, he's a practical sort of fellow.

I'm not sure, Les, about bugs in mango. I would think that after it has been dried, milled and varnished the bugs would stay out of it. I do know when they are harvesting mango they are very concerned with powder post beetles getting into the wood and will cover the cut stump immediately. How likely are powder post beetles to be in a house, though? (I'm not even sure what they look like.) If there were termites in a mango picture frame, they may have had termites in other locations as well. Termites like any kind of wood, I'm sure mango would be just as tasty as koa and the rest. Does anyone make a termite-proof wood wax?

A hui hou,
Cathy

[hilobamboo]

Aloha, and thanks to all of you that referred us. http://hilobamboo.com only sells strand woven bamboo flooring. It is tough as nails , resists water damage, you can use it in kitchens and baths and is bug resistant. As far as scratches in the finish go, for those who have existing wood floors, try Orange Glo from big box stores. For about $6 your floors will look beautiful again.

[Hazen]

Hi.

I have installed both slate and bamboo, in fact I installed Pam's slate as she mentioned elsewhere.

Slate is with out a doubt beautiful. I grew up next to slate quarries in Vermont. We roof with it there. It is hard, not as bad as marble or granite. If you sound like an ape walking around the house (heel-walker) you don't want a lot of slate. You'll wonder why your feet hurt. Also, it is immensely variable. Pam's slate was chinese and very varied, quite colorful, very affordable. But, it was also very inconsistent from tile to tile and from one side of a tile to the other. Thus she has a more rustic install. You can get more uniform and less veined slate, but it will cost more in materials, though less in labor. All slates will be scratched by harder stone (gravel). But otherwise it weathers/wears beautifully. Seals and cleans like a breeze and has a great natural appeal. It has appropriate and inappropriate uses. Tile is more durable and comparable in price. Though slipprier and more sterile.

Bamboo comes in about twenty forms. It is great, but you need to get a sample and abuse it. The thinner tongue and groove stuff with foam underlayment is very forgiving to your feet. The thicker glue down type is more like a traditional wood floor. I am unclear as to what types can be refinished. Many colors and styles are available. Many internet dealers are very affordable and will mail you samples.

Good Luck

hazen

[mella l]

Aloha Hazen,
So good to hear from you, long time no hear! I want to thank you for your contributions and insights to the PW and welcome back by the way! LOL where did you go?

You are so well reasoned and good to share this with us! Plenty food for thought! Hope you have a punatic shirt or bumper sticker! If not give me your address and I will send you one! Mella

mella l

[Hazen]

Why thank you Mella!

I am flattered. I remember meeting you at PsLamont's house. You were so nice, and well spoken/held if I may say, but, then again not all of us Punatics need have wild hair, shifty eyes, and a proclivety towards conspiracy theories to qualify as Punatics right?!? Just helps establish a baseline uniformity to seperate us from the Westsiders! I for my part make sure to keep my hair long, spent vast amounts of time outside, dress goofily, and shuck off my clothes whenever i get the chance. Helps keep the tourists from thinking they might be in timeshareland.

I have been extremely busy for the last few monthes working up in Hamakua on a ranch house up at 5000' over-looking the ocean. It's a big project and due to the location I was sleeping up there 3 nights a week. The views and wildlife were impressive to say the least. It was on the second largest (i've been told) cattle ranch on the island. Turkeys, Kalij pheasants, francolins, quail, grouse, and even a few peacocks. I worked 4 : 10 hour days a week, (great arrangement!) and have pretty much been hiking, kayaking, or camping whenever i wasn't at work. The proximity of the worksite to Waipio was too much of an oppourtunity, i often didn't come home for weeks. When i did it was usually just long enought to bath and do laundry.

Oh, yeah I met a pretty amazing woman too.
She's off in Chicago finishing up her PhD., hopefully she'll be classing up my life sometime around December.

I'll try to be a little more visible (pun) here on the PW.

Hazen